Recipes From Our Events

Since so many of you who have attended our events have asked, we are pleased to provide the recipes for some of the Scottish, Irish and Welsh goodies that our volunteers have baked.


Cape Breton Oatcakes   Tea Brack   Welsh Cakes   Irish Soda Bread


Cape Breton Oatcakes

This recipe for Cape Breton oatcakes is from the Gaelic College of Arts and Crafts, St. Ann's, Cape Breton.

Ingredients

3 cups of all purpose flour
3 cups of rolled oats
1 cup of shortening
1 cup of butter, softened
3 / 4 cup brown sugar
1 / 4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon baking soda
1 / 4 cup cold water

Mix together in a large bowl, the flour, oats, brown sugar, salt and baking soda. Cut in the shortening and the butter. Mix together until the dough is crumbly. Add enough of the water so that the dough holds together and can be rolled.

Put the dough on a floured board and roll out to a thickness of about 4 mm. Cut into squares or rounds of about 7 cm. Place on greased cookie sheets and bake at 350 degrees F. for about 12 minutes or until brown.

Cool on a wire rack and store in an airtight container.

Enjoy with cheese, marmalade or smoked salmon.

Top of Page


Tea Brack

This recipe was originally provided to us by Norita Fleming.

Ingredients

6 cups of dried fruit - 1 lb sultanas, 1 / 2 lb golden raisins, 1 / 2 currants
3 cups strong, cold, black tea (or half whisky. half tea)
2 1 / 2 cups brown sugar, tightly packed
4 cups all purpose flour
3 eggs, well beaten
3 level teaspoons baking powder
pinch salt
1 tsp. each cinnamon and ground nutmeg
1 / 2 tsp. each ground cloves and ground ginger

In a large bowl, pour tea over fruit. Cover and let stand overnight.

Next day, add brown sugar and beaten eggs to fruit mixture. Mix well. Add flour, to which has been added the baking powder, spices and salt. Mix well.

Pour mixture into 2 large loaf pans lined with baking paper. Bake in a pre-heated oven at 375 degrees F. for half an hour. Lower heat to 325 degrees F. and bake for another hour. Brack is baked when knife inserted in middle comes out clean.

Cool on a wire rack. Glaze with honey if desired.

Top of Page


Welsh Cakes

I don't remember where I got this recipe for Welsh Cakes, but my children have enjoyed them since they were toddlers.

Ingredients

3 / 4 cup currants
4 cups all purpose flour
3 tsp. baking powder
1 / 4 tsp. salt
250 g. shortening
1 cup granulated sugar
2 eggs
juice of 1 / 2 orange
1 / 2 cup milk

Wash and drain currants if necessary. Sift flour, baking powder and salt into a large bowl. Rub in shortening. Add sugar and mix thoroughly. Add currants.

Make a well in ingredients and add eggs, juice and some of the milk. Mix with a fork. Add remaining milk, just until the mixture is damp.

Form into a ball and roll out onto a lightly floured board to 3 - 4 cm thickness. Cut into circles with a cookie cutter (about 2 inch diameter). Fry on a griddle or in an iron frying pan until brown on both sides and done in the middle.

Cool on a wire rack. Sprinkle with fruit sugar while still warm, if desired.

Top of Page


Irish Soda Bread

This Irish Soda bread recipe comes from Jean Talman, who got it from Father John Reddy, a former chaplain at St. Mike's

Ingredients

3 cups whole wheat flour
1 cup all-purpose flour
2 cups buttermilk
1 teaspoon baking soda
pinch salt

Mix dry ingredients in large bowl.Stir in buttermilk. Do not mix too much. With floured hands place mixture on a floured cookie sheet and shape into loaf. DO NOT KNEAD. With a hot knife cut a cross in the top of the loaf, half an inch deep. Bake in 375 degree F. oven for 40 minutes. When done, roll in a damp tea-towel to cool.

Top of Page


Who We Are  What We Do  What's New  Links  Come Join Us


Main Menu