Welsh Cakes
Serves: approximately 25
 
Ingredients
  • 2 cups all-purpose flour*
  • 1 1⁄2 teaspoons baking powder
  • 1⁄2 teaspoon fine sea salt
  • 1⁄4 teaspoon ground nutmeg
  • 1⁄4 teaspoon ground mace
  • 1⁄2 cup caster sugar or extra-fine granulated sugar
  • 1⁄2 cup lard
  • 1⁄2 cup dried currants
  • 1 large egg
  • 2 tablespoons half-and-half
  • 1 tablespoon salted butter, melted
  • Garnish: additional caster sugar
Instructions
  1. In a large bowl, whisk together flour, baking powder, salt, nutmeg, mace, and sugar. Using a pastry blender or 2 forks, cut lard into flour mixture until it resembles coarse crumbs—or rub lard into mixture using fingers. Stir in currants.
  2. In a small bowl, whisk together egg and half-and-half until combined. Add to flour mixture, stirring until a shaggy dough forms. Bring mixture together in bowl with hands until a dough forms. (Dough will be firm but moist.)
  3. Turn dough out onto a lightly floured surface and pat into a disc. Using a rolling pin, roll out dough to an approximately 1⁄2-inch thickness. Using a fluted 2-inch round cutter dipped in flour, cut rounds from dough without twisting cutter, rerolling scraps as necessary.
  4. Preheat a nonstick griddle over medium-high heat. Brush griddle with melted butter. Cook cakes for 2 minutes, reducing heat to medium as soon as cakes are placed on griddle. Carefully turn cakes over and cook until they are light to medium golden brown and a wooden pick inserted in the side comes out clean, approximately 2 minutes more. (Cakes will firm up as they cool.) If serving immediately, wrap cakes in a clean tea towel to keep warm. If serving later, transfer cakes to a wire cooling rack and let cool completely.
  5. Just before serving, garnish with a sprinkle of caster sugar, if desired.
Notes
*Measure flour by spooning it into a dry-measure cup and then scraping off excess with a knife to level.
Kitchen Tip: Caster sugar can be made by processing granulated sugar in the food processor or blender and pulsing until it reaches a super-fine but not powdery consistency.
Make-Ahead Tip: To store, wrap cakes with plastic wrap in groups and store in an airtight container at room temperature. Cakes will remain fresh for a few days. Re-warm gently before serving, if desired, by wrapping in a paper towel and heating in the microwave very briefly.
Recipe by TeaTime Magazine at https://teatimemagazine.com/welsh-cakes/