Traditional Welsh Cakes: Wales #174

 Traditional Welsh Cakes: Wales #174

A flaky, tender, almost melt-in-your mouth texture that’s punctuated with sweet currants and laced with a wonderful hint of mace, this little cakes are simply irresistible! 

Makes about 15 cakes.                                                   

Ingredients:

• 2 c. All-purpose flour
• 1/3 cup caster sugar *(1.see notes below)
• 1 tsp. Baking powder
• 1/2 tsp. Ground mace *(2. see notes below)
• 1/4 tsp salt
• 1/8 tsp. Ground cinnamon
• 2 oz lard, chilled ( about 4 T ) *(3. see notes below)
• 2 oz butter, chilled and cubed
• 1 lg. Egg, lightly beaten
• 1/2 c. Dried currants
• 2-3 T. Milk
• Granulated sugar for finished cakes

1. In a bowl combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, salt, mace and cinnamon.
2. Mix in the lard and butter using your fingers or a food processor until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs.
3. Add the currants and stir to combine.
4. Add the beaten egg and work it into the mixture adding a little milk as needed until you have a soft dough.  It should not be wet or sticky.
5. Wrap the dough and refrigerate for 30 minutes. (Dough can be made well in advance and chilled until ready to use.)
6. Roll the dough out onto a floured or non-stick surface about 1/4” thick.
7. Cut out rounds using a biscuit cutter.  Gather up the scraps, knead together and roll out again to cut the remaining rounds.
8. Heat and lightly butter a cast iron pan over medium heat. 
9. Add the cakes and cook on each side until lightly browned, about 3-4 minutes. (Lower the heat if needed to prevent the outside from burning before the interior is done).
10. Let them cool for about a minute and then place them in a small bowl of sugar to coat all sides.
11. Best eaten while a little warm. You can reheat the cakes in a pan, toaster, or warmed oven.

Results: These little cakes are very good and easy to make. I made them with my 3 year old granddaughter. And yes, there was flour everywhere! To give you a better idea of what these are, think small pancakes coated in sugar. 

I made several adaptations:  1. Caster sugar is very expensive so now I make my own.—-pulse granulated sugar in a blender until ultra fine.  Not hard and a lot cheaper. I have a small, electric coffee grinder that I use for herbs, nuts and now sugar.  2. I substituted nutmeg for mace. I didn’t want to but a jar of mace that I might not use again before the expiration date. 3. Lard- I used Crisco solid shortening. As I said before, they are delicious.

Bottom Line: Keeper, everyone agrees.

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