Monday, January 21, 2013

How to make welshcakes

Lots of people - okay, two - on Facebook asked for the recipe for welshcakes so here's how I make them.
Sieve 1lb plain flour with 1 teaspoon baking powder and half a teaspoon cinnamon (or mixed spice) into a large bowl. Rub in 10 oz fat - I use margarine but you can use butter if you're feeling lavish. When you've got it to a breadcrumb consistency stir in 8 oz caster sugar and 6 oz mixed fruit (I usually use mostly sultanas with some raisins).
Bind with 1 egg beaten with about 2 tablespoons milk to make a soft dough. Roll out to about that thickness - can you see my fingers? hang on, I'll get a ruler - just over 1 cm roughly - and cut into circles and cook on a greased griddle or bakestone on a medium heat for - well, until cooked - turning once. Or twice. AS soon as you can pick one up they're ready to eat. You can sprinkle icing sugar on them if you wish.

I've just realised I used 12 oz sultanas yesterday. That'll teach me to wear my glasses when reading my tatty old recipe collection.

One of the requestees was my newly-discovered Australian cousin, Cassie. Strictly speaking she's not newly-discovered as I've always known I had relatives in Australia but my uncle stayed with Cassie when he went down under a couple of years ago. Then, last year, he sent her a copy of my book, which she's now read and contacted me to say she'd enjoyed it. So I'm now in touch with her on Facebook, and with her mum, Angela. 

I grew up knowing that I had an Auntie Winnie who lived on the other side of the world and that she had a daughter Angela, but apart from the occasional photos we'd see of this attractive blonde child  I knew nothing else. Let me see, Winnie, who's still alive, would have been my mum's and my uncle's first cousin but I've no idea what relation that makes Cassie to me.

Isn't the internet a wonderful thing?

4 comments:

Anne in Oxfordshire said...

I think Cassie must be third cousin. This really make me laugh as it reminds me of my mum.. one mention of a cousin on her side and then it goes on and on ... and if I ask how old someone is , that goes like this " Well they were born in so and so, and so and so was born in so so ... MUM I only asked how old they were .. and the other one is , "do you know so and so ?" No I don't,, "yes you do, you know the cousin who lives in Ireland ,well it is not them, it is the lady that married their cousin, Do you follow my drift Liz, sorry, it just makes laugh. xx

Katney said...

By some accountings the children of cousins are second cousins.

By others Winnie would be your second cousin, but I think she is your first cousin once removed and Cassie is your second cousin.

Liz Hinds said...

Oh yes, Anne. One of my 'aunties' used to talk about family members and I had no idea who they were!

I suppose the important thing is that we're related, katney, and in touch. Just like friends across the world!

jams o donnell said...

Okay they may be crumbly but I bet they were tasty