Yorkshire Teacakes (1930)

For the January cook…

 This recipe is taken from “500 recipes” published by the Yorkshire Federation of Women’s Institutes, re-printed on the ‘Home Pages’ of WI membership magazine Home and Country.

 ‘This collection does justice to the reputation of the County for an endless variety of dainties for tea and should find a welcome in all homes. Some of the directions are rather vague and more careful editing would improve their value to the uninitiated.’ Editor

 Serves: 6-8

 Ingredients:

•  ¾ lb flour
• Ioz fat
• 1 teaspoonful caster sugar
• 1 gill milk (¼ pint)
• ½ oz German yeast
• 1 egg

Method:

1. Cream the sugar and the yeast

2. Melt the fat in the saucepan then add the milk and make lukewarm. Pour this onto the sugar and yeast

3. Pour the mixture through a strainer into the flour. Add the egg well beaten up and mix all well together.

4. Flour a board and turn the dough onto it

5. Knead the dough and cut into cakes

6. Place those in greased cake tins and stand by fire to rise for one hour. Bake in oven for quarter of an hour (I baked at 220C/425F/gas mark 7)

 Verdict: As the Editor notes, the rough method for this recipe requires a little creativity in the baking. I substituted a roaring fire for a hot oven top, though my mistake in using dried yeast meant these were not the thick, toasty snacks I’d imagined. Still, very tasty with butter, and easily spiced up with a handful of dried fruit or candied peel.

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