Recipe: Welsh Cakes (cooked in a skillet on stovetop)

WELSH CAKES

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 cup sugar
1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder
1/2 teaspoon mace (or less nutmeg)
1/2 teaspoon salt
3/4 cup cold unsalted butter or margarine (1 1/2 sticks)
1 cup currants (or chopped raisins)
2 large eggs
1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, sugar, baking powder, mace and salt. Cut the butter into 10 or 12 pieces and work it into the flour mixture with a wire pastry blender (or food processor, using short on-off bursts) until fine crumbs form. The mixture should look like the initial stage of pie pastry. Stir in the currants.

In a small bowl, whisk the eggs, milk and vanilla together. Pour over the dough and stir until just mixed; it will be fairly sticky, like cookie dough.

Meanwhile, preheat an electric skillet or use a griddle to 315 to 325 degrees F, low to medium heat.

Turn the dough out onto a well-floured surface and sprinkle some flour on top of the dough. Flour a rolling pin and lightly roll the dough out to 1/2-inch thick. With a 2 1/2- to 2 3/4-inch biscuit cutter, cut out 16 cakes.

Spray the skillet or griddle with a bit of vegetable oil and wipe it with a paper towel, leaving just a gloss of oil in the pan. You have to do this only once. Fry the cakes about 5 to 6 minutes on each side, until they are a deep brown.

Serve warm; they're especially good with Smucker's orange marmalade, the lighter no-sugar-added fruit spread.

TO REHEAT:
Place cakes in a single layer in a foil packet, sprinkle with just a bit of water and seal packet. Heat for 10 minutes in a 375-degree F oven.

Makes 16 cakes
Source: Christmas in the Heartland by Marcia Adams