Welch Griddle Cakes Recipes

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 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.

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 (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.

WELCH GRIDDLE CAKES (SWEET BISCUITS)

Steps:

• 1. Have an electric non-stick griddle or a heavy cast-iron pan and a 2-1/2 inch plain round cutter ready. In a bowl combine flour,baking soda and salt.
• 2. Add the shortening and using 2 knives or an pastry blender cut the shortening into the flour mixture. With your hands,rub the flour and shortening until the ingredients are the size of small peas then rapidly between your fingers until it is the consistency like salt.
• 3. Stir in the raisins or currants together .with the milk..keep the liquid to a minimun! Flour the counter lightly and roll out the dough to 1/3 inch thick. Use the cutter and cut out the rounds.
• 4. Heat the griddle to 250-275 degrees or the cast-iron skillet over low heat.
• 5. Cook 5-6 minutes a side till lightly browned. Turn over and cook the same 5-6 minutes. A toothpick inserted in the middle, should come out clean. Transfer to a wire rack, and sprinkle with sugar They should look like this when sprinkled with sugar....YUMMY! Note: stock foto from the internet.
• 6. So sad to bad! Just when I had it made up to perfection, and on the griddle, I answered the phone .. got involved with the conversation... forgot my little cakes.. and here is a picture.. of part of my burnt Welsh Gridle Cake! I will be making them again...very soon. I might as well show you this picture of what can happen if you turn your back. I never said I was perfect!!....LOL Note: Cooked foto is what they should look like. For more information go to: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Welsh_cake