Welsh Cakes

Dydd Gwyl Dewi hapus!

I didn't want St.David's Day, to go uncommemorated. So, I decided to make some Welsh cakes and some Leek-and-Potato soup to make D feel right at home. Sort of.

Not having visited Wales, I haven't really tasted the native specialty, but the Welsh Cakes recipe at BBC site is a fairly standard one as far as I gather.

However, having the chronic inability to follow a recipe to the letter, and an inherent resistance to using too much butter, I usually make a substitution or two so I can polish off a plateful fairly guilt-free:)

Now, on a medium-hot non-stick griddle it comes out nice and golden brown, but the hot cast iron griddle gives it that extra flavor plus the dark exterior. I like the cast iron griddle so, these cakes turn out moist and soft on the inside but a bit dark on the outside.

Without further ado, in honor of St.David's Day, here is a version of Welsh cakes. It tastes sort of like a cross between sweet fluffy pancake and buttery soft cookie.

Ingredients
1¼ cup flour (more or less)
1 tsp baking powder
½ cup Smart Balance Omega butter (light)
2/3 cup sugar (or less if using Castor sugar for dusting)
1 egg
¼ cup sultanas/raisins
round cookie-cutter or canning ring to cut shapes
optional: Castor sugar for dusting

Preparation

1. Sift the flour and baking powder together; work it into the butter to form coarse breadcrumbs
2. Add the sugar, eggs and raisins and knead to cookie-dough-like consistency
3. Dust a work surface and roll it flat to about ¼ inch thick and cut out small rounds
4. Cook in a hot cast iron griddle till golden brown on each side and cooked through
5. Dust with Castor sugar if preferred