The bakestone is a utensil commonly used in the home baking of many traditional European cuisines, especially English, Welsh and Irish traditional baking. (Welsh names for the bakestone include planc and maen.) Modern versions of this utensil aren’t usually made of stone (though some that are do exist). Normally the bakestone is a flat, rimless circle of cast iron, with a hoop (often moveable) that allows it to be hung over a fire, or a handle at one end.
On the bakestone, various kinds of cakes, pancakes and “small baking” can be produced. The steady, even conduction of heat through the heavy cast iron produces a very high quality of baking. Bakestones work as well on a gas or electric stove as they do over a campfire or a cooking hearth.
If you’re interested in getting a bakestone, you can obtain one from: Highland Marketing Ltd. Unit 20 Atlantic Trading Estate Barry South Glamorgan Wales CF6 6RF UK phone: (+44)446-744956 There is also a UK-based online ordering resource here: Welsh Bake Stones
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Title: Welsh Cakes (bakestone Recipes)
Categories: Breads
Servings: 4
8 oz Plain flour
1 t Baking powder
1/4 t Mixed spice
2 oz Butter or margarine
2 oz Lard
3 oz Granulated sugar
2 oz Raisins (or currants)
1 Egg, beaten
3 T Milk
Sift the flour, baking powder and spice into a mizing bowl. Cut the fat
into the flour, and rub it to a breadcrumb-like consistency; then mix in
the sugar and raisins. Mix in the egg, and sufficient milk to make a
stiff dough. Roll out on a floured board to 1/4 inch thick. Cut into 3
inch rounds. Bake on a hot greased bakestone until golden brown, about 4
minutes on each side.
*
Variation: "Teisen Dinca" -- Make up the Welsh Cake dough adding 6 oz
peeled and grated cooking apples before adding the egg. Mix to a stiff
dough, adding milk if necessary. Roll out, cut into rounds and cook on
the bakestone as for Welsh Cakes. Serve hot with butter, golden syrup, or
honey.
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Title: Teisin Lap (plate Cake) (bakestone Recipes)
Categories: Breads
Servings: 4
8 oz Plain flour
2 t Baking powder
1/2 t Grated nutmeg
2 oz Butter
2 oz Lard
4 oz Soft brown sugar
4 oz Mixed dried fruit
2 Eggs, beaten
1/4 pt Cream, or buttermilk
Sift the flour, baking powder and nutmeg into a mixing bowl. Cut the fat
into the flour and rub it to a breadcrumb-like consistency. Mix in the
sugar and dried fruit. Stir in the eggs, and sufficient cream or
buttermilk to make a soft dough. Roll out to 1 inch thick, cut into 2
1/2-inch rounds. Cook on a warmed greased bakestone for about 15 minutes
on each side.
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Title: Pikelets (bakestone Recipes)
Categories: Breads, Breakfast
Servings: 8
8 oz Plain or unbleached flour
1 t Salt
1/2 oz Fresh yeast*
1 t Sugar
5 fl Warm water
1 t Butter
5 fl Warm milk
1 Egg, beaten
*Or 1 1/2 t dried yeast. -- These are similar to crumpets -- they are
made with a yeast batter, but cooked without rings. -- Sift the flour and
salt into a warm bowl. Dissolve the yeast and the sugar in the warm
water. Melt the butter in the warm milk and beat in the egg. Stir the
yeast liquid and then the milk mixture into the flour. Mix into a smooth
batter and beat well. Cover and leave in a warm place for 1 to 1 1/2
hours, until the batter is thick and bubbling. Warm the bakestone and
grease with a piece of lard on a fork (use a piece of fat back if you're
short of lard). When a drop of water sputters on the bakestone, it's hot
enough. Stir the batter, then use a ladle or a jug to pour it onto the
bakestone in round "puddles|, leaving space in between so that the
pikelets will be easy to turn. The yeast batter will not spread as much
as pancake batter. Cook over a moderate heat until bubbles break the top
surface and the underneath is pale gold. Flip over the pikelets and cook
the other side until honey-colored. Keep wach batch warm in a folded
cloth in a low oven. Serve with butter, honey or preserves, or for a
savory dish, with cream cheese or grilled bacon, or little sausages. To
reheat, crisp under the grill.
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Title: Potato Cakes (bakestone Recipes)
Categories: Breads, Breakfast, Vegetables
Servings: 8
1 lb Cooked floury potatoes
1 t Salt
2 oz Butter, softened
4 T Self-raising flour
1 Butter for filling
Potato cakes are eaten with bacon and sausages. It's easier to make them
with hot, freshly cooked potatoes. If using cold potatoes, melt the
butter before adding it. Choose a floury type of potato, and boil in
well-salted water. -- Drain the cooked potatoes well, then return to low
heat in the same pan: put a dishcloth over the pan and allow the potatoes
to dry for 5-10 minutes. (This is called "drying in their steam" in
Ireland.) They should be dry and floury at the end of the process. Sieve
or rice into a mixing bowl with the salt. Beat in the butter. Work in
sufficient flour to make a soft dough which is easy to handle. Turn onto
a floured board and roll or pat out to 3/4 inch thick. Cut into rounds
with a 3-inch scone cutter. Place on the hot greased bakestone and cook
over a moderate heat until golden brown underneath. Turn and cook the
other side. Remove from the bakestone, split, butter generously, and
close again. Keep warm while cooking the next batch. Serve hot. (Re
"self-raising flour": in Ireland and the UK, this is flour which comes
with baking powder/baking soda already included. For this recipe, about
1/4-1/2 t of baking powder mixed with a plain all-purpose flour will
substitute nicely.)
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Title: Apple And Potato Cake (bakestone Recipes)
Categories: Breads, Cakes, Breakfast, Fruits, Vegetables
Servings: 8
1 1/2 lb Floury potatoes
3 t Salt
2 oz Butter
4 T Self-raising flour
2 Apples, peeled,cored,chopped
2 T Granulated sugar
3 T Softened butter
The potatoes must be hot and floury, but either eating apples or cooking
apples can be used. (Best results with a cooking apple, though.) -- Boil
the peeled potatoes in well-salted water. Drain and cover with a cloth to
"dry in their steam". Sieve or rice into a warmed mixing bowl, and beat in
the fat. Work in sufficient flour to make the dough manageable, adding
salt to taste. Divide the dough in half and roll or pat into 2 rounds of
equal size just over 1/2 inch thick. Place one round on the warmed
bakestone and spread with the chopped apple. Cover with the other round of
dough and pinch the edges together. -- Bake on the bakestone over a
moderate heat until brown underneath. Turn using the broadest spatula you
have, or two spatulas and a friend. Cook the other side. Remove the cake
to a hot serving dish. Carefully peel up one side of the top of the cake,
spread the apples with the softened butter, and sprinkle them with sugar.
Fold that half down and do the same to the other side. Sprinkle sugar on
top, and serve immediately, with thick cool cream.
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Title: Swedish Flatbread (bakestone Recipes)
Categories: Breads, Breakfast
Servings: 8
8 oz Ground wholemeal flour
8 oz Rye or barley flour
1 t Salt
8 fl Lukewarm water*
*You may need as much as 12 fl total. -- Blend the flours together with
the salt. Mix in sufficient water to bind together into a dough -- the
quantity will depend on the types of flour used. -- Beat until dough
leaves the sides of the bowl, then turn onto a floured board and knead
thoroughly. Heat the bakestone over a moderate heat and grease it.
Divide the dough into four and roll one quarter out into a round as thin
as possible. Using a plate about 8 inches wide, trim the edges into a
neat circle. Prick all over to prevent the dough bubbling while cooking.
~- Transfer to the bakestone and cook over a moderate heat for about 15
minutes, or until slightly colored. Then turn and cook the other side.
Repeat with the rest of the dough, working up the trimmings for re-shaping
and baking. -- Cool on a wire tray. When cold, store in an airtight
container. (Danish-butter-cookie containers, the big ones, are good for
this.)
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Title: Drop Scones (bakestone Recipes)
Categories: Breads, Breakfast, Cakes
Servings: 8
4 oz Self-raising flour
2 T Granulated sugar
1 Egg, beaten
5 fl Milk*
*Approximate. -- Sift the flour into a mizing bowl and mix in the sugar.
Make a well in the center of the flour and drop in the egg. Stir in the
milk gradually and mix to a creamy batter. The thicker the batter, the
thicker the pancake will be. Heat the bakestone and grease lightly.
Using a large spoon, drop the batter off it in round "puddles" onto the
bakestone, leaving room for spreading. Cook over a moderate heat until
the top surface is covered with bubbles, and when the underside is golden,
turn and cook the other side. When golden, lift off the bakestone and
wrap in a cloth. Serve as soon as possible with butter, honey and
preserves. If any are left until the next day, they can be crisped under
the grill before serving. For a change, 1 oz of butter can be rubbed into
the flour and sugar: or lemon essence (six drops) can be added to the
batter.
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Title: Honey And Cream Scones (bakestone Recipes)
Categories: Breads, Breakfast, Cakes
Servings: 8
6 oz Whole wheat flour
6 oz Plain flour
2 t Bicarbonate of soda
1 t Cream of tartar
1 oz Butter
5 fl Sour cream
4 oz Clear honey
1 Egg
Milk for glazing
Sift the flour, soda, and cream of tartar into a mixing bowl. Cut the fat
into the flour and rub it to a breadcrumb consistency. Miz the sour cream
and honey together until the honey is dissolved. Beat in the egg. Make a
well in the flour, pour in the liquid and mix to a soft dough. Turn onto a
floured board and knead in a little extra flour if necessary. Roll out 1/2
inch thick and cut into rounds with a 2-inch cutter. Lift onto a heated
and greased bakestone and brush the tops of the scones with a little milk.
Cook until the underside is golden, then turn and cook the other side.
Serve hot, split and spread with butter and honey: or serve cold with
butter or clotted cream.
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Title: Oatcakes (bakestone Recipes)
Categories: Breads, Breakfast
Servings: 8
4 oz Medium oatmeal*
1/2 t Salt
1 pn Bicarbonate of soda
2 T Melted bacon fat**
2 fl Hot water***
*Grinding down regular rolled oats slightly in a blender or grinder will
be a help. **Or beef dripping. ***Approximately. -- Mix the oatmeal,
salt and soda in a bowl. Make a well in the center. Pour in the melted
fat and add enough water to make a stiff dough which can be squeezed into
a ball. Sprinkle the board and your hands with oatmeal and knead the
mixture until there are no cracks in it. Flatten the ball and roll it out
into a round just under 1/4 inch thick. Invert a plate on top and trim
off the ragged edges -- these can be added to the next batch of dough to
be rolled. Cut the round into quarters, lift them onto a warmed and
greased bakestone and cook over moderate heat for 20 minutes or until the
triangles curl at the corners. Turn and cook the other side for 5
minutes, or finish under a moderate grill. Store the oatcakes in an
airtight tin, and toast under a moderate grill, or in the oven, before
serving. -- These are served with honey, marmalade or jam for breakfast,
or with crowdie (a slightly sweet Highland Scots cottage cheese) for tea.
They are especially good with fried herring or smoked haddock. Not to
mention any kind of caviar you can get your hands on.
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