How to make the perfect Welsh cake recipe in four easy steps for a teatime treat. We know it’s a little late for St David’s Day, but a batch of warm Welsh cakes never went amiss..
PREPARATION TIME: Less than 30 mins
COOKING TIME:Less than 10 mins
SERVES: 10 cakes
INGREDIENTS
Equipment: You will also need a grill pan and rack and a 10 x 14 inch (25.5 x 35 cm) baking tray.
- 110g/4oz (preferably Welsh) salted butter, chilled, cut into cubes, plus extra for greasing
- 225g/8oz self-raising flour, sieved, plus extra for dusting
- 85g/3oz caster sugar
- handful of sultanas
- 1 free-range egg, beaten
- milk, if needed
METHOD
- Rub the butter into the flour to make breadcrumbs. Add the sugar and sultanas, then stir in the egg. Mix, then form a ball of dough, using a splash of milk if needed.
- Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface until it is 5mm/¼in thick. Cut it into rounds using a 7.5cm/3in fluted cutter.
- You now need a bakestone or a heavy iron griddle. Rub it with butter and wipe the excess away. Put it on a direct heat and wait until it heats up. Place the Welsh cakes on the griddle and cook for 2–3 minutes on each side, or until caramel brown.
- Remove from the pan and dust with caster sugar while still warm. Some people leave out the sultanas, split them when cool and sandwich them together with jam.
RECIPE TIP
Getting the temperature of your griddle or bakestone correct is the key to this Welsh cake recipe. If it’s too hot the cakes will burn before they are cooked through. Too low and the texture will be dry.
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BBC Food - Liz Scourfield