Lardy Cake

Lardy cake originates from Wiltshire, and in the West Country local bakers still make it to their own recipes, cramming in as much lard, sugar and fruit as they or their customers choose.
Ingredients
15 Gram Yeast fresh (1 1/2 tsp dried + pinch of sugar) (1/2 oz)
300 ml Water, warmed (1/2 pint)
450 Gram Strong white flour (1 lb)
1 Teaspoon Salt
75 Gram Lard, diced (3 oz)
75 Gram Butter, diced (3 oz)
175 Gram Mixed sultanas and currants (6 oz)
50 Gram Chopped mixed peel (2 oz)
50 Gram Sugar (2 oz)
Method
Makes 12 slices

Preheat oven to 220 °C / 425 °F / Gas 7. Grease a 20 x 25 cm (8 x 10 inch) roasting tin. Blend the fresh yeast with the warm water. If using dried yeast, sprinkle it into the warm water with the pinch of sugar and leave for 15 minutes until frothy.

Put the flour and salt in a bowl and rub in 15g ( 1/2 oz) of the lard. Make a well in the centre and pour in the yeast liquid. Beat together to make a dough that leaves the sides of the bowl clean, adding more water if necessary. Turn on to a lightly floured surface and knead well for about 10 minutes, until smooth and elastic. Place in a clean bowl. Cover with a clean tea-towel and leave in a warm place for about 1 hour, until doubled in size.

Turn the dough on to a floured surface and roll out to a rectangle about 0.5 cm ( 1/4 inch) thick. Dot one-third of the remaining lard and butter over the surface of the dough. Sprinkle over one-third of the fruit, peel and sugar. Fold the dough in three, folding the bottom third up and the top third down. Give a quarter turn, then repeat the process twice more.

Roll the dough out to fit the prepared tin. Put in the tin, cover and leave in a warm place for 30 minutes, until puffy. Score the top with a criss-cross pattern with a knife, then bake for about 30 minutes, or until well risen and golden brown. Turn out and serve immediately or leave to cool on a wire rack. Serve plain or with butter.

Lardy Cake II
450g (1lb) Strong White Flour
300ml (½ pint) Lukewarm Milk
225g (8oz) Currants
110g (4oz) Sultanas
50g (2oz) Sugar
25g (1oz) Lard
25g (1oz) Fresh Yeast
1 tsp Salt

Filling
110g (4oz) Lard
110g (4oz) Soft Brown Sugar
1 level tsp Ground Mixed Spice

Mix the sieved flour and salt together, rub in the lard.
Dissolve the sugar in a little of the milk and use to mix the yeast into a smooth thin paste, then add to the remaining water.
Make a well in the centre of the flour and pour in the liquid.
Mix together well until it becomes a smooth, elastic dough.
Shape into a ball and place in a warmed lightly greased bowl, cover and leave in a warm place for 30 minutes to allow it to rise.
Lightly knead the currants and sultanas into the dough.
Allow the dough to rest for 10 minutes.
Mix together the soft brown sugar, lard and mixed spice for the filling.
Roll the dough into a long rectangle approx. 45cm by 15cm (18 ins by 6ins)
Spread the filling over two thirds of rectangle 45cm by 10cm (18 ins by 4ins).
Fold the section which has no filling into the centre of the rectangle and then the remaining section to the centre.
Roll out the dough again to the same size as previously.
Starting at the short side 15cm (6ins), roll as if a swiss roll.
Cut the roll in half to produce two pieces each 9cm (3 ins) wide.
Place each piece in a well-greased round 15cm (6ins) round baking tin, cover and leave in a warm place for 35 – 40 minutes to allow them to rise
Preheat oven to 200°C: 400°C: Gas 6 and bake for 35 – 40 minutes.
Turn out immediately and pour over the hot filling to form a glaze.
Caution: The filling will be very hot, so care must be taken.

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