Teisen Griwsion (Cree Cake) is a traditional Cymric (Welsh) recipe for a classic old-fashioned cake made with cree, the leftovers of preparing lard. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Welsh version of: Cree Cake (Teisen Griwsion).
Dyma risét teisen hen-ffasiwn o Abertawe aa Phenryn Gwyr. Mae'n tarddu o'r adeg pan fod bron pob teulu gyda mochyn. Roedd cytew bol yr anifail yn cael ei droi'n lard cartref trwy ei doddi.
Byddid yn codi’r ddwy flonegen oddi ar y mochyn, eu torri’n ddarnau bach sgwâr a’u rhoi mewn sosban neu grochan wrth ymyl y tân i doddi. Rhaid oedd toddi’r bloneg yn araf rhag iddo losgi, gan godi’r saim a ddeuai ohono’n raddol a’i hidlo i botiau pridd neu unrhyw lestr pwrpasol. ‘Roedd hi’n arfer gan rai i’w hildo i ‘bledren’ (chwysigen) y mochyn. Ar ôl iddo oeri a chaledu, ceir lard gwyn pur.
‘Creision’ neu ‘criwsion’ oedd yr enwau mwyaf cyffredin a roid ar y darnau bach caled, sych a oedd yn weddill o’r bloneg ar ôl toddi’r saim yn llwyr ohono. Arferid yr enwau cree, scruggins a scrutchins arnynt yn Saesneg yng Nghymru. Dull cyffredin o’u defnyddio oedd eu blasu â phupur a halen a blawd ceirch a’u bwyta’n oer gyda bara ‘menyn.
Yr oedd hi’n arfer hefyd i’w rhoi mewn teisen mewn rhai ardaloedd.
Cynhwysion:
500g o flawd codi
375g o griwsion wedi’u malu
225g pwys o siwgr
ychydig o laeth â dŵr
siwgwr mân i addurno
Dull:
Torrwch y criwsion yn ddarnau mân a’u cymysgu gyda’r blawd a’r siwgr mewn bowlen.
Eu gwlychu ag ychydig o laeth a dŵr i wneud toes meddal.
Gyrrwch y does â rholbren i ryw 3cm o drwch, iro tun ymyl-isel â lard, a rhoi’r toes ynddo.
Ysgwydwch ychydig o siwgr mân ar wyneb y toes a’i grasu mewn ffwrn weddol boeth (tua 180C) am ryw hanner awr.
Tynnwch o'r popty a gadewch iddo oeri yn y tun am 10 munud cyn trois ar rasel gwifren i oeri'n gyfan gwbwl. Os mynwch, gallwch addurno gyda siwgwr mân cyn torri'n sgwariau a gweini.
Ceid amrywiad ar y rysait hwn drwy gynnwys ychydig o gyrens yn y toes a chrasu’r deisen ar blanc (neu radell).
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English Translation
This is an old-fashioned recipe from Swansea and the Gower Peninsula. It derives from the time when almost every family had a pig. The belly fat of the animal was converted to home-made lard by melting it.
Lard procured from the layers of fat around the pig’s abdomen was invaluable to the housewife for making cakes and pastry. These layers, cut into small pieces and placed in a large saucepan or boiler, were melted down gradually over a low heat. The fat was then poured through a fine sieve and stored in earthenware jars or in any other suitable container. The pig’s bladder would be used for this purpose in many districts.
The small, crisp pieces left over when all the lard was rendered were commonly known in Welsh as criwsion or creision. Cree, scruggins and scrutchins were the English equivalents used in different parts of Wales. Tossed in oatmeal and seasoned with salt and pepper, they were eaten with bread and butter. Alternatively they were put in a cake mixture instead of ordinary fat.
It was also the practice to include it as an ingredient in the baking of cakes, as here.
Ingredients:
500g self-raising flour
375g finely-diced cree
225g of sugar
a little milk and water
caster sugar for dusting
Method:
Chop the cree very finely then combine with the flour and sugar in a bowl.
Moisten with a little milk and water to form a soft dough.
Turn out on to a well-floured board and roll out to a thickness of about 3cm.
Place in a shallow tin greased with lard, sprinkle with a little sugar and then bake in a moderately hot oven (about 180g) for about half an hour.
Remove from the oven and set aside to cool in the tin for 10 minutes. After this time turn out onto a rack to cool completely. If desired dust with caster sugar before cutting into squares and serving.
Adding a small quantity of currants to the above recipe, and baking the rolled out dough on the bakestone was a common practice in other districts.
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