Graham at Greatstone

Graham at Greatstone
Graham at Greatstone

WALES



Although I could have set up a post for each county, I think it's better to treat Wales as a whole, as it is hardly bigger than the three Yorkshire counties put together!
That said, there is so much to see in Wales, this will be a long page!

LLANFAIR PG (NOPE, NOT TYPING OUT THE WHOLE THING!)
 
                         
LOCAL RECIPES

Bara Brith


Bara Brith derived its name from the Welsh language, bara meaning bread and brith translating as speckled. It was traditionally made in farmhouses by adding fruit, sugar and spices to the basic bread dough to make a sweet treat for special occasions. It has subsequently been used as a colloquialism—to "over spice the Bara Brith" means to do something to excess.

There are many variations, depending where in Wales you are. Some versions are more bread-like made with a yeast dough. Others like mine, are made more like a fruit cake.

Eat it on its' own, or with a hunk of cheese (try Snowdonia Creamery 'Rockstar' or 'Black Bomber'), or even spread with a soft or cream cheese. Either way, it's delicious.

475g dried fruit of choice
1/2 pint strong black tea.

Soak the fruit in the tea overnight. Grease and line a 2lb loaf tin.

100g butter
2 tablespoons marmalade
2 eggs, beaten
450g self-raising flour
175g light brown soft sugar
1 teaspoon cinnamon
1 teaspoon ginger
4 tablespoons milk

Melt together the marmalade and butter, and leave to cool.

Beat in eggs. In a separate bowl, mix together fruit, sugar, spices and flour. Stir in wet ingredients and mix thoroughly.

Pour into loaf tin and level top. Bake for 1 hour and 20 minutes at 160 degrees C until a skewer inserted in the middle comes out clean.

Check after 60 minutes, and cover top with tin foil if browning too quickly

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Glamorgan Sausages


150g grated cheddar cheese
225g fresh breadcrumbs
1 teaspoon mustard powder
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme
1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary
1 tablespoon shredded white part of leeks
2-3 eggs, separated

cooking oil of choice (I tend to use rapeseed oil)

to coat:
plain flour
Panko breadcrumbs 

Mix together all the dry ingredients, seasoning to taste

Whisk egg whites on a soup plate or similar, until frothy

Mix egg yolks into dry indredients, knead and shape into sausage shapes.

Put flour and Panko breadcrumbs on two separate plates.

Coat each sausage in the followuing order: flour - egg white - 
Panko.

Pour oil into deep pan to around 3/4" deep and heat. Fry the sausages, turning until golden brown on all sides.

Drain on absorbent paper.

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Tiessennau Mel, for St. David's Day March 1st (Welsh Honey Cakes)



INGREDIENTS for 6 little muffin cakes:
recipes doubles perfectly

2 ounces honey - a really flavourful honey is best,
or maple syrup if you'd like

 1/4 teaspoon bicarbonate of soda

1/2 teaspoon cinnamon

2 ounces (I always use salted because I like that flavour in my baked goods - goes well with honey!)

2 ounces sugar

1 egg separated

1 tablespoons milk

4oz self-raising flour

a pinch of salt

DIRECTIONS:
 
1. Preheat oven to 375F/190C

2. Grease and flour a muffin tin

3. Sieve together flour, cinnamon and bicarbonate of soda.

4. Cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. 

5. Separate the egg yolk from the white.

6. Beat the yolk into sugar and butter, then add the honey in three goes beating well in between.

7. Stir in the flour with a little milk as required to make the batter a little softer and mix all together gently. 

8. Whisk the egg white until stiff and fold into mixture in three goes - the mix is quite stiff so do this part very gently so as to not pop all your hard earned bubbles.

9. Half fill the 6 cups of the muffin tin and smooth the tops with the back of a wet teaspoon to stop them from crowning too much then sprinkle each with a teaspoon or so of sugar.

10. Bake in the pre-heated oven for about 20 minutes. These do brown quickly and are actually browner than a similar cupcake or muffin would be but do keep your eyes on them so they don't get too brown or burnt.

11. Leave the cakes in the tin for a few minutes before turning out to cool

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Welsh Amber Pudding


Known in Wales as Pwdin Marmeled Cymreig, at heart this is a simple custard tart with the subtle addition of orange marmalade. Have fun with various types of marmalades (grapefruit with lemon extract, perhaps?) — this is a snap to prepare and is happily eaten warm or cold, for dessert or tea. Timeless in taste, this classic dessert is sure to become part of your repertoire, whether or not you can pronounce it in Welsh!

1 shortcrust Pastry Dough (or store bought)
12 tbs. butter, melted and cooled
3 eggs
3 egg yolks
4 oz. golden caster sugar (½ cup plus 1 tbs.) (plain caster sugar can be used)
1½ tsp. orange extract (lemon can be used)
3½ tbs. orange marmalade, fine shred is best

Place the pastry in a 9-inch tart tin, prick all over with a fork and trim the edges. Chill for 20 minutes. Meanwhile, heat the oven to 400°F and put in a baking sheet towards the end to heat up. Line the pastry with parchment paper and fill with pie weights or beans. Place on the hot baking sheet and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the parchment and weights and bake another 4-5 minutes, until just beginning to turn golden.

Whisk together the butter, eggs, egg yolks, sugar, extract, and marmalade. When the pastry has cooked, pour in the filling and return to the oven. Bake for 20-25 minute

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Welsh Cakes

So cheap and simple to make - and oh so tasty!

8oz self-raising flour
1 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon (optional)
3 oz. caster sugar
4 oz. butter
1 egg
handful of sultanas
a little milk

Grease baking tray or griddle and preheat. Now, really, these should be made on a griddle, but if you don't have one, you can do them under the grill, you just have to be careful flipping them over.

Rub butter into flour and cinnamon. Mix in sugar and sultanas.

Add egg and knnead to a soft dough. If mixture is not soft enough, add a little milk, but be careful not to overdo it.

Roll out to 1/4" thick and cut into 3" rounds.

Place on griddle or greased tray and grill until brown on one side. Flip over and grill the other side. Watch them carefully because they go from brown to burnt very easily!

Allow to cool slightly then eat them quick before your husband realises you've made them!

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