Welsh Cakes…. Anne Jones

 

2lb SR Flour, sifted

1 level teaspoon baking powder

2level teaspoons ground mixed spice

½ teaspoon salt.

8oz hard marg.

8oz lard.

12oz sugar

8oz currants

3 small or 2 large eggs.

Cream to mix. About 4 tablespoons usually.

 

Sift flour, spice salt and baking powder together into a large mixing bowl.

Rub flour and fat to breadcrumb mix.

Add currants and sugar.

Mix with fork. (Or fingers)

Add beaten eggs and cream.

It doesn’t matter if the cream is a bit off! (not green)

(Buttermilk can be used instead if handy.)

“CUT” with a knife until a stiff mixture which leaves side of bowl..

Lift by hand onto a floured board.

Divide into 4 pieces.

Use a small amount of flour to roll out to ½” thickness and cut to size.

Cook on preheated bake-stone for about 5mins one side, turn and cook other

side for about 3 mins. They should be nicely brown, but not well cooked inside.

Dip into bowl of caster sugar and stack on wire rack to cool.

 

This makes about 12 small cakes and leaves a lot of paste trimmings.

 

Repeat for other ¾ of mixture and combine trimmings to make another four lots at the end.

This means that the paste is not handled more than necessary and the cakes remain very light.

 

I usually make 98 small Welsh-cakes with this amount of mixture.

They keep well in a tin, and freeze well.

 

=============================================================================================================

 

Cawl

 

Cawl Cig Oen Aildwym

(Lamb stew of the second heating.)

 

Half shoulder of lamb

 

Breast lamb

 

800 gms – 1kg prepared vegetables (Carrots/Parsnips/Swede/Turnip/Shallots/Leeks/Potatoes – cleaned and chopped into approx 2 cm cubes)

 

1 level teaspoon salt.

 

1 level tablespoon cornflour to thicken.

( or alternatively use mashed root vegetables.)

 

 

Method

 

Place meat in large saucepan, cover with water and bring to boil. Simmer for 1 hour.

Add vegetables  and salt and return to boil. Simmer for 90 minutes.

Remove from heat and stand in cold place overnight.

 

Carefully remove all white fat from top of liquor.

Remove meat from saucepan.

Return saucepan to heat.and bring to boil, set to simmer.

 

Remove bones from meat and discard.

Rough chop meat into small pieces and return to pan.

 

Use half a cup of hot liquor to mix cornflour (if used)to a smooth paste and slowly add to simmering cawl.

 

Simmer for 10 minutes and serve with crusty buttered bread.

 

 

 

Bara Brith

(Spiced bread)

 

8 oz Self Raising flour

4 oz soft brown sugar

1 egg

4 oz Raisins

4 oz Currants

1 tsp Mixed Spice

1 Cup tea.

 

Soak fruit in tea overnight

Beat egg and stir into mixture.

Add dry ingredients and put into greased tin.

 

Cook for 75 mins at 150f

 

Allow to cool on rack and serve in thin buttered slices.

 

=============================================================================

 

Salmon and Smoked Trout Terrine

serves 12 –18

 

Ingredients

 

Juice of 1½ lemons

2 rounded teaspoons gelatine

1lb 12oz Salmon poached and flaked

4 oz Smoked Trout flaked

½ pint mayonnaise

½ pint whipped double cream

3 tsps Horseradish sauce

bunch of dill – chopped

4 slices smoked Salmon

 

Method

 

Put lemon juice in bowl – sprinkle gelatine on top and leave to ‘sponge’ for 5 mins

 

Put flaked Salmon and trout in a bowl – add cream, mayonnaise, horseradish and dill and stir well

 

Wet a 2lb loaf tin and line with cling film

 

Stand juice and gelatine in bowl of water and simmer gently without stirring till melted

 

Add Salmon mix to warm gel and mix thoroughly.

 

Check seasoning, then layer mixture and smoked Salmon slices.

 

Cover and chill overnight.

==================================================

 

Baa-Lamb’s Bramble Sauce 

(Recipe makes 1500ml.)

 

Ingredients

3 lbs fresh Blackberries

12oz granulated sugar

4 medium onions

4 cloves garlic

4 tbsps white wine vinegar

2 tbsps balsamic vinegar

12 tbsps red wine (Lindeman’s Merlot or similar)

 

Method

 

Finely chop and fry in olive oil to transparent, the onions and the garlic.

Reserve 4 tbsps red wine.

Place all ingredients in a saucepan , bring to boil and simmer uncovered for 30 mins.

Liquidise (washing liquidiser out with reserved red wine.)

Strain through a fine nylon sieve or through muslin.

 

Bottle and store in refrigerator.

Serve warm or cold with any white meat or fish.

==============================================================

 

Fat Free Carrot Cake.

 

Ingredients.

4 eggs separated.

6 tsps warm water

8oz caster sugar

4oz plain flour

2 level tsps baking powder

½ lb grated carrots

½ lb ground hazelnuts.

 

Method.

Line a tin 93/4” x 5”

Beat eggs and warm water till frothy.

Beat in sugar and whisk until creamy.

Beat egg whites until stiff and fold into yolk/sugar mixture.

Sieve in flour and baking powder.

Fold in carrots and nuts.

 

Bake at 200f for 50 mins.

Stand in tin for 15mins and cool on a wire rack.

=================================================================

Carrot Cake 2.

 

Ingredients

8 oz soft brown sugar

6 fluid oz Corn oil

2 eggs

4 oz plain flour (Wholemeal may be used)

1 tsp Cinnamon

1 tsp bicarbonate of soda

5 oz grated carrots

2 oz chopped walnuts.

 

Method.

Line a tin 93/4” x 5”

Whisk oil and sugar

Whisk in eggs one at the time.

Mix dry ingredients (Flour cinnamon and bicarb) together and stir into egg mixture.

Add carrots and Walnuts.

Bake at 180* for 1 hour.

 

Boiled fruit cake.

 

Ingredients

 

2 cups dried mixed fruit

1 cup chopped glace cherries

¼ cup mixed chopped candied peel

½ cup chopped walnuts

1 ½ cups white sugar

¾ cup butter

1 cup milk

1 tsp mixed spice

½ tsp baking soda

 

  2 2/3  cups sifted SR Flour

2 eggs.

 

Method

 

1.   Pre heat oven to 325*F (160*C)

2.   Line 8” x 3” round tin with baking paper.

3.   In medium saucepan combine all ingredients except flour and eggs and bring to boil.

Simmer for 5 mins and leave to cool.

    4.Stir in eggs and then flour. Pour into prepared tin and wrap outside with brown paper.

    5. Bake in preheated oven for 40 mins.

        Reduce heat to 300*F (150*C) and continue to bake for 90 mins.

Remove from oven and allow to stand for 5 mins. then turn onto rack and remove paper. Cool              completely.

Cake can be stored in an airtight tin for up to 6 months.

 

=================================================================

 

Tomato Soup

 

Ingredients

1Kg ripe tomatoes

1 tbs tomato puree

1 large onion

100gm Mozarella cheese

1 level tbs sugar

½ litre good stock (poultry or veg is best)

1 tbs vegetable oil.

 

Method.

 

1.   Chop onions finely and tomatoes into chunky pieces.

2.   Heat oil in saucepan and fry onions until transparent.

3.   Add all other ingredients and bring to the boil stirring to ensure cheese doesn’t stick to the bottom of the pan.

4.   When a rolling boil is achieved reduce heat and simmer without a cover for 30 mins, stirring occasionally.

5.   Liquidise, and rub through a fine sieve to produce a delicious smooth soup. (I have tried skinning the tomatoes and don’t find there is a benefit to doing this unless you are happy for the soup to be rustic)

 

This method produces 1.5 litres soup which keeps in the fridge for 3-4 days but will also freeze well..