Welsh Griddle Cakes Recipes

WELSHCAKES

Steps:

• Rub the butter into the flour as you would if making biscuits, then stir in the sugar, spice, and dried fruit. Add the egg to make a soft but not sticky dough. Form a disc, cover with plastic wrap, and leave in the refrigerator for a minimum of 20 minutes.
• Roll out on a floured surface to a thickness of about 1/4 inch, and cut out your little cakes; you will need to re-roll and so forth but that shouldn't be problematic. Preheat your unoiled griddle or cast-iron frying pan and cook the cakes for about 3 minutes each side, until golden brown. Remove to a cold plate and sprinkle with sugar.

WELSH CAKES (CURRANT ROUND GRIDDLE BUTTER SCONES)

Steps:

• BY HAND: Cut the butter into small pieces. Place 1 1/2 cups of the flour in a bowl. Add the butter and cut with a knife or a pastry cutter to blend together into the texture of coarse meal.
• USING A FOOD PROCESSOR: Cut the butter into several chunks, place in a processor bowl with 1 1/2 cups flour, and process to the texture of coarse meal; turn out into a bowl.
• Add the sugar, salt, spices, and currants to the flour mixture and stir to mix. Break the eggs into a bowl and beat briefly with a fork to blend, then add to the mixture. Turn and stir to moisten so it comes together as a firm, moist dough.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and flatten under you palms, or use a lightly floured rolling pin to roll it out to about 1/4 inch thick. Use a round 3-inch cookie cutter to cut out cakes. You should be able to get 12 or 13 from the dough.
• Heat a heavy skillet over medium heat. When it is hot, rub the cooking surface with a lightly buttered paper towel, then lower the heat to medium low. Wait several minutes, then place 3 or 4 rounds top side down in the skillet and cook for about 2 minutes. Flip them over and cook on the other side for 3 minutes. Both sides will be touched with brown and a little black; the cakes will have risen a little, and their sides will still be moist looking.
• Turn back over and cook on the first side for another minute or so. Lift out and onto a rack to cool and set for 10 minutes or more before eating. Cook the remaining cakes the same way. (If you have two skillets, once you're comfortable with the timing, you can work with both.) Makes about 12 currant dotted, round butter rich scones. 3 to 3 1/2 inches across.
• Home Baking.

WELSH CAKES

Steps:

• Sift flour, baking powder and salt into bowl. Put in butter and lard and mix until resembles fine breadcrumbs. Stir in sugar and currants or raisins. Beat the eggs lightly and add to flour mixture with just enough milk to make a firm dough similar to shortcrust pastry.
• Chill dough 1 to 2 hours.
• Roll the dough to 1/4 inch on floured surface and cut with 3 inch rounds. Bake the cakes on a greased griddle or frying pan (I use my electric skillet with just a little non-stick spray) over low heat until golden brown. Cool and sprinkle with sugar. These also freeze well.

WELSH CAKES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, whisk flour, sugar, baking powder, salt and baking soda. Cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add milk and egg; stir just until moistened. Fold in currants., Pat or roll dough to 1/4-in. thickness; cut with a floured 2-in. biscuit cutter. Preheat griddle over medium heat. In batches, place cakes onto griddle; cook until tops puff and bottoms are golden brown, about 1-2 minutes. Turn; cook until second side is golden brown. Cool on wire racks.

TOURNEDOS ROSSINI WITH WELSH GRIDDLE CAKES

Steps:

• Sift together flour, baking powder, sugar and salt in bowl. Stir in milk to make soft batter. Fold in currants and thyme.
• Heat 1 tablespoons oil in large skillet over medium high heat. Spoon batter into skillet in 2-inch rounds and cook until edges start to dry out. Turn and cook for 1 minute longer. Repeat with remaining batter and oil.
• Remove hot griddle cakes to baking sheet and brush immediately with lavender jelly.
• Preheat oven to 350°F Cover beef with parchment paper and pound to 1/4-inch thickness. Spread each piece with roasted garlic and foie gras and season lightly with salt and pepper. Roll each piece of beef into tight cylinder and tie every inch with butcher's twine.
• Heat 1 tablespoons oil in ovenproof skillet over high heat. Sear beef until well browned, about 1 minute per side. Transfer skillet to oven and roast for 10 minutes. Remove strings and slice each cylinder into 4 rounds.
• Reheat griddle cakes in oven and serve topped with slices of beef. Makes 4 servings.
• ROASTED GARLIC PUREE:.
• To roast garlic, cut 1/2 inch from top of garlic head to expose cloves. Remove any excess papery skin from head, but do not peel. Sprinkle garlic with 1 teaspoons olive oil and wrap in foil. Bake in preheated 400°F oven for 40 to 50 minutes or until very soft. Cool. Squeeze garlic out of cloves from base and discard skins. Makes about 2 tablespoons puree.
• WINE SUGGESTIONS:.
• Canadian Syrah.
• California Zinfandel or Australian Shiraz.
• The foie gras adds richness to the beef so look for a hefty red wine with forward fruit.
• The Chef's Table.Lucy Waverman.

WELSH CAKES

Steps:

• Tip the flour, sugar, mixed spice, baking powder and a pinch of salt into a bowl. Then, with your fingers, rub in the butter and lard until crumbly. Mix in the currants. Work the egg into the mixture until you have soft dough, adding a splash of milk if it seems a little dry - it should be the same consistency as shortcrust pastry.
• Roll out the dough on a lightly floured work surface to the thickness of your little finger. Cut out rounds using a 6cm cutter, re-rolling any trimmings. Grease a flat griddle pan or heavy frying pan with lard, and place over a medium heat. Cook the Welsh cakes in batches, for about 3 mins each side, until golden brown, crisp and cooked through. Delicious served warm with butter and jam, or simply sprinkled with caster sugar. Cakes will stay fresh in a tin for 1 week.