Welsh Honey Cakes Recipes

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.

TEISEN MEL (TRADITIONAL WELSH HONEYCAKE)

Steps:

• Sieve the flour, baking powderand spice into a bowl.
• Lightly grease a tin pie plate measuring about 8-1/2-inches across the top.
• Cream the butter with 3 oz sugar until creamy and light.
• Add the egg yolks then the 1/4 lb honey, gradually.
• Gently mix in the flour, then the milk.
• Spread the mixture in the prepared tin, mounding it slightly in the center.
• Bake at 400 F (200 C) gas mark 6 for about half an hour.
• Let the cake rest in its tin for 2 minutes before turning it out on to a wire rack.
• Let it cool for 10 minutes then slide it onto a baking tray and brush the top with 1 tablespoon warmed honey - or red currant jelly if you prefer.
• Whisk the egg whites and the remaining 1 oz sugar to make a glossy meringue mixture. Swirl this over the top of the cake and bake at 325 F (160 C) gas mark 3 for about 20 minutes.
• Serve the cake when it is cold.

TIESSENNAU MEL (HONEY CAKES) WELSH

Steps:

• Preheat oven - Gas mark 6 (400F) or 7 (425F) or 200°C If you are using a fan oven, reduce by 25°C.
• Grease your patty tins.
• Sieve together flour, cinnamon and bicarbonate of soda.
• Cream butter and sugar until fluffy.
• Separate the egg yolk from the white.
• Beat the yolk into sugar and butter, then add the honey, gradually.
• Stir in the flour with a little milk as required and mix all together lightly.
• Whisk the egg white into a stiff froth and fold into mixture.
• Half fill small patty tins with the mixture; dredge the top of each with caster sugar.
• Bake in a hot oven for 20 minutes. Watch these little fellows carefully. They brown rather quickly.
• When ready sprinkle a little more sugar.
• Croeso Cymreig.

WELSH TEA CAKES

Steps:

• Place flour in a large bowl; cut in butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the sugar, oats and nutmeg. Stir in the eggs and milk. Fold in currants., On a heavily floured surface, roll out dough to 1/4-in. thickness. Cut with a floured 2-1/2-in round cookie cutter. Place 2 in. apart on greased baking sheets. Sprinkle with sugar if desired. , Bake at 350° for 12-16 minutes or until lightly browned. Remove to wire racks to cool.

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.

WELSH TEA CAKES

Steps:

• Mix first 5 ingredients in large bowl. Add butter and shortening and rub with fingertips until mixture resembles fine meal. Add currants. Whisk 4 tablespoons milk and egg in small bowl. Add to dry ingredients; stir until moist clumps form, adding more milk if mixture is dry. Roll out dough on lightly floured surface to 1/2-inch-thick round. Using cookie cutter, cut out 2 1/2- to 3-inch rounds. Gather dough scraps; roll out to 1/2-inch-thick round. Cut out additional rounds.
• Heat heavy large nonstick griddle or skillet over medium-high heat. Arrange 6 to 8 cakes on griddle. Reduce heat to low and cook until cakes are set and brown, turning occasionally, about 12 minutes. Transfer to rack. Repeat with remaining cakes. Serve warm or at room temperature.