Welsh Cakes (Traditional)

Another, very traditional recipe for Welsh cakes, this time from the South-West of Wales. As with all these griddle-cake recipes the best way to bake them off is using one of our thick baking plates sold in our shop … you will notice a big difference in your baking style when using a traditional cookware item like a hanging griddle or a bakestone. It’s like stepping back in time.

Ingredients

Metric Weights

• 225g plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 50g butter (diced)
• 50g lard (diced)
• 75g sugar (more for dusting)
• 50g currants
• 1 egg beaten
• 3 tablespoons milk

Imperial Weights

• 8oz plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 2oz butter (diced)
• 2oz lard (diced)
• 2 ½ oz sugar (more for dusting)
• 2oz currants
• 1 egg beaten
• 3 tablespoons milk

Optional Ingredients – serve as they come with a little sugar – or sprinkle over a little cinnamon – or spread with some home-made jam – or drizzle over some runny honey

Method

Sift the flour and baking powder into a mixing bowl. Cut the lard and butter into small pieces, add into the flour and rub into a breadcrumb consistency between your fingers and thumbs.
Then mix in the sugar and currents with a wooden spoon before mixing in the beaten egg and sufficient milk to make a stiff dough.

Note: the dough needs to be stiff enough to roll out, so if it is a little wet add in some extra flour. Flour your hands and pick up the dough and gently knead it in your hands so that it is fully mixed and silky.

On a floured surface roll out the Welsh Cake dough to 5mm (1/4 inch) thick. Using a pastry cutter (straight edged or the traditional fluted one) cut the dough into 8cm (3 inch) rounds. Either store these rounds in an air-tight plastic container to bake the next day or bake straight away …

Bake on a medium-hot greased bakestone or griddle (use a little butter) until golden brown, about two to three minutes on each side. Place onto a plate and scatter over some extra sugar and eat the Welsh Cakes warm.

Baking Notes: You can make the dough up and bake these Welsh Cakes straight away, or do as I often do … make the dough, cut the circular Welsh Cakes out, and then place them in a plastic air-tight box in the fridge overnight – bake them the following day, either in the morning or in the afternoon.
And because the ‘hard work’ is done the day before, and because each Welsh Cake only needs a few minutes on a hot griddle, it is the work of moments to get them piping hot and served into waiting hungry hands.