Welsh Cakes

There are a few recipes in The Book of Afternoon Tea I keep skipping because they have currants in them.  I don't hate currants, but I don't usually have them on hand.  Right now I do have some, and I recently watched a video reviewing a shop in Cardiff, Wales.  They looked good, but the only British bakery I know of in my area is in the touristy area of Santa Monica.  I hate going down there.

Pice ar y maen, as they're called in Welsh (don't ask me to pronounce it), are popular on St. David's Day, March 1st.  They're also found year round in parts of the U.K., the way you can find Irish soda bread any time of the year, but most often near St. Patrick's Day.

The ingredients and method for the dough are a cross between pastry crust and scones, then you cook them on a griddle like an English muffin.  They taste somewhere between a pancake and a cookie.  The Welsh toast them up with butter and sometimes jam, but I found these rich enough to eat plain.

This recipe is for the traditional currant and nutmeg flavor.  Modern flavors include cinnamon, nuts, chocolate, orange, and pretty much anything you would consider using in a scone.

One constant I found in the several recipes I utilized for this version was that there's 1/3 the amount of sugar as flour by volume.  I shook off maybe a tablespoon when I was measuring, but then you dust them with powdered sugar after grilling, so it's right back on there.  I did not find them too sweet, which really surprised me.

2 C flour
1 Tb baking powder
1/4 tsp nutmeg
1/4 tsp salt
1/4 C chilled shortening
1/4 C chilled unsalted butter
2/3 C sugar
*2/3 C dried currants
1 egg
milk as needed (about 1/3 C)
powdered sugar for dusting
oil for greasing skillet

1.  Into a bowl, sift flour, baking powder, nutmeg, and salt.  Cut in shortening and butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs.  Stir in sugar and currants.

2.  In a measuring cup, beat egg.  Add enough milk to equal 1/2 C.  Add to flour mixture in bowl and mix into a smooth but not sticky dough.  If necessary, add a little more milk to get everything to stick together, but you're looking for a ball only slightly more hydrated than pie dough.

3.  Roll out dough on a lightly floured surface 1/4" thick.  Using a 2-1/2" round cutter, fluted if you have it, cut out circles.  Re-roll dough as needed until all is used.  The recipe says it makes 16, but I got 21.  If you roll your dough even slightly thinner than 1/4", it will make a big difference in your yield, but err on the thinner side rather than making them too thick to cook evenly.

4.  Heat a griddle or skillet on medium-low and lightly grease with oil.  These do not spread, so you can place the circles close to each other.  Cook until browned, about 4 minutes per side.  They will puff up slightly.  If they start to get dark before the middles are cooked, turn down the heat.

5.  Serve warm, dusted with powdered sugar.  Leftovers can be stored in an airtight container for up to two days, or frozen for longer.  Toast before serving.

Makes about 16

Difficulty rating  π