A Collection Of Welsh Recipes

TEISEN NIONOD (ONION CAKE)

2 lb (1Kg) peeled and finely sliced potatoes, 1 lb (500g) peeled and finely chopped onion, 4 oz (115g or 1/2 cup) butter, salt and pepper

Serves 4-6. Well grease an oven dish and on the bottom lay a thick layer of sliced potato. well seasoned then a layer of onion.  Dot each layer with butter and repeat the layers until the dish is full and ending with a layer of potato dotted with butter.  If necessary, use extra butter to do this.  Cover with a lid or foil and bake in a moderate oven 350F (180C) for about 1 1/2 hours (90 minutes) removing the lid for the last 1/2 hour (30 minutes).  The variety of potato makes a difference to the cooking time allowed: very floury potatoes can cook in an hour whereas waxy potatoes will take longer.

LAMB ONION CAKE: Potato and onion prepared as before but put into a meat roasting tin with stock to cover and a small joint of lamb roasted on top is very good.  It would not be too fatty if a young and lean joint is used.  The lamb juices running down into the vegetables gives them an excellent flavour and the meat will be succulent and free of fat.  Serve with a green salad.

CHEESE AND ONION CAKE: Grated cheese can be added to the layers of potato and onion.  Caerphilly cheese, a light moist cheese from Wales is most suitable. Bake in a moderate oven as before.

 

TARTEN GENNIN (LEEK TART)

10 large leeks, 1 tablespoon butter, 4 rashers chopped ham or bacon, 2 well beaten eggs mixed with 1/2 pint (300ml or 1 cup) cream or milk, salt and pepper.

For the Pastry: 6 oz (170g or 1 1/2 cups) flour, 3 oz (85g) butter or margarine, pinch of salt, about 4 tablespoons iced water

Serves 4. First make the pastry by rubbing the butter into the flour and salt until it is resembles fine crumbs.  Then add the water and mix well. Keep in a cool place until required or if making the flan straight away, lightly grease a 9 inch (23cm) tart tin.  Roll out the pastry roughly to the size needed, press it down lightly into the tin and brush the bottom with a little beaten egg-yolk to prevent it becoming heavy.

Wash and clean the leeks and cut them into 1 inch (2.5cm) pieces.  If the leeks are young, leave on a certain amount of the green part.  Heat the butter and lightly toss the leeks in until they soften.  Do not let them brown.  Spread this on the pastry, add the diced ham or bacon and season to taste.  Beat the eggs with the cream or milk and pour over the leeks and ham.  Cook in a moderate oven 350F (180C) for about 35 minutes or until the custard is set and slightly golden on top.  If leeks are not available then substitute 2-3 medium onions and if liked, grated cheese can be added too. Eat either hot or cold.

 

SCALLOPS AND BACON

Open the shells with a knife and remove only the small black sac: everything else is edible.  If the scallops are very large, cut off the red coral tongue and also cut the white part in two.  Barely cover the scallops with water and simmer for about 10 minutes, drain but reserve the stock.  Take as many skewers as there are people and thread them with first a bayleaf, a chunk of coral, a piece of scallop, then a thin piece of bacon until the skewer is bull.  Brush with oil and grill on all sides until they are cooked, about 10 minutes, basting at least once with a little scallop stock.  Remove the skewers and keep warm, add the rest of the stock to the pan juices and reduce on top of the stove. Pour over the skewers to serve.

 

CACEN GNEIFIO (SHEARING CAKE)

1 lb (500g or 4 cups) plain flour, 1 rounded teaspoon baking powder, 8 oz (225g or 1 cup) butter, 12 oz (340g or 1 1/2 cups) soft brown sugar, 1 tablespoon caraway seeds, grated rind and juice of 1 lemon, 1 teaspoon grated nutmeg, 1/2 pint (300ml or 1 cup) milk, 2 eggs, pinch of salt

Rub the butter into the flour sifted with the baking powder.  Add the sugar, lemon rind and juice, caraway seeds, nutmeg and a pinch of salt.  Slowly pour in the milk, mixing well all the time, and finally add the well beaten eggs.  Line a 9 inch cake tin with greased paper and pour in the cake mix.  Bake for about 2 hours in a moderate oven 350F (180C) – lowering the heat to 300F (150C) after the first 1/2 hour (30 minutes).  If the cake browns too quick, cover the top with greaseproof paper or foil but remove it for the last 1/2 hour (30 minutes) of cooking.  When slightly cooled, turn out of the tin and place on a wire rack.

 

TEISEN GALAN YSTWYLL (TWELFTH NIGHT CAKE)

After baking the cake can be brushed with warm apricot jam and covered with marzipan, prior to icing if liked – or it can just be iced.

1lb (500gor 2 cups) butter, 1 lb (500g or 2 cups) sugar, 1 lb (500g or 4 cups) self raising flour, 1 lb (500g or 2 cups) currants, 1 lb (500g or 2 cups) sultanas (seedless raisins), 4 oz (115g or 1 cup) ground almonds, 4 oz (115g) each minced candied citron and lemon peel, 1/2 teaspoon each of powdered cinnamon, ginger and coriander, 1/4 oz (7g) allspice, 9 separated eggs, 6 tablespoons brandy, pinch of salt

First prepare a 9 inch (23cm) cake tin by lining it with buttered greaseproof paper. In a bowl, cream the butter and sugar then add the spices.  Beat in alternatively, the beaten egg-yolks with the brandy and a dusting of sifted flour.  Add the ground almonds, dried fruit and peel.  Whip the egg whites until fairly stiff and fold alternatively with the rest of the flour into the mixture.  Add a pinch of salt and mix well.  Put the mixture into the cake tin, cover the top with greaseproof paper and bake in a moderate oven 300F (150C) for 3 or 4 hours.  Remove the cover after the first 1 1/2 hours (90 minutes).  Let the cake cool slightly in the tin before turning out top downwards onto a wire rack to get cold.

ICING FOR THE CAKE

4 egg whites, 1 1/2 lb (750g) sifted icing sugar, juice of 1/2 lemon

Beat the egg whites adding the icing sugar a little at a time, also the lemon juice.  Work it until the icing is smooth and white.  Using a palette knife or spatula, spread the icing over the cake.  After all the icing has been spread, but not before, dip the knife in tepid water and smooth all over.  When left overnight the icing will be quite firm.

 

BARA SINSIR (GINGERBREAD)

6 oz (170g or 1/2 cup) black treacle (molasses), 12 oz (340g or 3 cups) plain flour, 4 oz (115g or 1/2 cup) butter or margarine, 6 oz (170g or 3/4 cup) Demerara (soft brown sugar), 2 oz (60g or 1/2 cup) chopped mixed peal, 1/4 pint (150ml or 1/2 cup) milk, 1 level teaspoon bicarbonate of soda, 1 level teaspoon cream of tartar

This recipe does not have any ginger in it but tastes as though it has. Warm the milk and treacle together.  Sift the flour with the bicarbonate of soda and the cream of tartar.  Rub the butter into this until it is like fine breadcrumbs, mix in the sugar and peel and finally stir in the milk and molasses.  Mix very thoroughly, then grease and line a tin about 8 inches (21cm) long by 3 inches (9cm) wide and pour in the mixture.  Bake in a slow to moderate oven 300F (150C) for about 1 1/2 hours (90 minutes) or until an inserted skewer comes out clean.  If liked, halved almonds and slices of crystallized ginger can be put on top half way through the cooking time.

 

GINGER BISCUITS

12 oz (340g) self-raising flour, 8 oz (225g) sugar, 4 oz (115g) butter, 4 oz (115g) golden syrup (corn syrup), 2 teaspoons ground ginger, 1 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda, pinch of sea-salt, 1 egg.

Warm the butter and golden syrup (corn syrup) in a saucepan. Sieve all the dry ingredients together into a bowl, then add the butter and syrup, stir in, then mix in the beaten egg. Beat well to make a stiff mixture, (like a pastry). Flour your hands, pinch off a little mixture, and roll into a ball about an inch (2.5cm) in diameter. Place these spaced apart on a greased baking tray and bake in an oven at 300F (150C) for 20 minutes. The biscuits will flatten as the bake, remove before they dry out too much.

 

TEISEN ‘BERFFRO (‘BERFFRO CAKES)

‘Berffro is short for Aberffraw in Anglesey. Use the deep side of the scallop or clam shell as patty tins – when baked the little cakes retain the shape and pattern of the shells. If scallop or large clam shells are not available, this mixture can be rolled out and cut into rounds, or put into a Madeleine tin. 

8 oz (225g or 1 cup) butter, 8 oz (225g or 2 cups) sifted self raising flour, 8 oz (225g or 1 cup) sugar

Makes about 8. Cream the butter and sugar together, then gradually work in the flour with the hands, as for making a shortbread.  Roll out gently, cut into rounds and press into the buttered scallop shells.  Bake in a moderate oven 325F (170C) for about 15-20 minutes.  Remove from the shell and sprinkle coarse sugar on the curved fan marked side. Serve as they are or with some jam.

 

CACEN BOETH (HOT CAKE)

This cake is intended to be eaten hot from the oven.

4 oz (115g) butter, 4 oz (115g) softened sugar, 4 oz (115g) self-raising flour, 2 oz (60g) sultanas, 2 eggs, pinch of sea-salt, 1 teaspoon of ground cinnamon, 2 tablespoons clear honey, optional: 2 tablespoons jam.

Beat the butter to a cream, add the sugar and beat again until white and creamy. Gradually stir in the beaten eggs and beat well in – fold in the sifted flour, sea-salt and cinnamon gently into the mixture and stir in the sultanas. Turn the mixture into two small buttered round sandwich tins, and bake in a moderate hot oven 375F (190C) for 25 minutes. Turn the cakes out, spread some softened butter over one base, (and some warmed jam if preferred) then sandwich the cacen boeth together, brush over some honey, slice and eat hot.

 

TEISEN FEL (HONEY CAKE)

8 oz (225g or 2 cups) sifted flour, 1 rounded teaspoon cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda, 4 oz (115g or 1/2 cup) butter or margarine, 4 oz (115g or 1/2 cup) brown soft sugar, 4 oz (115g or 1/2 cup) warmed and runny honey, an extra 1 tablespoon warmed honey, 2 tablespoons caster sugar, 2 egg yolks, 3 egg whites, 2 tablespoons milk (if eggs are small).

Sieve together the flour, cinnamon and bicarbonate of soda.  Separate the eggs, keeping 1 egg white separate from the other two. Cream the butter and sugar together, beat in the 2 yolks and add in the honey, slowly, whilst beating. Stir in the flour mixture and if it seems very stiff add a little milk.  Beat up the single egg white until stiff then gently fold it into the mix.  Grease an 9 inch (23cm) tart tin and pour in the mixture.  Bake in a hot oven 400F (200C) for 20-25 minutes.  Let it cool for 2 minutes then remove from the tin and cool on a wire rack.  Beat the remaining 2 egg whites with the caster sugar until thick.  The remaining tablespoon of warmed honey is brushed over the cake and the meringue mix is roughly put on the top so that it stands in points.  Put the cake back into a moderate oven 325F (160C) for 10-15 minutes or until the meringue has set and is very lightly golden on the top. If preferred, the cake mix can also be put into patty pans with the tops dredged in fine sugar afterwards and the meringue topping omitted.

 

PEAR AND CHERRY FLAN

4 oz (115g) flan pastry, pears and cherries, 1/4 (15oml) pint fruit syrup, 1 1/2 oz (45g) sugar, 1 teaspoonful arrowroot, 2 teaspoonfuls apricot jam or redcurrant jelly, squeeze of lemon juice.

Prepare flan case.  Arrange fruit in flan, Blend arrowroot with a little of the syrup.  Add the remainder together with the sugar.  Bring to the boil and cook until clear and of a coating consistency.  Stir in lemon juice and jam or jelly if required.  Pour over fruit whilst still warm.  If preferred, the arrowroot may be replaced by geletine in the proportion of 1/4 – 1/2 oz (15g) gelatine to each 1/4 pint (15oml) syrup.