a Welsh recipt from the European IFYE Conference 2013

Wales

• 225 g plain flour
• 100 g butter softened and cut into cubes
• 75 g caster sugar (plus more for dusting)
• 50 g currants or sultanas
• half tsp of all spice
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 1 egg beaten
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1 tsp of milk

1. Sift the flour, cinnamon, all spice and baking powder into a mixing bowl.
    
2. Soften the butter and cut into small chunks, add into the flour and rub together with your fingers to make a breadcrumb consistency, as if you’re making a crumble topping.
    
3. Add in the sugar and sultanas and mix together, add the egg to bind the mixture together to create a firm dough. It should be stiff enough to roll out, not sticky – add milk if necessary. If it becomes too sticky add a touch more flour.
    
4. Knead very gently with floured hands, not too much or the dough will become over worked and you’ll end up with tough dry cakes.
    
5. Roll out the mixture to about half a cm thick and cut into rounds.
    
6. Traditionally Welsh cakes are cooked on a Bakestone, if you don’t have one of these, use a thick bottomed frying pan or griddle. Lightly butter the surface and place the cakes onto the pan on a very low heat. Cook for around four minutes on each side or until very lightly golden, not brown.
    
7. The secret is to take them off the heat and wrap them up in a warm tea towel for 20 minutes or so, where they will slowly finish cooking off the heat and leave you with moist fluffy Welsh cakes.
    
8. Serve them warm with a sprinkle of sugar or cinnamon or they’re just as good cold and keep for a few days – less traditional, but also perfect with some homemade jam or Welsh honey.