Ingredients
Filling
Flaky pastry
To finish
Method
1.To make the filling, melt the butter gently with the demerara sugar, stirring with a wooden spoon, then tip in the other ingredients and combine well. Set aside to cool.
2.To make the flaky pastry, chill your grater in the freezer for 5 minutes. Sift the flour and a pinch of salt into a large bowl. Roll the piece of butter in the flour so your hands will have a better grip, then grate the butter onto the flour using the coarse side of your grater. Mix everything together with a round-bladed knife.
3.Pour in the lemon juice and water and mix quickly with the knife until the pastry clumps together. Use a little more water if you need to.
4.Turn the dough onto a floured board and shape into a brick. With a short side of the rectangle facing you, take a clean, floured rolling pin and begin rolling the pastry out, using short jerky strokes. Extend pastry out into a rectangle about 1cm thick. Try to keep the sides straight and the corners square.
5.Mark the dough widthways into three equal sections, fold up the lower third and push the edges gently with your rolling pin to seal them. Now fold the top third down and seal again on all sides. Give the dough a quarter turn to the right so that the bottom edge is now on your right and a short side is again facing you. This is one ‘turn’.
6.Repeat the rolling, folding and turning three or four times until the pastry is smooth and springy. Chill the dough between turns if it seems too soft. Wrap and chill the pastry for at least 1 hour before using it.
7.To make the pastries, preheat the oven to 220°C and line two baking trays with baking paper. On a lightly floured board, roll out the pastry to a 40cm x 30cm rectangle.
8.Spread cooled filling over one half and flip other half on top to cover it. Press down at the edges to seal and roll out again until the currants show clearly through the pastry and it again measures 40cm x 30cm.
9.Trim edges so you have a neat rectangle (the trimmings can be baked too). Brush with a little beaten egg white or cold water and sprinkle generously with caster sugar.
10.Cut the pastry into long strips, then crosswise into squares or rectangles. Transfer carefully to the prepared baking trays and bake for about 15 minutes, or until well risen and golden brown. Cool on a rack and store airtight.
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