Bara Ceirch (Welsh Oatcakes)

Name: Bara Ceirch (Welsh Oatcakes)
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Welsh
Ingredients: 150 g fine oatmeal; 100 g medium oatmeal; 40 g pinhead oatmeal; 0.5 tsp bicarbonate of soda; 1 tsp Fine sea salt; 0.5 tsp caster sugar; 35 g unsalted welsh butter; 140 ml boiling water; 10 g butter for greasing

Crisp, thin Welsh oatcakes baked on a bakestone, delivering a nutty toasted flavour and rustic texture with salted Welsh butter or cheese.

🇬🇧United Kingdom· North Wales

Prep: 20 min
Cook: 15 min
Total: 35 min
Servings: 4
Difficulty: Medium
Calories: 285 kcal

Ingredients

0 of 9 gathered

Servings

150 g fine oatmeal — sifted
100 g medium oatmeal — for body and rustic texture
40 g pinhead oatmeal — for rolling and coating
½ tsp bicarbonate of soda — for a light, crisp bite
1 tsp Fine sea salt — fine grain
½ tsp caster sugar — to balance the earthy grain
35 g unsalted welsh butter — melted and warm
140 ml boiling water — freshly boiled from the kettle
10 g butter for greasing — to lightly wipe the bakestone

Equipment

•Bakestone (planc) or heavy cast-iron frying pan
•Large mixing bowl
•Rolling pin
•Palette knife
•Wire cooling rack

Nutrition

Per serving, approximate

Calories: 285 kcal
fat: 10 g
carbs: 42 g
fibre: 6 g
protein: 8 g
calories: 285 kcal

Instructions

1
Put the fine oatmeal, medium oatmeal, bicarbonate of soda, salt, and caster sugar into a large mixing bowl.
2
Whisk the dry ingredients thoroughly until evenly combined.
3
Pour the melted Welsh butter and boiling water into the dry oat mixture.
4
Stir briskly with a wooden spoon until a soft, pliable dough forms.
5
Scatter the pinhead oatmeal generously over a clean work surface.
6
Turn out the warm dough and knead gently for thirty seconds until smooth.
7
Roll out the dough thinly to three millimetres thick, pressing into the pinhead oats.
8
Cut into rounds with an eight-centimetre pastry cutter, gathering scraps to re-roll quickly.
9
Heat a bakestone (a flat, heavy griddle pan) over medium-low heat and grease lightly with butter.
10
Cook the oatcakes for four minutes until the edges curl slightly and the base is pale golden.
11
Flip carefully with a palette knife and bake the second side for three minutes until dry and crisp.
12
Transfer the oatcakes to a wire rack to cool completely and crisp up.

Chef's tips

Work quickly while the oat dough is warm, as oatmeal loses elasticity and turns brittle as it cools. Keep the hob heat moderate so the oatcakes dry out thoroughly without scorching on the bakestone. Roll as thinly as possible to achieve the authentic crisp snap.

Ingredient substitutions

unsalted Welsh butter → rendered lard or beef dripping for a traditional savoury finish
pinhead oatmeal → coarse polenta or extra medium oatmeal for dusting the rolling board

Storage

Store completely cooled oatcakes in an airtight tin lined with greaseproof paper for up to two weeks.

Reheating

Warm on a hot, dry bakestone or in an oven at 160°C for three minutes to restore crispness.

Common mistakes to avoid

•Letting the dough go completely cold before rolling, causing it to crack and crumble.
•Rolling the oatcakes too thick, which results in a soft, chewy interior instead of a crisp cracker.
•Setting the hob too high, which scorches the outside before the centre dries out.

Serving suggestions

Spread generously with salted Welsh butter alongside sharp Caerphilly cheese.Serve alongside a hot bowl of traditional lamb cawl (a Welsh broth).Top with smoked sewin (Welsh sea trout) and a dab of fresh soured cream.