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On Gwent hazelnut cake - Teisen cnau cyll Gwent - and a visit to Tintern Abbey

11/10/2015

34 Comments

 
Gwent hazelnut cake - Teisen cnau cyll Gwent
Architecture, culture, history and landscapes – together with food – are at the top of my list of things to experience whenever I am visiting a new place. Being a person who wears her heart on her sleeve, sometimes these can bring tears to my eyes, leave me in awe, and take my breath away. The ancient ruins of Tintern Abbey, in the former County of Gwent in south-east Wales, did all of that.

​Planning our itinerary, Peter broke the news that he'd added Wales to the adventure, as he was more than keen to go to Cardiff to see the Dr Who Experience. Yes! Fist pump from me too. Looking through guide books, we realised our journey would take us from London to Cornwall, then to Cardiff and onwards through the Wye Valley before heading to Bath. Perfect.

We had seen a snippet about the 12th century Cistercian abbey on the BBC's Escape to the Country – which I will shamelessly declare as being among our favourite television programs – and we'd previously both read about it in books detailing the works of landscape painter, Joseph Mallord William Turner, and also the poet, William Wordsworth. Both artistes were fascinated by the Abbey's ruins and surrounding countryside, which really is quite beautiful. Funnily enough, Wordsworth wrote his verse titled "Lines Composted a Few Miles above Tintern Abbey, On Revisiting the Banks of the Wye during a Tour. July 13, 1798" at around the same time that Turner was painting magnificent watercolours showcasing the grandeur of the buildings, circa 1795. Although we missed seeing them, Turner's paintings of the Abbey are apparently exhibited at The British Museum and also at The Tate. 

Tintern Abbey was founded in 1131 by an Anglo-Norman lord known as Walter fitz Richard of Clare. How's that for a name!? Building commenced on the Gothic church in 1269 and it would be more than 60 years before it was completed. The land around the Abbey was divided into agricultural plots and some 400 monks and brothers lived and worked there over the following centuries. Many are said to have died during the Black Death, which swept through in 1348. Still, the simple way of monastic life continued until 1536, when the Abbey fell victim to Henry VIII's dissolution of monasteries. Then the property was granted to the Earl of Worcester and the building was stripped of its roof – the lead and some of the stone being sold off. As Turner's paintings show, nature took over and the Abbey would soon be covered in creeping vines. One can imagine that it must have been a spectacular sight to behold then, as it is now.

From 1901-28, major conservation work took place on the Abbey and these days it is in the care of Cadw, Welsh Historic Monuments. A further two year conservation programme has recently been completed on the west front. Art exhibitions and other events are held there regularly and it is open daily to visitors. Perhaps one of the most interesting and visually striking events is Stargazing at the Abbey, part of the Museums at Night, which takes place in May.

At the Abbey's  visitor centre, I bought a wee little cookbook written by Bobby Freeman, a well-known Welsh restaurateur and cookery writer. In A Book of Welsh Country Cakes and Buns, I found the recipe for Teisen cnau cyll Gwent or Gwent hazelnut sandwich. Ms Freeman writes that she sourced the recipe from the 1796 diary of Anne Hughes, a farmer's wife who attributed it to her 'cousin Floe'. According to Mrs Hughes, the cake was intended to be "cut up in divers shapes". I've seen it sliced down the middle and served, filled with jam and cream. Or you can divide the mixture between two tins. As it's not a high-rise cake, I prefer to bake it as a single layer and serve it sliced simply into wedges. It's a keeper.

​GWENT HAZELNUT CAKE
(Teisen cnau cyll Gwent)
110g vanilla infused caster sugar
200g butter, softened
3 free-range eggs
​
125g self raising flour
55g hazelnuts, chopped

Preheat oven to 190 degrees C. Grease an 8-inch round cake tin and line it with baking parchment. Combine the butter and caster sugar in a bowl and beat until light and creamy. Add the eggs one at a time, and beat in with the flour until well mixed. Transfer the batter into the prepared tin. Sprinkle the top with the chopped hazelnuts and bake for 30 minutes until golden. Serves 8. 

Recipe adapted from A Book of Welsh Country Cakes and Buns by Bobby Freeman.

Postcards from Tintern Abbey...

Tintern Abbey in Wales - photo by Liz Posmyk, Good Things
Liz Posmyk - wordsmith, cook, traveller, ambassador for good things - visits Tintern Abbey in Wales
Abaty Tyndyrn - Tintern Abbey in Wales - photo by Liz Posmyk Good Things

Now tell me, dear readers, do you wear your heart on your sleeve? What sorts of things bring tears to your eyes and take your breath away? And have you ever been to Tintern Abbey? 
34 Comments
Tandy | Lavender and Lime link
8/10/2015 02:09:57 am

What a stunning place Liz! I am always in awe of these types of buildings and how they were constructed :)

Reply
Lizzy
11/10/2015 11:49:08 pm

Me too, Tandy... isn't history a marvellous thing!?

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Maureen link
8/10/2015 02:47:58 am

I've only been to Wales once in my life but never here. I'm afraid I'm guilty of being the one when John says, "What's wrong, I can tell there's something wrong so don't say nothing. What have I done?" LOL

I would have been much better with a piece of this hazenut sandwich.

Reply
Lizzy
11/10/2015 11:49:31 pm

Oh, I didn't know you had been to Wales, Maureen... you must tell me all about it next time we catch up! xx

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John / Kitchen Riffs link
8/10/2015 02:23:33 pm

Lucky you! I've got to see Tintern Abbey sometime. Knew about it (who hasn't read Wordsworth's poem?), but never even thought about visiting it for some reason. Now I gotta go. Great pictures, lovely recipe -- thanks.

Reply
Lizzy
11/10/2015 11:50:11 pm

John, Tintern Abbey is amazing... but there are SO many other fascinating and beautiful ruins in the UK! Whitby Abbey too... more on that later!

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Adri link
8/10/2015 02:48:43 pm

OK, first, I want to see that TV show. It is not airing here in the U.S. I will keep my fingers crossed. I have never been to Wales, but your shots are certainly most enticing, and so is this cake. I adore hazelnuts, and so I must make it. It actually sounds a lot like a rustic Italian cake. The Italians have a real love affari with hazelnuts.

A tear comes to my eye when I see something magnificent - like this abbey and realzie that it was made by human hands hundreds of years ago. I wonder how ever did they accomplish these fantastic feats of building? And what were the people like who built these things? What were their lives like? I am always curious, and I get sad when I realize how truly difficult their lives must have been.

Reply
Lizzy
11/10/2015 11:51:20 pm

Adri! Welcome back, lovely friend! Yes, I hope Escape to the Country screens in your part of the world sometime.... this cake is gorgeous... and, note, the hazelnuts are scattered over the top, not throughout the buttery batter. I am with you on the wondering about the history and stories behind old ruins like this. xx

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e / dig in hobart link
8/10/2015 07:36:31 pm

it's funny how TV shows drive tourism in the UK. when I visited many years ago, the places to visit were the little town where Hamish MacBeth was filmed. I can't even recall now what it was called, but it was picture-postcard-perfect.

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Lizzy
11/10/2015 11:51:54 pm

I heard about Hamish MacBeth, but not sure I watched it... but yes, those TV programs do help send tourists on the trail!

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Amanda link
8/10/2015 11:12:08 pm

Oh, what lovely photos Liz! I have fond memories of wandering around the ruins of similar abbeys in Ireland some years back. They are amazing spaces.

Reply
Lizzy
11/10/2015 11:52:17 pm

Amanda, thank you for your very kind words... Ireland must be very beautiful too, I imagine. xx

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Tania| My Kitchen Stories link
9/10/2015 01:09:02 am

Its been so long since I went to Wales I probably wouldn't remember but isn't it a beautiful building. I love the simplicity of this cake too.

Reply
Lizzy
11/10/2015 11:52:31 pm

Tania, thank you kindly.

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Krista Bjorn link
9/10/2015 01:23:52 am

I've never been here before, Liz, but it looks so beautiful. It reminds me of a similar place I explored in Ireland. Such an emotive experience.

Reply
Lizzy
11/10/2015 11:52:52 pm

Krista, it is a beautiful place... but I understand Ireland is too! On the list!

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Hotly Spiced link
9/10/2015 01:44:04 am

It's such a shame the abbey was stripped of a lot of it's beauty. I'd love to go to Wales! It would have been a fascinating tour even in it's partially demolished state xx

Reply
Lizzy
11/10/2015 11:53:19 pm

It's still beautiful, Charlie, but it is unfortunate that the roof etc was removed.

Reply
Jenny Tinson
9/10/2015 07:38:08 am

Liz, this is the cake you served at afternoon tea recently, right? I loved it!

Reply
Lizzy
11/10/2015 11:53:31 pm

Yes, Jenny, that's the one xx

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David link
10/10/2015 10:46:51 am

First, I love the "Triplets of Tintern!" Such fun!

Second, the cake looks perfect really appreciate its simplicity. Definitely will be trying it soon!

Reply
Lizzy
11/10/2015 11:53:51 pm

Thanks so much, David! : ) Peter took that photo... clever!

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Zsuzsa link
10/10/2015 12:46:29 pm

Lizzy you and your lovely sisters seems to like it at the Abbey. :D
And what about Dr Who? I got all entranced at the mention of him except which one? I would like Turner but what would bring me to tears would be the stargazing.

Reply
Lizzy
11/10/2015 11:54:34 pm

Hi Zsuzsa, so, another Whovian! I will post our Dr Who experience in the fullness of time! And I am with you on the stargazing. How awesome!

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Lorraine @ Not Quite Nigella link
11/10/2015 02:31:41 am

Looks interesting-more like an apple cake. I would have loved to have seen some other shots to show the hazelnuts being incorporated too :)

Reply
Lizzy
11/10/2015 03:48:22 am

Thanks lovely... thing is, the hazelnuts are NOT incorporated into the cake... they are scattered over the top before baking... thus, the shot I have used shows them over the top. xxx

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Peter
11/10/2015 07:48:47 pm

I did like this cake. Especially the crunchy hazelnuts on the top of the cake. Good stuff. Can you make it again.

Reply
Lizzy
11/10/2015 11:54:47 pm

For you, anything, my love xx

Reply
Peter
11/10/2015 07:49:50 pm

Tintern Abbey was amazing, wasn't it. And I love the photo I took of you. But three Lizzys. Watch out.

Reply
Lizzy
11/10/2015 11:54:59 pm

It was... : )

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Fiona Ryan
13/10/2015 04:23:11 am

Surely that is a Dr Who moment with 3 versions of Liz?! We've visited Tintern - Wales really has it all crammed it doesn't it? I was expecting a type of sponge so this was surpsrise. Tasty, I'm sure.

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jennifer @Milk&Honey link
21/10/2015 05:54:13 am

What a lovely cake. So elegant. I went to Tintern Abbey in the winter. There was no one else there LOL! It's a magical place.

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Karen (Back Road Journal) link
22/10/2015 05:31:32 pm

Lovely photos and recipe. Can you just imagine how beautiful the abbey was when first built?

Reply
Lizzy
26/2/2016 04:53:31 pm

It would have been amazing, Karen!

Reply

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