Williams Farm Sugarhouse, Deerfield, MA

I love this time of year in New England. The snow begins to melt away and you can feel springtime in the air. The tulips are beginning to pop up, and the sugar shacks are busy making maple syrup!

Williams Farm Sugarhouse is just up the road from me, and they do a booming business this time of year. It's always fun to stop in and have some pancakes. The sugar house is open from mid-February to early April, so it's probably a good idea to call ahead to make sure they're open.

Williams Farm Sugarhouse, 491 Greenfield Road, Deerfield, MA 01342 

413-773-5186

Welsh cakes

To celebrate St. David’s Day I decided to bake some Welsh cakes. They’re very traditional all over Wales and they’re extremely easy to make. My great grandmother used to bake these when I was little, but I never got her actual recipe which is a terrible shame.

Recommended baking soundtrack: Tom Jones “Gold” or Only Men Aloud

2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

2/3 cup sugar

1/2 tsp ground cinnamon

1/4 tsp allspice

1/8 tsp nutmeg

1/2 teaspoon baking powder

1/4 teaspoon salt

12 tablespoons (1 1/2 sticks) cold unsalted butter, chopped into pieces

1/3 cup dried currants (soaked for about 15 to 20 minutes in a cup of Earl Grey tea and then drained)

5 T milk

1 egg

Preparation

• Mix the flour, sugar, spices, baking powder and salt in a large mixing bowl. 
• Put this flour mixture into a food processor, and add the chopped butter. Pulse the mixture until it resembles breadcrumbs. I usually do this in about three or four smaller batches.
• Add the drained currants; then whisk the milk and egg together and add this to the dry flour mixture.
• Stir until the mixture begins to come together in clumps. It will be quite dry and crumbly, but you can add a little more milk if necessary. 
• Roll out the dough on a lightly floured bread board until it is about  1/2 inch thick, or even a little thinner. Cut out cookie shapes using a 3 inch round cookie cutter. In Wales it’s traditional to use a fluted or scalloped cookie cutter.  Be sure to use up any leftover dough!
• Heat a heavy nonstick skillet over medium to high heat. Place enough cakes on the griddle so that it’s not crowded. You don't need to use any oil as the cakes don't stick to the skillet.
• Reduce the heat slightly, and cook until cakes firm up and brown slightly. Cook them for about four minutes or so on each side. Check them frequently to make sure they don't burn.
• Move them to a cookie cooling rack, and sprinkle lightly with some granulated sugar when they're still warm.

These are wonderful with tea or a big glass of cold milk.