Yorkshire Teacakes. I remember these from when I was young. They would always be available, stored in a large wooden breadbin. I´d have one on a morning with a cup of tea (Yorkshire of course), it would be spread thickly with butter and my Mum would always joke if I´d like a bit of teacake with my butter (as opposed to the other way round).
We had a visiter once who asked if he could have one of those fruit breadcakes! To which was retorted “Dun’t tha knaw t’ difference a’tween Yorksher teacakes and breadcakes lad? Nay lad, tha´s no Yorkshire lad, tha´s not!”. Bless.
A Yorkshire Teacake, unlike a plain breadcake, is a slightly sweat bread endowed with dried fruit and sometimes citrus peel (although less rarely). At home we would always have them toasted next to the fire, spread thick with butter and served with a cup of finest Yorkshire tea.
Ingredients
1 lb plain flour
1 tsp of salt
1 oz butter or block margarine
1 oz fresh yeast (or equivalent dried yeast)
1 tsp of caster sugar
2 oz seedless raisins
1 oz sugar
½ pint whole milk
Method:
Sift the flour and salt into a bowl and rub in the fat, put to one side
Cream together the yeast and sugar – if using dried yeast, follow manufacturer’s instructions
Stir the fruit into the flour, make a well in the centre and add the creamed yeast and some of the milk
Start to mix gradually bringing more flour down into the mix and adding milk as necessary until a soft dough has formed and all the flour incorporated into the mixture
Cover with a cloth and leave in a warm place until doubled in size – for about an hour
Turn out on to a floured work surface and knead for about 5 minutes, divide into 6 pieces kneading each into shape, and roll out until about half an inch thick
Cover and leave on the greased baking sheet to prove until double in height, and with a spongy texture
While teacakes are rising, preheat oven to 220 degrees Celsius
Bake for approximately 15 minutes then transfer to a wire rack to cool
Very simple and inexpensive. I definitely plan to try this sometime soon. Thank you!
So why is there no recipe for Yorkshire breadcakes on the whole of the internet, and no references other than eg above, where reference is only made to it in the negative= ‘That this is not like a breadcake’ as if everyone in the world is born with the knowledge of breadcake baking?
Perhaps there is some dark Yorkshire conspiracy to keep the recipe secret- especially from me?!Please take pity and dispell my growing paranoia and let me into the secret so that I can enjoy the heavenly taste of a proper bacon and tomato sandwich as God (not a Yorkshireman- but aspires to be one) intended.
John B i think the reason there isn’t a recipe for yorkshire bread cakes is because I have never known bread rolls to be called bread cakes in Yorkshire! Think breadcakes is from Lancashire! I have only known bread rolls in Yorkshire called bread rolls or bread buns, and as far as I know they are made form a basic white loaf recipe but just made into buns rather than a loaf
I´m from Yorkshire, not Lancashire, and I have known the term Breadcakes to be used a lot in the area I came from.
My Grandfather always made the most delightful Breadcakes, but I am afraid to say it died with him. To be perfectly honest these days the term is simply a Yorkshire name for bread rolls baked in the bottom of the oven. I am sure someone out there must have an original recipe but I am afraid its not me.
If I ever re-create them you will be the first to know.
bread rolls baked in the bottom of the oven are called oven bottom muffins – according to my Yorkshire mum anyway!
Oven Bottom Muffins were their original name but it is rarely used among the younger generation, sometimes you will find them called this in the older style bakeries only – this born and bred Yorkshire girl can tell you most people now utilise the breadcakes.
Just tried this recipe, inexpensive and tasty!
My teacakes use bread flour, and a mix of currants and sultanas, and deffinitely a little mixed peel. I also shape them straight after the first kneeding and bake after just one rise, otherwise the fruit swells too much. Not sure if it’s a genuine Yorkshire recipe, but I sell about 50 a day on my North Yorkshire market stall, so they go down well with Yorkshire folk.