Flies' graveyard facts for kids
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| Alternative names | Flies cemetery, fruit slice, fruit squares, currant squares, fly cakes, fly pie |
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| Type | Pastry |
| Place of origin | United Kingdom |
| Main ingredients | Currants or raisins |
Have you ever heard of a dessert called "Flies' graveyard"? Don't worry, it's not as spooky as it sounds! This funny name is given to a type of sweet pastry in the United Kingdom. It's filled with tiny dried fruits like currants or raisins. People jokingly say these dark fruits look a bit like dead flies baked into the pastry.
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What Are Flies' Graveyard Pastries?
These pastries are a popular treat in different parts of the UK. They are usually flat, square, or rectangular. Inside, they have a delicious filling made from currants or raisins. The pastry itself is often light and flaky. It's a simple, sweet snack that many people enjoy with a cup of tea.
Different Names for This Sweet Treat
The "Flies' graveyard" name is just one of many nicknames for this pastry. In Scotland, you might hear them called fly cakes, fruit slice, or fruit squares. If you visit Northern Ireland, they are often known as currant squares. People in the North East of England call them fly cakes or fly pie. In Wales, this tasty pastry is known as Cacen Pwdin.
How Are They Made?
The fruit filling in these pastries is quite similar to the sweet mixture used in mince pies. Mince pies are traditional treats eaten during the Christmas season in the United Kingdom. Both use dried fruits, spices, and sometimes a little bit of sugar. This makes the filling sweet and chewy. The fruit mixture is then baked inside a pastry crust.
Other "Fly" Snacks
The "Flies' graveyard" pastry isn't the only food with a funny "fly" nickname. The Garibaldi biscuit is another example. This biscuit has a layer of squashed currants between two thin layers of biscuit. Because of the way the currants look, it's often jokingly called a 'squashed fly' or 'dead fly' biscuit in the UK. It just goes to show how creative people can be with food names!
