CONTEST BREADS: Welsh Tea Cakes

WELSH TEA CAKES
An adaption of an original traditional Welsh recipe
By BumbleBeeBoogie

2-1/2 cups all-purpose flour
2/3 cup granulated white sugar
3/4 teaspoon ground mace
1/2 teaspoon double action baking powder
1/4 teaspoon salt
6 tablespoons unsalted butter (3/4 a stick), chilled, cut into small pieces
6 tablespoons solid vegetable shortening, chilled
1/3 cup dried currants
5 tablespoons whole milk (approximately)
1 large egg

In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, mace, baking powder and salt. Add the butter and shortening. Use a pastry blender or your fingers to mix the ingredients until the mixture resembles a rough meal the size of peas. Add the currents.

In another larger bowl whisk 4 tablespoons of the milk and the egg. Add the dry ingredients to the milk and egg mixture and stir until moist clumps form--adding more milk if the mixture is too dry.

Flour your hands and transfer the sticky dough to a lightly floured surface. With a floured rolling pin, roll the dough into a 1/2 inch thick circle. Using a floured biscuit cutter, cut out 2 to 3-inch round cakes. Cut straight down; don't twist the biscuit cutter, or the edges of the dough rounds won't rise evenly. Gather up the dough scraps and repeat the round cutting.

Heat a large heavy nonstick griddle or skillet over medium-high heat. Brush the griddle surface lightly with oil or shortening. Arrange 6 to 8 cakes on the griddle (depending on the size of the cooking surface). Reduce the heat to low and cook on both sides until the cakes are set and brown, turning occasionally; about 12 minutes.

Transfer the cakes to a rack, and repeat until all of the cakes are cooked.

Makes 17 cakes. Serve warm or at room temperature.

Additional options: Confectioner's powdered sugar (with or without ground cinnamon) sifted on top of the cakes as soon as they are removed from the griddle and still warm. Also good with a side of clotted cream.