Ways with Welsh cakes
INGREDIENTS
Makes around 24 Welsh cakes
225g self – rais ing flour ½ tsp bicarbonate of soda 100g room temperature butter, cut into cubes 1 egg, beaten 1 – 2 tbsps whole milk , plus extra if the dough looks dry 1 tsp Halen Môn Pure Sea SaltOlive oil or butter, for frying
Squash + sage Welsh cakes
125g squash, cut into 1cm cubes and roasted 50g hard cheese, such as cheddar or parmesan, grated 10 finely chopped sage leaves, plus 16 whole sage leaves ½ tsp ground black pepper 1 tsp Halen Môn Smoky Honey Mustard 30g unsalted butter, for frying
- 1 bunch finely sliced spring onions
- 15 pitted olives (green, purple or black), roughly chopped
- Small handful roughly chopped parsley
- 50g mature cheddar, grated
Cheese + pickle
- 1 tbsp chopped gherkins
- 100g grated cheddar
- 1 tsp Halen Môn Smoky Dijon mustard
Jin Môr soaked currant Welshcakes
- 100g currants
- 130ml Jin Môr gin
- ½ tsp allspice
- 60g caster sugar
- 4 sprigs thyme, leaves picked
METHOD
For the basic Welsh cake recipe –
- Rub the flour, bicarbonate of soda and butter together to form rough crumbs. Stir in any chunky ingredients from your chosen variation (see below), then mix in the egg, salt and enough milk to form a soft, but not wet dough.
- Lightly flour a surface and roll the dough out to a 1.5cm disc. Cut out 6cm rounds using a round biscuit cutter.
- Heat a non-stick frying pan over a low-medium heat and very scantly grease the pan. Cook the cakes in batches for 3 – 4 mins/side, until golden brown and cooked through.
Squash + sage Welsh cakes
- Fold all of the ingredients, except the whole sage leaves and the butter through the Welsh cake batter at the same time as you mix in the egg and milk.
- Roll and cut out the dough into rounds, then cook on a hot pan as described in the base recipe.
When th e Welsh cakes are cooked, melt the butter in the same pan and fry the sage leaves over a medium heat until they begin to curl and the butter ceases to sizzle. Lift onto a kitchen towel with a slotted spoon. Serve each Welsh cake topped with a crispy fried sage leaf.
Spring onion + olive
- Fold all of the ingredients through the Welsh cake batter at the same time as you add the butter and milk.
- Roll and cut out the dough, then cook on a hot pan as described in the base recipe.
Cheese + pickle
- Fold all of the ingredients through the Welsh cake batter at the same time as you add the butter and milk.
- Roll and cut out the dough, then cook on a hot pan as described in the base recipe.
Jin Môr soaked currant Welsh cakes
- Tip the currants into a bowl and pour over the Jin Môr. Set aside overnight, or for at least 4 hours for the currants to turn plump with gin. Lift the currants out with a slotted spoon and save the gin for spiced cocktails.
- Fold the currants, and remaining ingredients through the Welsh cake batter at the same time as you add the butter and milk. Roll and cut out the dough, then cook on a hot pan as described in the base recipe.
