Welsh Cakes (Pice ar y Maen)

Ingredients

• 225g self-raising flour, plus extra for dusting
• 1/4 tsp mixed spice
• pinch of salt
• 100g cold butter, cubed, plus extra for greasing
• 75g caster sugar, plus extra for dusting
• 75g currants
• 1 large egg
• 1-2 tbsp milk, if needed

Before you cook

• Sift the flour, mixed spice and salt into a large mixing bowl.
• Rub the cold cubed butter into the flour with your fingertips until the mixture looks like fine breadcrumbs.
• Stir in the sugar and currants until they are evenly distributed through the flour.
• Beat the egg in a small bowl, then pour it into the dry ingredients and mix with a table knife until it starts to clump together.
• Bring the mixture together into a soft dough with your hands, adding a splash of milk only if it feels too dry.
• Turn the dough out onto a floured surface and roll it out gently to about 1cm thickness.
• Cut out rounds using a 6-7cm fluted cutter, gathering and re-rolling the scraps until all the dough is used.

Steps

1. Warm a griddle or heavy flat frying pan over a medium-low heat for a couple of minutes.
2. Rub a little butter over the hot surface using a folded piece of kitchen paper.
3. Lay the rounds onto the griddle in a single layer, leaving space between them.
4. Cook for 3 to 4 minutes on the first side until golden brown and firm enough to flip.
5. Flip each cake over and cook for a further 3 to 4 minutes on the second side until cooked through.
6. Break one open gently to check the centre; if it still looks doughy, lower the heat slightly and give both sides another minute.
7. Lift the cooked cakes onto a wire rack and dust them generously with caster sugar while they are still warm.
8. Wipe the griddle and re-butter it before cooking the next batch, turning the heat down a touch if the first batch browned too fast.