Home › The Principles of Cookery › Yorkshire Tea-Cakes

Yorkshire Tea-Cakes

A hospitable Yorkshire housewife would consider her tea-table was barely spread if it were not liberally supplied with these delicious cakes, constant relays of which should be served steaming hot. Put two pounds of good flour into a bowl; scoop a hole in the centre, but do not touch the bottom of the bowl, and pour into the hollow thus made a little less than an ounce of German yeast which has been dissolved in a tea-cupful of lukewarm milk. Add to this yeast two well-beaten eggs and six ounces of butter which has been dissolved in half a tea-cupful of hot water. The water, when added to the batter, ought to be a little more than new-milk-warm. Draw a little of the flour from the side of the bowl into the liquor till it is of the consistency of very thick cream, sprinkle a little flour upon it to cover the surface, and leave it in a warm place to rise. In about an hour, when the bubbles of yeast show themselves through the flour, knead the dough thoroughly, adding as much more lukewarm milk as is necessary for the purpose. The tea-cakes will require about a pint of milk altogether. Gash the surface of the dough two or three times across with a knife, throw a warm towel over it, and leave it to rise. When it is very light (that is, when the surface cracks, which it will do in an hour or more), divide it into ten portions of equal size. Roll these lightly into cakes four inches in diameter, and put them on a baking-tin. Prick them with a fork and let them rise before the fire for ten minutes. Put them into a moderately-heated oven; they must not be baked hard. When they are to be served, either cut them into halves, toast them, and butter liberally, or make them hot in the oven, divide them, and butter them. Serve very hot. These tea-cakes will be very good if made with four ounces of butter instead of six, and if one egg only is used. They may be buttered and served cold, but are best hot. Time to bake the tea-cakes, a quarter to half an hour. Probable cost, 1d. each. Sufficient for ten cakes. A few currants may be added if liked.