威爾斯小鬆餅 Welsh Cakes

當我們談及吃鬆餅 scones 時，很自然地便會聯想到悠閒的日子中，與家人或朋友舒適地享受的下午茶時光。

When we talked about eating scones, we automatically imagine having a leisurely afternoon tea with friends or family in a relaxing environment.

就像你跟一位在威爾斯長大或在那兒住了很久的人說起威爾斯小鬆餅 一樣；他們便可以從回憶中嗅到那暖暖、帶著牛油香的甜甜滋味。

威爾斯小鬆餅是最能反影威爾斯人踏實隨和民風的傳統食物。

那可能是我們一直喜歡留在威爾斯和那麼愛吃威爾斯小鬆餅的理由之一。

In the same way, when you mention Welsh Cakes to someone who grew up in Wales or have lived here long enough; they can almost smell the warm, sweet, buttery aroma from their memories.

Welsh Cakes are an example of a traditional food that reflects the resourceful and practical natural of the Welsh people.

May be that's why we love living in Wales and we love Welsh Cakes so much!

習俗中，主婦們會在下午茶時間弄這些小鬆餅給家人作點心；有時還會多做些給孩子們隔天帶回學校作部份的午餐。由於這些小東西不怕碰撞、飽肚又美味；很多威爾斯太太們還特地打包給做礦工的丈夫隨身攜帶著作為體點的工餘茶點。

Welsh Cakes were traditionally made by the lady of the household as a treat to serve at afternoon tea, and were also given to children with their school lunches. Since they are durable, filling and delicious, Welsh Cakes also became a special treat of the coal miner husbands of many a Welsh housewife.

在過去，孩子們會興奮地站在爐灶前，等待小鬆餅在烤石或鋼板上煎好後；輪流趁熱的拿去開心的吃著，與家人分享温暖的下午茶時光。今天，你可以用不黏的平底易潔鍋去煎這些小鬆餅就行了。

Children used to stand around the stove, waiting for the Welsh Cakes being cooked on a hot bake-stone or an iron griddle. Eating them as soon as they were done - almost too hot to handle - added to the excitement of sharing these fun and loving tea-time moments with their family together. Nowadays you can cook them on a non - stick frying pan or a griddle; whatever is available to you.

這些可愛的小圓餅只是用最基本的厨櫃存貨如麵粉、糖、奶和牛油等做的。它們有點像 scones，但又不盡然。不同之處是威爾斯小鬆餅是像薄餅那樣在平鍋上煎的，而 scones 則要放進烤爐內烘。

These lovely little round cakes only made from simple pantry items like flour, sugar, milk and butter. They are similar to scones, but unlike scones they are cooked like a pancake on the hob, rather than being baked in the oven.

威爾斯小鬆餅
( 做 12 - 16 個 )

材料：

• 中筋麵粉 225g
• 發酵粉 ( 泡打粉 ) baking powder 1 茶匙
• 牛油 ( 有鹽或無鹽均可 ) 100g 切細粒
• 砂糖 75g ( 另預多些灑餅面 )
• 葡萄乾 80g
• 蛋 1 隻打勻
• 肉桂粉 1 茶匙
• 多香果粉 allspice ½ 茶匙
• 鹽 1 小撮
• 牛奶 2 湯匙 
• 圓型 2 ½ 吋或 3 吋 切模

Welsh Cakes

( makes 12 -16 )

Ingredients:

• 225g plain flour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 100g butter cut into small cubes ( can use both salted or unsalted )
• 75g caster sugar ( plus more for dusting)
• 80g currants or sultanas
• 1 egg beaten
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• ½ tsp allspice
• a pinch of salt
• 2 tbsp milk
• 2½ in or 3 in round pastry cutter 

做法：

1. 把麵粉、肉桂粉、多香果粉和發酵粉篩進大碗中。加進牛油粒，用指尖把粉與牛油搓成幼末狀，像做奶酥一樣。
2. 加入葡萄乾和糖，下蛋。先用膠刮把材料攪拌均勻，然後加 1½ 湯匙的奶繼續攪拌成光滑的麵團。期間如太稠可加多點奶，太黏的話可加多點粉；直至柔軟光滑便行。
3. 把麵團放在已灑薄粉的桌面，用染了粉的手輕搓按成圓球狀，但不要搓按過度，不然會成為乾硬的餅。
4. 把麵團用擀麵棒推擀至約 1 cm 左右厚度，用 2½ in 或 3 in 的圓模印出圓圈麵餅。把四週餘下的麵團碎塊搓至圓再按扁，再盡量多印幾個圓餅。
5. 傳統的威爾斯小鬆餅是在烤石上煎的，但我們用一隻平底鍋便可以了。鍋用中火燒熱，用餐刀輕义著一小片牛油，在平底鍋上塗上薄薄的一層牛油，把小鬆餅分两次排進鍋去，計著時間，用中火每邊烘 3 分鐘或至呈均勻的金黄色便可。取起放在網架上放涼，期間可替每個鬆餅灑上幼砂糖 caster sugar。
6. 煎小鬆餅和煎薄餅一樣，可先放一塊作實騐。把鍋的熱力和煎餅的時間掌握好了，才繼續煎餘下的。煎至如圖中的淺金黃便好了，小心不要煎得過火或至深啡色，以免失去吃時中間鬆脆而柔軟的口感。如鬆餅著色太快和在 3 分鐘前便烘得有點焦，那是火力太猛，要調低點或轉到小火一點的爐火上。

Method：

1. Sift the flour, cinnamon, allspice and baking powder into a large mixing bowl. Add butter into the flour mix and rub together with your fingers to make a breadcrumb consistency, as if you're making a crumble topping.
2. Add in the sugar and sultanas  and mix together, add the egg, use a spatula to bind the mixture to create a firm dough. It should be stiff enough to roll out, not sticky - add 1½ tbsp milk to combine everything. It should feel and roll as easily and as play doh. Once combined, use your clean hands to pat and bring the mixture together until you have a dough . It should be fairly short, so don't work it too much.   
3. Knead very gently with floured hands on the lightly floured table. Roll out the mixture to about 1 cm thick and use a 2½ in or 3 ½ in pastry cutter to cut into as many rounds as you can. Scrunch the remaining scraps of dough together, then roll out and cut out a few more.  
4. Traditionally Welsh cakes are cooked on a bakestone, we can use a flat base non-stick pan. Lightly butter the surface with a little butter, place the cakes in two batches onto the pan on a medium heat. Time it accurately, cook the cakes 3 minutes on each side or until lightly golden, not brown. Put them on a wire rack to cool and sprinkle them with caster sugar,
5. Cooking Welsh cakes is like cooking pan-cakes. The first one come out from the pan may not always be perfect. You can use it as a tester, to find out what's the ideal temperature and timing. Take care not to over cook them, or they will lose their soft texture inside. If the cakes coloured too quickly and turn brown or burn before 3 minutes, the heat is too high. Try lowering the heat or move the pan to a different hob.                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                               

我先生和我都愛 Welsh Cakes。它們是非常易做又充滿家常美味的茶點。新鮮出爐時抹點牛油、只灑點糖或肉桂粉就可以；就算是涼了放上幾天也仍然好吃。雖然不是傳統，但我最喜歡的吃法是塗上果醬和打厚了的鮮奶油。

My husband and I both love Welsh Cakes. They're so homely, delightful and easy to make. Serve them warm with a sprinkle of sugar, cinnamon or some butter, or they're just as good cold and keep for a few days. Less traditional, but also perfect with some jam and whipped fresh cream.