Correspondent photo by ERIC STANWAY
Correspondent photo by ERIC STANWAY
Friday evenings, people get together,
Hiding from the weather.
Tea and toasted, buttered currant buns
Can’t compensate for lack of sun,
Because the summer’s all gone.
– The Kinks, “Autumn Almanac”
When it starts to get really cold, I begin to bake. Wholemeal breads, buns, cookies – you name it. It’s a good way to keep the house warm, and the smell of fresh-baked goods adds a sense of conviviality to a cold, wet evening.
A particular favorite around here are Yorkshire Teacakes. At least, that’s what they’re called in the north of England. Down London way, where the Kinks hail from, they’re known simply as “currant buns.” But the recipe is the same – a slightly sweet bread with a touch of cinnamon, liberally dotted with golden raisins and currants.
Of course, as with all old dishes, there are variants. In Barnsley, West Yorkshire, Lancashire and Cumbria, you are unlikely to find any currants in the recipe. In Kent, they are known as “huffkins” and flavored with hops. Sussex goes the whole hog with its recipe, known as “Lady Arundel’s Manchet,” infusing its cakes with nutmeg, cinnamon and rosewater. The original recipe for this cake dates from 1653 and describes a luxurious bread eaten by the aristocracy. The popularity of this bread was so pronounced that early settlers in Virginia brought it with them.
Manchets in their original form almost disappeared by the dawn of the 19th century, but the recipes lived on and changed. One famous example is the Sally Lunn Bun, a great favorite in the prosperous city of Bath. Although there is still a restaurant there that bears her name, the identity of the actual person seems to have become a little confused in the mists of time. The most popular story is that a Huguenot immigrant by the name of Solange Luyon settled in the city in about 1680. A baker by trade, she was soon selling her wares on the street. When customers discovered what a light hand she had with baking, her trade grew dramatically, and Sally Lunn Buns were soon as much of Bath’s tradition as the Royal Crescent or ancient Roman baths.
As the popularity of the buns grew in the 18th and 19th centuries, the famous authors of the day began to sing their praises. Thomas Carlyle wrote, “Robinson gives me coffee and Sally Lunns,” while Charles Dickens has a character extolling their virtues in “The Chimes,” noting, “It’s a sort of night that’s meant for muffins. Likewise crumpets. Also, Sally Lunns.”
The following recipe uses a bread machine. I realize that’s not traditional, but it is convenient, and it does make a good dough. If you don’t have one, maybe you can put a bug in someone’s ear for Christmas.
YORKSHIRE TEACAKES
Makes 8 cakes.
1¼ cups milk, warmed to a tepid temperature
4 cups unbleached bread flour
1 teaspoon salt
3 teaspoons white sugar
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
¼ cup golden raisins
¼ cup currants or dried cranberries
3 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon dried yeast
Pour the milk into the bread machine pan, then sprinkle flour over the top. Add the salt, sugar, cinnamon, raisins, currants and butter, placing each ingredient in opposite corners of the pan. Make a small well in the middle, and add the yeast. Turn the bread machine onto a “dough” setting, and let it go to it.
Spray two cookie sheets with nonstick spray. When the dough is well risen, remove it from the bread pan, and place onto a lightly floured board. Knead slightly, then cut into eight separate pieces. Form each piece into a ball, and then, flatten it with the palm of your hand. Place on the cookie sheets, well apart. Spray two pieces of plastic wrap with nonstick spray, and place over the cakes. Allow to rise for about an hour, until doubled in size.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Remove the plastic wrap from the cakes, and place in the oven. Bake for about 10 minutes, until risen and firm. Brush lightly with milk, return to oven and bake for an additional 5 minutes or so, or until browned. Remove from oven and allow to cool.
To serve, split each cake horizontally, and place under the broiler; cook until well toasted. Serve with butter and tea.
(Recipe adapted from “Bread Machine” by Jennie Shapter)
Eric Stanway can be reached at Eric.Stanway@yahoo.com or www.Eric Stanway.com.
