Old Welches Inn

Welches, Oregon

Heritage Recipe

Grannie White's
Christmas Yeast Cakes

This is my family's Christmas day breakfast.

Ingredients:

1 package yeast

2 cups warm water

Flour (at least 4 cups, perhaps up to 5 or 6)

1 teaspoon sugar

1 Tablespoon sugar

1 teaspoon salt

3 heaping Tablespoons good shortening

3 Tablespoons shortening

Dissolve yeast in warm water. Add enough flour plus 1 teaspoon sugar to make a medium batter. Let rise 30 minutes or until double in bulk and bubbly. Sift 3 cups of flour, 1 Tablespoon sugar, and salt into large mixing bowl. Make hole in middle of same and add 3 Tablespoons good shortening and yeast mixture all at once, blending well. Knead until dough is firm and pops up when poked; sprinkle dough with flour and turn over in bowl. Cover and let rise overnight.

Heat about 3 inches of shortening in iron skillet. Pinch off about 1/3-cup size of dough and work until it's a flat round and drop into hot fat. Fry and turn only once until golden brown. Serve with syrup and good bacon and sausage.

Variations: Make small balls and deep fry. Use small pastry tube to inject jam into middle or sprinkle with confectioner's sugar.

• You found this recipe on 1st Traveler's Choice Internet Cookbook. (www.virtualcities.com)