Traditional Welsh Cakes Recipe from Mary Berry
Welsh cakes are delightfully rustic, delicate, and delicious. They're like a cross between a scone and the fluffiest of pancakes––perfect with a cup of tea.
- Prep time
- 25 min
- Cook time
- 35 min
- Yield
- 24 servings
- Difficulty
- MEDIUM
Ingredients
Quantities are shown as originally provided.
- 2 cups self-rising flour ((or 2 cups of all-purpose flour mixed with 2 teaspoons baking powder))
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- ½ cup butter ((1 stick, 115g; cold, diced, plus more for the griddle))
- ½ cup superfine sugar
- ½ cup currants
- ¼ teaspoon nutmeg
- ⅛ teaspoon allspice
- ⅛ teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 egg ((beaten))
- 2-4 tablespoons milk
Instructions
- 1
Combine the flour, baking powder, and salt in a large bowl. Add the butter and rub it in with your fingertips or a pastry cutter until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. You can also do this step using a food processor.
- 2
Add the sugar, currants, and spices, and stir with a wooden spoon to mix. Add the egg and enough milk to form a soft but not sticky dough. Mary Berry needed a little more than 2 tablespoons. I needed closer to 4 tablespoons. The dough should resemble pie crust dough. You can knead it to get it to come together, but no more than a few times. You don’t want your Welsh cakes to turn out tough!
- 3
On a lightly floured surface, roll out the dough to a ¼-inch thickness. Cut into rounds with the pastry cutter until all of the dough has been used (just ball up any excess and re-roll in order to cut out as many as you can). I used a scalloped 2-inch round and a similar-sized heart.
- 4
Heat a griddle or heavy frying pan over medium heat, and melt a little butter in it. A thin pat is sufficient for each batch--that’s 7 welsh cakes that fit into my cast-iron skillet.
- 5
Cook the Welsh cakes over medium heat for 3-4 minutes on each side until cooked through and golden brown. Be careful on the first flip, as they are still a little fragile--similar to American pancakes--at this point. During the cooking process, you may have to turn the heat up or down. I modulated between medium-high and medium-low.
- 6
Let cool on a wire rack and continue to cook the cakes in batches. They’re best when fresh, and even a little warm. You can sprinkle them with powdered sugar and serve with, obviously, a lovely cup of tea.