St. David's Day ~ Welsh Cakes

 

Saint David's Day (Dydd Gŵyl Dew/Sant Didd Gŵyl Dew) or more traditionally known as the Feast Day of Saint David is celebrated on March 1st in Wales. He is the patron saint of Wales and with celebrations dating back as far as the 12th century, it is a day to celebrate and honour not only Saint David and his achievements but to honour Wales as well. It is said David was a teacher and that he helped find over a thousand monasteries. Events are not only held across Cardiff, Swansea and Aberystwyth but around the world which includes the largest annual event outside of Wales, The Los Angeles St. David's Day Festival. 

Wearing daffodils and leeks are traditional during festivities and both are recognized symbols of Wales and Saint David. Popular traditional dishes to eat are cawl (soup), bara brith tea loaf, Welsh cakes, Welsh lamb and Welsh rarebit.

I enjoy making Welsh Cakes not only around March 1st but throughout the year and in particularly around Winter Solstice, Yule/Christmas and New Years. 

Dydd Gŵyl Dewi Hapus ~ Happy St. David's Day to all!                

Welsh Cakes

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1 2/3 cups self - raising flour, sifted

a pinch of salt

1 stick (1/2 cup) butter, softened

1/3 cup granulated white sugar

1/4 cup dried currants 

1, egg beaten

1 1/2 tablespoons milk

Superfine sugar for sprinkling

Preheat a griddle or a heavy fry pan to a moderate, even temperature. 

In a large bowl, blend together the flour and salt. Rub in the butter. Add the sugar and currants and mix with the egg and milk to form a soft dough, you may need to add more milk but just a tablespoon at a time if the dough is a bit dry. 

On a floured surface, roll out to a thickness of 1/4  to 1/2 inch and cut out circles using a 3 inch cookie cutter. Place on the preheated griddle and cook both sides until lightly golden. Place on wire rack to cool and sprinkle with the superfine sugar, while warm, before serving. 

Welsh Cakes in the Afternoon

The kidlets have a school in-service day so I made Welsh cakes to pass the playful time away. These made for a yummy mid afternoon treat that were gobbled up in seconds. It was my first time making them. Always thinking that they may be complicated to make this was one item on my baking bucket list. However I have tasted a Welsh cake or two before. Memories came flooding back from years ago when I participated in a bake exchange and low and behold I was on the receiving end of some very scrumptious Welsh cakes. All of which sparked a culinary fondness for such said cakes. 

WELSH CAKES

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1 2/3 cups self-rising flour, sifted

A pinch of salt

2oz shortening, e.g. Crisco, softened

1/2 stick butter, softened

Generous 1/3 cup granulated sugar

Scant 1/4 cup currants

1/2 egg, beaten

1 1/2 tablespoons milk

Superfine sugar for sprinkling

1. Preheat a griddle or heavy frying pan to a moderate, even temperature. Mix together the flour and salt and rub in the fat. Add the sugar and currants and mix with the egg and milk to a soft dough. 

2. On a floured board, roll out to a thickness of 1/4 - 1/2 inch and cut out circles using a 3 inch cutter. Place on the griddle and cook both sides until light golden. Lift onto a wire rack to cool and sprinkle with superfine sugar before serving. 

Notes:

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I omitted the Crisco that the recipe calls for and added 2oz of butter instead so a full stick of butter, which is 1/2 cup.

I did not use a 1/2 beaten egg, I used 1 whole egg. I was not quite sure on how to make an egg, half an egg, when raw.

Also I found that I need to add more milk... roughly about 3 more tablespoons. 

Bara brith

Bara brith pronounced barrah breeth, is a traditional Welsh treat. It can be known as speckled bread. Also it is similar to the Irish barmbrack. To me it is like fruitcake because it is traditionally made with raisins, currants and candied peel. Last year I made quite a few Bara brith. Most of them being around Christmas time. I even made a few loaves with rum. Quite tasty! However this time I left out the rum. The raisins, currants and candied peel got a good soak in steeped Twinings Earl Grey tea for over twenty-four hours. Six hours is the minimum. I also added a few extra touches like an icing sugar drizzle and fresh orange zest on top. For you next gathering or holiday you may want to consider making a Bara brith. Even though it is a bit of a process still it is an easy tea cake to make. The recipe I use is as follows:

Bara brith

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10ml (2tsp) good quality loose tea *note: you can also use tea bags

375ml (1 1/2 cups) boiling water

50ml (1/4 cup) currants

75ml (1/3 cup) raisins

75ml (1/3 cup) mixed candied peel

175ml (3/4 cup) whole wheat flour

175 ml (3/4 cup) unbleached self-rising flour *note: I used unbleached white flour

5ml (1tsp) baking powder

5ml (1tsp) pumpkin spice mix

50ml (1/4 cup) brown sugar

1 beaten egg

Brew tea for six minutes in boiling water and pour into a bowl over fruit. Cover with a clean towel and let stand overnight or for at least six hours.

Heat oven to 160ºC (325ºF) Grease a bread loaf pan and line with wax paper. I use parchment paper, I find it works best.

Add the beaten egg to the fruit and tea mixture. Sift flours, baking powder, and spice into a bowl and add the sugar. Now for the fun part... Add the soaked dried fruit, tea and beaten egg mixture; then stir gently until throughly mixed. Add a little hot water if the mixture is too dry. I have never had a problem with the mixture being too dry.

Place mixture in bread loaf pan and spread evenly. Make a dessert spoon sized hollow in the centre to prevent cracking when the bread rises. Honestly I have never done this and my loaves have turned out fine. Bake for 1 hour 15 minutes, or until the loaf is firm, with a browned top. Test by piercing with a metal skewer, or knife which should come out almost dry when bread is cooked. Cover with foil for the last 10 minutes of baking if colour becomes too dark. I check my loaf as it bakes and have never had to cover it. That being said I take it out of the oven 10 minutes early. Leave to rest in the pan for 10 minutes; then turn out onto a wire rack.

When cold, put in an airtight tin for two days to bring the flavours out.