Food for Samhain

Now that it's October 31st it wouldn't truly be Halloween without some traditional Irish food, and one can't celebrate without soul cakes! Soul cakes are delicious small round cakes/cookies that in the middle ages were given out to children and beggars who would go door to door on the night before All-Saints Day (November 1st), also known as All-Hallows Eve...  Halloween. These children and beggars would go around singing songs for those who had passed and apparently each soul cake that was eaten would represent a soul that was freed from purgatory. These mummers as they were called, are considered to be the founders of modern day Trick-or-Treating.

Soul Cakes

2 cups all-purpose flour
1/2 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp. salt
1/2 cup milk
8 tbsp. unsalted butter
1/2 cup sugar
3 egg yolks
sultanas, raisins, or currants

In a bowl, mix together the flour, nutmeg, cinnamon, and salt.

Allow the butter to soften, and then in a medium sized mixing bowl, cream together with the sugar using a wooden spoon. Add two egg yolks and mix in thoroughly. Then add the flour mixture and combine completely.

Warm the milk in a saucepan or a microwave, and add to the dry mix one tablespoon at a time. Mix thoroughly after each addition and stop after just attaining a soft dough (You won't necessarily use the whole amount of milk).

Gently knead the dough out on a floured surface then pat out until the dough is about half an inch thick. Then using a round cookie cutter (I use the opening of a mason jar - you can also just use a water glass) cut out the cakes and place on a greased cookie tray. Use the left over dough to make as many more as you can.

Beat the third egg yolk and brush it on the surface on each cookie, being as liberal or conservative with it as you wish. Then use the sultanas (or raisins, currants) to decorate the tops of the cakes (or if you wish you can add half a cup to the dough before you add the milk).

Finally, bake for about 15 minutes per batch in an oven heated at 400 degrees fahrenheit.

As a note, I used soy milk and earth balance buttery sticks and they came out quite delicious, so for those who can't eat dairy these are still for you! The triangle design is an alchemist sign for fire, which was an important element of the ancient celebration of Samhain, the X design is part of a sun wheel design (as Samhain was partly focused on the death of the Sun as the winter months began), and the cross represents the importance of blessing your house and your family during the more Christian celebration of All-Hallows Eve.