Saint David's Day!
March 1st is
Saint David's Day and Mark Holmes is celebrating this day at Barbara-Jo's by making traditional Welsh Cakes and I am celebrating by eating them up! You don't have to be Welsh to enjoy them, they are simply the most delicious little treats--and serve perfectly with afternoon tea. You too can celebrate this day of Wales patron saint by following this simple recipe:
Welsh Cakes
From The Urban Picnic by John Burns & Elisabeth Caton
Makes 16
2 cups flour
3/4 cup chilled butter
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup dried currants
1 egg
milk (see directions)
Sift the flour and incorporate the butter, using a pastry cutter or two knives. The mixture should look like coarse cornmeal when the butter is sufficiently blended in. Add a pinch of salt if using unsalted butter.
Add the currants and sugar and mix lightly. Break the egg into a measuring cup and add enough milk to make 3/4 cup. Beat together, then add the liquid to the flour mixture and use a fork to combine them. (You may need a drop or two more milk, depending on your flour.)
Flatten the dough to 1/2-inch (1-cm) thickness on a well-floured surface, sprinkle the top with flour, and cut circles with a cookie cutter or a large tumbler.
On a medium-low griddle or large flat pan over medium low heat, cook the cakes for 15 minutes on each side. Adjust the heat as needed to make sure they brown, without burning before they cook through. Cool on a rack.
And as the well known Welsh saying goes, "Do the little things in life" ('Gwnewch y pethau bychain mewn bywyd')
Enjoy!
From The Urban Picnic by John Burns & Elisabeth Caton
Makes 16
2 cups flour
3/4 cup chilled butter
3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup dried currants
1 egg
milk (see directions)
Sift the flour and incorporate the butter, using a pastry cutter or two knives. The mixture should look like coarse cornmeal when the butter is sufficiently blended in. Add a pinch of salt if using unsalted butter.
Add the currants and sugar and mix lightly. Break the egg into a measuring cup and add enough milk to make 3/4 cup. Beat together, then add the liquid to the flour mixture and use a fork to combine them. (You may need a drop or two more milk, depending on your flour.)
Flatten the dough to 1/2-inch (1-cm) thickness on a well-floured surface, sprinkle the top with flour, and cut circles with a cookie cutter or a large tumbler.
On a medium-low griddle or large flat pan over medium low heat, cook the cakes for 15 minutes on each side. Adjust the heat as needed to make sure they brown, without burning before they cook through. Cool on a rack.
And as the well known Welsh saying goes, "Do the little things in life" ('Gwnewch y pethau bychain mewn bywyd')
Enjoy!