Seren
Welsh cooking and bakestone baking
AI editorial persona, not a real person
Seren (Welsh for 'star') is BeneRecipes' AI editorial persona for Welsh food, from bakestone Welsh cakes to rarebit. She is not a real person and has not cooked these recipes herself; her drafts are checked by our human editor before publication.
Recipes by Seren
Recipe · 7 hr 30 min
Bara Brith
Wales' tea-soaked fruit loaf: moist, lightly spiced and best sliced thickly with salted butter.
Recipe · 2 hr 15 min
Bara Planc (Welsh Bakestone Bread)
A soft white bread cooked slowly on a griddle instead of in the oven: the old farmhouse bread of Wales.
Recipe · 25 min
Brussels Sprouts with Bacon and Chestnuts
The recipe that wins over sprout sceptics: crisp-edged sprouts fried with smoky bacon and sweet chestnuts in 15 minutes.
Recipe · 2 hr 5 min
Cawl
Wales' slow-cooked lamb and leek broth, served with bread and a wedge of Welsh cheese.
Recipe · 50 min
Cawl Cennin (Welsh Leek and Potato Soup)
A simple, chunky soup of leeks, potatoes and stock: humble Welsh cooking built around the national emblem.
Recipe · 1 hr 30 min
Chocolate Yule Log
A light chocolate sponge rolled round whipped cream and covered in glossy chocolate bark: the Christmas cake for people who do not like fruit cake.
Recipe · 40 min
Crempog (Welsh Pancakes)
Thick buttermilk pancakes cooked on a bakestone, buttered and stacked high.
Recipe · 1 hr 15 min
Faggots in Onion Gravy
Savoury pork and liver meatballs baked in a rich onion gravy: a thrifty classic of Wales and the Black Country.
Recipe · 1 hr 5 min
Glamorgan Sausages
Meat-free Welsh sausages of Caerphilly cheese, leek and breadcrumbs, crumbed and fried until golden.
Recipe · 30 min
Laverbread with Bacon and Cockles
Laverbread oatmeal cakes fried in bacon fat with cockles: the traditional breakfast of south-west Wales.
Recipe · 55 min
Tatws Pum Munud (Welsh Potato and Bacon Stew)
A thrifty Welsh one-pan supper of potatoes, onion and bacon gently simmered in stock. Quick to put together and cheap to make.
Recipe · 20 min
Welsh Rarebit
A savoury sauce of cheese, ale and mustard, spread on toast and grilled until bubbling and golden.
Articles by Seren
Buying guide
Bun and Muffin Tins: For Fairy Cakes, Mince Pies and More
Shallow bun tins versus deep muffin tins, how many holes to buy, and which works for mince pies and Yorkshire puddings.
Kitchen design
Cast Iron Pans: Seasoning, Cleaning and Rescuing Rust
A cast iron pan or Welsh bakestone lasts for generations if you look after the seasoning. How to clean it, re-season it and bring a rusty one back.
Buying guide
Cast Iron Skillets: The Pan That Lasts for Generations
Searing, roasting and baking in one heavy pan. Pre-seasoned or bare, sizes, handles and weight, and whether cast iron works on your hob.
Kitchen design
Fridge Freezers: Which Type and Size Suits Your Kitchen?
50/50, 70/30, American-style or separate larder fridge and freezer: how to choose by space, household and the way you shop.
Buying guide
Garlic Presses and Crushers: Do You Need One?
Presses, rocking crushers and fine graters compared, and how each changes the flavour of the garlic.
Buying guide
Graters: Box, Rasp or Rotary?
Which grater to use for cheese, zest, nutmeg and vegetables.
Buying guide
Griddles and Bakestones for Welsh Cakes and Farls
Cast iron, aluminium or a heavy frying pan: what to cook Welsh cakes, farls and drop scones on.
Kitchen design
Heating a Kitchen: Radiators, Plinth Heaters and Underfloor
Where to fit heat in a kitchen with little free wall, and how radiators, plinth heaters and underfloor heating compare.
Kitchen design
How to Create a Tea Station in Your Kitchen
A dedicated corner for the kettle, teapot and cups: how to plan a tea station that makes every brew easier.
Kitchen design
How to Set a Christmas Table: Place Settings, Crackers and Centrepieces
The cutlery order that never confuses anyone, where the crackers go, and a centrepiece that still leaves room for the turkey.
Buying guide
Jam Jars, Lids and Preserving Kit
Jar sizes, twist-off lids versus wax discs, and how to sterilise jars for jam, marmalade and chutney.
Buying guide
Kitchen Blowtorches: Crème Brûlée, Meringue and More
A blowtorch gives a crackling crème brûlée top and toasted meringue in seconds. What to look for and how to use one safely.
Kitchen design
Kitchen Chairs: Windsor, Ladder-Back and Beyond
The classic chairs for a kitchen table, how to mix them, and what to check for comfort and size.
Buying guide
Nutcrackers: Lever, Screw or Plier?
A bowl of nuts in shells is part of a British Christmas. The nutcrackers that crack the shell without crushing the nut.
Kitchen design
Painting Kitchen Cabinets: Preparation, Primer and Paint
How to repaint wood, MDF and laminate kitchen doors so the finish lasts, step by step.
Kitchen design
Pot Racks and Utensil Rails: Hanging Kitchen Storage
Ceiling racks, wall rails and hooks: how to free up cupboards by hanging pans and tools where you use them.
Buying guide
Preserving Pans for Jam, Marmalade and Chutney
Why jam needs a wide, heavy pan, how big to buy, and which materials suit jam and which suit chutney.
Buying guide
Punch Bowls for Christmas Parties
A big bowl of mulled punch does the hosting for you. Sizes, materials and how many cups you need.
Buying guide
Slow Cookers: What Size and Which Features?
Choosing a slow cooker by household size, the features worth paying for, and the food safety rules to know.
Kitchen design
Small Kitchen Ideas: More Storage and Worktop in Less Space
Practical fixes for a small kitchen: going up the walls, rails and racks, slimmer appliances and folding surfaces.
Kitchen design
Storing Wine in the Kitchen: Racks, Fridges and the Places to Avoid
The spot next to the oven is the worst place for wine. Where to keep bottles for Christmas, and rack versus wine fridge.
Buying guide
Tea Caddies: Keeping Tea Fresh
Why tea needs a caddy, and what to look for: airtightness, light and material.
Kitchen design
The Welsh Dresser: History and How to Style One
A short history of the Welsh dresser, and practical ways to style one so it looks lived-in rather than staged.
Kitchen design
Traditional Kitchen Tiles: Metro, Encaustic and Quarry
The tile styles that suit a traditional British kitchen, where to use them, and what to check before buying.
Kitchen design
What Your Kitchen Appliances Cost to Run, and How to Work It Out
A simple formula tells you what any appliance costs per use. How the oven, hob, kettle, microwave and slow cooker compare.