Best Currant Cakes Recipes

WELSH CAKES (CURRANT ROUND GRIDDLE BUTTER SCONES)

Steps:

• BY HAND: Cut the butter into small pieces. Place 1 1/2 cups of the flour in a bowl. Add the butter and cut with a knife or a pastry cutter to blend together into the texture of coarse meal.
• USING A FOOD PROCESSOR: Cut the butter into several chunks, place in a processor bowl with 1 1/2 cups flour, and process to the texture of coarse meal; turn out into a bowl.
• Add the sugar, salt, spices, and currants to the flour mixture and stir to mix. Break the eggs into a bowl and beat briefly with a fork to blend, then add to the mixture. Turn and stir to moisten so it comes together as a firm, moist dough.
• Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and flatten under you palms, or use a lightly floured rolling pin to roll it out to about 1/4 inch thick. Use a round 3-inch cookie cutter to cut out cakes. You should be able to get 12 or 13 from the dough.
• Heat a heavy skillet over medium heat. When it is hot, rub the cooking surface with a lightly buttered paper towel, then lower the heat to medium low. Wait several minutes, then place 3 or 4 rounds top side down in the skillet and cook for about 2 minutes. Flip them over and cook on the other side for 3 minutes. Both sides will be touched with brown and a little black; the cakes will have risen a little, and their sides will still be moist looking.
• Turn back over and cook on the first side for another minute or so. Lift out and onto a rack to cool and set for 10 minutes or more before eating. Cook the remaining cakes the same way. (If you have two skillets, once you're comfortable with the timing, you can work with both.) Makes about 12 currant dotted, round butter rich scones. 3 to 3 1/2 inches across.
• Home Baking.

CURRANT TEA CAKES

Steps:

• Cream butter, lemon peel and lemon juice until light.
• Add sugar and cream until light and fluffy.
• Add eggs and blend well.
• In another bowl, mix flour and salt; gradually add to creamed mixture, beating well until blended.
• Stir in currants.
• Drop by teaspoonsful onto greased and floured baking sheet.
• Bake at 350* for 10 minutes or until set.
• Remove to a wire rack to cool.

STICK-TO-THE-RIBS BARLEY AND CURRANT CAKES

Steps:

• In a large saucepan over medium-high heat, add 3 tablespoons oil. Add garlic, shallot, thyme and barley; cook for 2 to 3 minutes until softened. Mix well. Add chicken stock and bring mixture to a boil. Cover and reduce heat to low. Cook for 30 minutes until barley is tender and liquid is absorbed. Remove sprigs of thyme. Fold in currants and parsley.
• Remove barley to a parchment lined sheet tray. Allow to cool completely in refrigerator. Once cooled, add barley mixture to a bowl. Mix in flour and egg. Form mixture into 3-inch patties and place on a platter.
• In a large saute pan over medium high heat, add remaining oil. Sear cakes for 1 to 2 minutes on each side. Remove from pan and serve.

JEAN-GEORGES'S CURRANT CUMIN POTATO CAKES

Steps:

• Peel and wash potatoes. Place potatoes and the fennel top in a large saucepan, and cover with water. Add 1 tablespoon curry powder and a pinch of salt, and cook until tender, about 25 minutes.
• Drain potatoes well, and pass through a food mill into a large bowl. Add 8 tablespoons butter and the flour, stirring to incorporate. Add remaining tablespoon curry powder and the currants. Season with salt and pepper.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Using an ice-cream scoop, scoop potato mixture into 2-inch balls. With lightly floured hands, form balls into 3-by-1/2-inch cakes. Melt remaining 3 tablespoons butter, and brush cakes with it. Once the cakes have absorbed the butter, brush with egg. Sprinkle each cake with 1/8 teaspoon cumin seeds, and gently press seeds into each cake to adhere.
• Heat 1 tablespoon clarified butter in a saute pan set over medium heat. Place 3 cakes in saute pan, cumin-seed side down, and cook until golden, 1 to 2 minutes. Turn cakes, and transfer to a baking sheet. Repeat with remaining cakes. Transfer baking sheet to oven, and bake until the cakes are heated through, about 3 minutes.

CURRANT CAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375F and grease baking pans very well.
• Cream butter and sugar together until light and fluffy; add eggs one at a time, beating thoroughly after each addition.
• Add a little of the flour, rind and juice of lemon and salt.
• Work the rest of the flour in slowly along with the currants.
• Drop by spoonfuls, pressing flat with a knife as the cakes are better when very thin.
• Bake until lightly browned, about ten minutes.