Learn about St. David's Day and Welsh Cakes from Across the Pond Vacations

Tomorrow, March 1st,  is a special day in Wales... and you can learn about it thanks to our friends Ann Marie and Simon Clarke, who own and manage Across the Pond Vacations!   TODAY is St. David's Day in Wales, and Across the Pond provided some info about Welsh Cakes and how to bake them!
  Across the Pond Vacations have planned our trips to England, Scotland and Ireland and gave us the best-ever vacations. They can do the same for you, too. They custom design every vacation. Get a quote here: https://www.atpvacations.com/request-a-quote/
   NOW... about those Welsh Cakes and St. David's Day... READ ON>>

 

St. David’s Day – an Annual Welsh Tradition

 

Every year on March 1st, the Welsh celebrate St. David’s Day. Traditions include wearing daffodils, carrying leeks, and eating traditional Welsh food like cawl (a traditional broth-like Welsh soup) and Welsh cakes. So, who is St. David and why are we baking cakes in his honor?

St. David is the patron saint of Wales. His death, not his birth, is the date on which he is honored. He’s said to have died on March 1st around 600 A.D. It was foretold that he would grow up to be a preacher, and he was, reportedly performing a handful of miracles during his lifetime. He helped to found somewhere in the neighborhood of 12 monasteries. His foundation at Glyn Rhosyn became an important Christian shrine, and the most important center in Wales. Myth exists that he was asked, like St. George of England, to slay a dragon. He refused. But instead, he went to visit the dragon and learn of the dragon’s own plight. And on his deathbed, he was said to have stated a phrase well known to the Welsh, "Brothers be ye constant. The yoke which with single mind ye have taken, bear ye to the end; and whatsoever ye have seen with me and heard, keep and fulfil.”

Sounds like a pretty great guy… so, let’s make some yummy little cakes to honor him!

Welsh Cakes
Prep time: less than 30 minutes
Cook time: less than 10 minutes
Makes 10 cakes

Ingredients:
4oz (preferably Welsh) Salted Butter, chilled, cut into cubes (plus a little extra for greasing)
8oz Self-Raising Flour* (sieved, plus extra for dusting)
3oz Caster Sugar (this can be found at most markets)
A Handful of Sultanas (raisins can be used)
1 Free-Range Egg, beaten
Milk, if needed

Rub the butter into the flour to make breadcrumbs. Add the sugar and sultanas, then stir in the egg. Mix, then form a ball of dough, using a splash of milk if needed. Roll out the dough on a lightly floured surface until it is ¼ inch thick. Cut it into rounds using a 3-inch fluted cutter (a wine glass about 3 inches in diameter works well).

You now need a bakestone or a heavy iron griddle. Rub it with butter and wipe the excess away. Put it on a direct heat and wait until it heats up. Place the Welsh cakes on the griddle and cook for 2–3 minutes on each side, or until caramel brown.

Remove from the pan and dust with caster sugar while still warm. (Some people leave out the sultanas or raisins, split them when cool and sandwich them together with jam. Or, you could do both.)
Now, put a daffodil on your lapel and serve these delicious cakes to friends and family. Bon Appétit!

* Chances are, you may not have “self-raising flour” in your cupboard. If not, here’s a simple recipe to make it, and these ingredients are all likely right in your pantry.
4 Cups of All-Purpose Flour
2 Tablespoons of Baking Powder
1 Teaspoon of Fine Salt

Put everything in a large mixing bowl. Whisk it together to combine the ingredients. Store the unused portion in an airtight container for the next time you’ll need it.

We hope you enjoy trying this Welsh recipe! To learn more about how you can travel to Wales and experience the culture and foods firsthand, contact us today at 310-791-6101 or info@ATPVacations.com.