A Collection Of Welsh Recipes

TEISEN CARIAD (LOVE CAKE)

1 lb apples, 2 oz (60g) sugar, 2 eggs, 4 oz (115g) self-raising flour, 30z (85g) caster sugar, 30z (85g) butter, 6oz (170g) icing sugar, 1 lemon.

Shortcrust pastry: 8 oz (225g) flour, 4 oz (115g) butter, 4 oz (115g) caster sugar, a little milk

Peel, core and slice the apples, put them into a saucepan with the 2 oz (60g) sugar and a little water. Stew the apples until they become soft. Use the back of a spoon and push the stewed apples through a fine mesh sieve to make a puree. Make the pastry by rubbing the softened butter into the flour, add the sugar and mix with a little milk until a stiff paste is made which can be rolled out. Line a buttered an 8 inch (20cm) sandwich tin with the rolled out pastry (bottom and sides of the tin). Spread the cooled apple puree all over the bottom of the tin on the pastry base. In a mixing bowl cream the butter and caster sugar and grated lemon rind until light and fluffy. Beat in the eggs and lastly fold in the flour. Spread this batter mixture carefully over the apples. Bake at 375F (190C) for 35 minutes, until the cake is firm and springy to the touch. In a bowl blend the icing sugar with a little lemon juice to make a thin icing. Spread the icing over the cake while it is still warm.

 

STEAMED APPLE PUDDING

2 oz (60g) self-raising flour, 2 oz (60g) butter, 2 oz (60g) breadcrumbs, 4oz (115g) sugar, 4 oz (115g) apples, 1 teaspoon powdered cloves, 1 egg.

Rub the butter into the flour and add the breadcrumbs, sugar and ground cloves. Peel, then grate the apples into the mixture and bind with the egg. Put the mixture into a greased pudding basin, cover with foil, tie with string and steam in a saucepan with a tight fitting lid fill with water half-way up the side of the pudding basin and steam for 2 hours (120 minutes). Serve with whipped cream.

 

APPLE TART

Filling: ½ lb (250g) apples, 1 oz (30g) flour, 8 oz (225g) sugar, 1 egg. A beaten egg and extra golden brown sugar to sprinkle over the tart.

Pastry: 8oz (225g) flour, 4 oz (115g) butter, 1 tablespoon caster sugar, 1 teaspoon cinnamon, 1 egg yolk, a little water to bind.

Make the pastry: rub the butter into the flour, add the sugar and cinnamon, then bind with an egg yolk and a little water until a firm pastry dough is made, leave to rest. Make the filling:  peel and core the apples – then cut the apples into small chunks. Mix the sugar and flour together in a bowl and add the beaten egg; beat well together and then add the apples. Line a deep plate (or tart tin) with two-thirds of the pastry rolled out and cut to fit. Spoon the filling mixture in. Roll out the rest of the pastry, cut into narrow strips, twist them, and then form them into a trellis (criss-cross) pattern over the filling – trimming where needed. Brush over the pastry twists with a little beaten egg and sprinkle over some golden brown sugar. Bake in an oven at 400F (200C) for 30 to 40 minutes – until the fruit is soft and the pastry is crisp and golden brown. Serve slices with cream.

 

BARA GWENITH (WHOLEMEAL BREAD)

3lb (1.4 Kg or 12 cups) wholemeal flour, 1 tablespoon black treacle (molasses), 1 heaped tablespoon lard or other fat, 1 oz (30g) dried yeast, 1 heaped teaspoon brown sugar, pinch of salt, approx. 1 1/4 pints (750ml) of warm water.

Makes 2 loaves. Ensure all ingredients and utensils are warmed. Rub the fat into the warmed flour, then dissolve the yeast and sugar in approximately 1/4 pint (150ml or 1/2 cup) like-warm water and allow it to froth up.  Add the yeast mixture to flour and mix the dough with more warm water in which the treacle and salt have already been dissolved.  About 1 1/4 (750ml) pints of water will be required in all.  Add a very little more if the dough seems too stiff but do not make it too wet.  Knead for 5 minutes then divide the dough into two and place into two greased, warmed loaf tins of about 10 inches (25cm) by 4 inches (10cm).  Cut 3 diagonal nicks across the tops of the loaves and put in a warm place with a cloth on top.  Leave for an hour or until the dough has almost doubled in size.  Pre-heat the oven to 425F (210C) and put the loaves in.  After 10 minutes reduce the heat to 400F (200C) for another 30-35 minutes.  Turn out of the tins and cool on a wire rack.  When properly cooked, the loaves when tapped on the bottom will sound hollow.

 

TEISEN DATWS (POTATO CAKES)

1 lb (500g or 2 generous cups) cooked mashed potato, 4 oz (115g or 4 heaped tablespoons) self-raising flour, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 oz (30g or 1 heaped tablespoon) melted butter, pinch of ginger or cinnamon or mixed spice, 1/4 pint (150ml or 1/2 cup) milk

Makes about 20 cakes. Mix together the dry ingredients the add the melted butter and finally mix to a stiff paste with the milk.  Turn out onto a floured board and lightly knead.  Roll out to about 1 inch (2.5 cm) thick and cut into rounds. Bake on a medium hot, lightly greased bakestone on both sides.  Serve hot with butter.  These potato cakes can be baked in a hot oven 400F (200C) for about 20 minutes.

 

POTATO AND APPLE TURNOVER

1 lb (500g or 2 generous cups) cooked mashed potato, 4 oz (115g or 4 heaped tablespoons) self-raising flour, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, 1 oz (30g or 1 heaped tablespoon) melted butter, a pinch of ground ginger and cinnamon (or mixed spice), 1/4 pint (150ml or 1/2 cup) milk, 1 or 2 large cooking apples.

Mix together the dry ingredients, add the melted butter and finally mix to a stiff paste with the milk.  Turn out onto a floured board, lightly knead  and then roll out into a large circle. Cover half the circle with peeled and finely sliced apples, leaving a little space around the outside edge. Sprinkle over the apples with brown sugar, a little ginger and cinnamon, and dot generously with butter.  Damp the edges with a little milk and fold over (turnover) the half without the apples and press down. Bake on a greased sheet for about 40 minutes in a moderate hot oven 350F (180C).

 

POTATO AND CHEESE TURNOVER

Follow the recipe for potato and apple turnover above, but substitute 4 oz (115g or 1 cup) of grated cheese for the apple and leave out the ground ginger and cinnamon.  Roll out the mix into a large circle, sprinkle grated cheese over the top and fold over. Bake on a greased sheet for about 40 minutes in a moderate hot oven 350F (180C).

 

POTEN BWMPEN (PUMKIN PIE)

¾ lb (300g or 2 cups) cooked pumpkin (well pressed down and drained), 4 oz (115g or 1/2 cup) brown sugar, 2 tablespoons seedless raisins, 1 tablespoon melted butter, 1 egg beaten with 2 tablespoons cream or top of the milk, a pinch each of cinnamon, ginger and mace

For the pastry: 8 oz (225g or 2 cups) flour, 4 oz (115g) butter, 1 egg, 2 tablespoons water, salt

To make the pastry: add salt to the flour then work the butter into it.  Beat the egg with the water and add to the flour, mixing well.  Turn out onto a floured board and roll into a large ball then put in a cold place until required.

Line a greased 9 inch (23cm) flan case with the pastry and brush over the bottom with a little of the beaten egg to prevent the base getting soggy.  Mix together the cooked pumpkin, sugar, butter, spices and dried fruit and put into the pastry case.  Add the cream to the egg and pour evenly over the top.  Bake in a moderate oven 350F (180C) for about 40 minutes.  Serve Cold.  Equal quantities of apple and pumpkin can be used for this pie.

 

CAWS WEDI EI BOBI (WELSH RAREBIT)

4 oz (115g) cheese, sliced thinly, 1 oz (30g) butter, 2 oz (60g) breadcrumbs, 1 teaspoonful dry mustard, 1/2 teaspoonful each of salt and pepper, 1 gill (150ml) milk, 1 well beaten egg.

Cook in a saucepan, stirring all the time until the mixture thickens, and serve on hot buttered toast.

 

CREMPOG (SMALL PANCAKES)

1/2 lb (250g) flour, 1 egg, pinch salt, 1 cupful (240ml) sour cream or buttermilk, 1/2 teaspoonful carbonate of soda.

Mix the soda in with the cream or buttermilk.  Beat together to a thick batter, heat the frying-pan, rub with lard, drop in mixture a tablespoonful at a time, fry until golden brown, turn and fry the other side.  Pile on a dish with large dabs of butter between each cake, put into the oven until all are cooked.  Serve very hot with sugar or syrup.

 

WELSH PIKELETS (GWENT)

These are smaller and thicker than ordinary English flat pancakes, and using buttermilk in a Welsh pancake (crempog) is traditional.

6 oz (170g) self-raising flour, pinch of nutmeg, pinch of salt, 3 oz (85g) butter, 1 oz (30g) sugar, 2 eggs, ¼ pint (15oml) approx buttermilk (or milk).

Rub the butter into the sifted flour, nutmeg, salt and add the sugar. In a separate bowl beat the eggs then add half the buttermilk (or milk). Stir this into the flour mixture and beat well. Gradually add enough buttermilk (or milk) to make a smooth batter, like a very thick cream. Brush the Welsh bakestone or griddle with a little melted butter. Heat the bakestone through and cook the pikelets by dropping large spoonfuls of batter onto the hot surface. Don’t let the batter spread out too much, keep them thick. Turn each pikelet over as it browns. Cook 3 or 4 pikelets together. Once cooked place them on a dish, brush them over with a little melted butter, and sprinkle over some sugar.

 

CREMPOG GEIRCH (OATMEAL PANCAKES)

8 oz (225g or 2 cups) white sifted flour, 3 oz (85g or 3/4 cup) fine oatmeal, 1/2 oz (15g) yeast creamed with 1 teaspoon sugar and 2 tablespoons tepid milk, 1 egg, pinch of salt, 1/2 pint (300ml or 1 cup) warm milk approx. a little fat or oil for cooking

Makes around 20. Mix together the oatmeal, flour and salt then stir in the yeast.  Finally add the well-beaten egg, cover and leave the mix to rise for 1/2 an hour (30 minutes) in a warm place.  Punch down and if the mixture seems very thick thin it down with the warm milk. The consistency should be a smooth batter that drops from the spoon so add the milk gradually until this is obtained.  Cover again and leave to rise for 1/2 hour (30 minutes).  Lightly grease a heated bakestone or heavy pan and drop the mixture on, a tablespoon at a time. Turnover and cook the other side.  If they are to be eaten straight away then spread with butter and serve.  Oatcakes keep very well in a tin, re-heat in a low oven or under a slow grill.  Excellent with bacon, jam or honey.