Welsh Cakes
March 1 is St. David’s Day back in Wales. I lived in Wales for 10 years, and my three boys were all born there. So I thought it would be nice to share a recipe for Welsh Cakes or bakestones, which are traditional in Wales. In the North of England, where I’m from, we called them a “singing hinny.” I had my first Welsh cake in Swansea market many, many years ago when I had just started teaching culinary arts at Neath Port Talbot College. I’ve made Welsh cakes all around the world since, and every time I make them they are always well received. This simple recipe of flour, fat, sugar, spices, milk, and fruit is baked on a griddle in minutes. Who would have thought over twenty years later I’d still be making these cakes for my family while living and working in Charlotte, North Carolina?
I hope you will enjoy, and Happy St. David’s Day!
Welsh Cakes (makes 16)
Ingredients
½ lb. self-rising flour
1 level teaspoon mixed spice
3oz sugar
4oz firm butter, cut into cubes
4oz mixed dried fruit
1 large free range egg, beaten
a little milk (if needed)
How to Make:
Take a large mixing bowl and sieve the floor and spices into it, add the butter and rub until the flour resembles coarse breadcrumbs.
Add the dry fruit and mix in thoroughly, add the beaten egg and lightly bring the dough together, if too dry add a little milk.
Lightly flour your work surface and roll out the dough to about ½ inch in thickness, using a 2 inch cookie cutter, cut out as many cakes as you can
Warm your griddle or take a heavy bottomed frying pan and lightly grease with butter, place over a medium heat, then start cooking the Welsh cakes in small batches for about 2 minutes on each side. Be careful with the heat as you don’t want them to burn. They should be fairly brown and crisp on the outside but moist in the middle, serve warm.