Welsh cakes made tender and buttery in under an hour with less than 10 ingredients-a guaranteed delicious tea-time treat even for beginners.
- 2 cups (10 oz/284 g) all-purpose flour
- ⅓ cup (2½ oz/71 g) plus ¼ cup (2 oz/58 g) granulated sugar
- 1 teaspoon baking powder
- ½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
- ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- ½ cup (4 oz/115 g) plus ¼ cup (2 oz/57 g) cold butter, cubed
- ½ cup (2½ oz/71 g) dried currants
- 1 large egg, beaten
- 3 tablespoons whole milk
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In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, ⅓ cup (2½ oz/71 g) sugar, baking powder, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt. Rub ½ cup (4 oz/115 g) butter into the flour mixture until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs, then toss in the currants.
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Pour in the beaten egg and milk and knead together to form a ball. If the dough is very dry and crumbly, knead in a splash more milk.
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Wrap the dough well and chill until firm, about 30 minutes.
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When ready to cook, heat a non-stick pan over low heat. Melt the remaining ¼ cup (2 oz/57 g) of butter in a small bowl and place it near the stove. Pour the remaining ¼ cup (2 oz/58 g) of sugar on a plate and also place it near the stove.
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Roll the dough to a ¼-inch (6 mm) thick on a floured surface and, using a 2 ½ inch round biscuit cutter, cut 16 rounds of dough. Gather and re-roll the scraps.
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Place six cakes on the pan and cover with a lid. Cook the cakes on this side until golden brown, about 3 - 4. Flip and cook the other sides until brown, another 2-3 minutes.
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When the cakes are golden and firm, they are done. Brush both sides of the cakes with some melted butter and dip all sides into the plate of sugar to coat. Let cool on a wire rack while you cook the remaining cakes.
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Serve warm or room temperature with butter. Store in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 days.
- Use as little liquid as possible: When you are making the dough, use as little liquid as possible. For the most tender results, try not to over-knead the dough as well.
- Chop larger fruit: If the fruit is large, give it a good chop.
- Rub in the butter: Use your fingers, or for faster work, use a pastry blender.
- Keep the cakes thin: Don’t roll them thicker than 1/4-inch thick. Otherwise, the outside may brown before the inside has time to cook. You can re-roll the dough to get more cakes.
- Use a ruler: Make sure your cakes are the correct thickness for even cooking.
- Keep the heat low: This prevents the cakes from burning before the centers are cooked. Use a lid to help the centers cook through.
- Don’t skip the sugar coating: It adds a lovely texture and, since there is very little sugar in the dough itself, it doesn’t make the cakes too sweet.