Fat Rascals James Martin Recipes

FAT RASCALS

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200C/400F/Gas 6. Line a baking tray with greaseproof paper.
• Sieve the flours into a bowl and stir in the baking powder.
• Add the diced lard and butter and rub into the flour using your fingers until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs.
• Add the sugar, orange zest, lemon zest, cinnamon, nutmeg and dried fruit and mix until well combined.
• Stir in the cream and half of the beaten egg until the mixtures comes together as a dough. Cut the dough into six pieces, shape into large rounds, 2cm/1in deep and place onto the prepared baking tray.
• Brush the remaining beaten egg over the top of the 'rascals' and top with the glacé cherries and blanched almonds.
• Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or until golden-brown. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool slightly.
• Serve warm with the clotted cream, jam and butter.

BETTY'S OF YORK TEA ROOM FAT RASCALS - FRUIT BUNS/SCONES

Steps:

• Pre-heat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7 and grease or line a baking sheet, or a cookie sheet.
• Rub the butter into the flour until it resembles breadcrumbs.
• Add the remaining dry ingredients and mix well.
• Add the cream and mix to a stiff paste - a firm dough.
• Roll the mixture out on a floured board, to about 1" thickness and stamp out rounds, of about 3" in diameter. ( You can also shape the fat rascals by hand; take a piece of dough, about the size of a small egg, and make a small ball - flatten it out slghtly into bread roll shapes - like a bread bap shape.)
• Arrange them on the greased baking tray and glaze them generously with the beaten egg.
• Then place 2 whole blanched almonds on top with a halved glace cherry for decoration - pushing them down gently into the dough, so they do not fall off during baking!
• Bake for 15 to 20 minutes, or until they have risen and are golden brown.
• Allow to cool on a wire cooling rack.
• Store them in an airtight tin for up to 4 days.

FAT RASCALS (BISCUITS)

Steps:

• Thoroughly mix the flour, sugar, baking powder, and salt in a bowl. Cut in butter with a pastry blender or two knives until particles are the size of rice kernels. Stir in currants.
• Add the milk and stir with a fork only until a soft dough is formed.
• Shape dough lightly into a ball and roll out 1/2 inch thick on a lightly floured surface. Cut into rounds with a 2-inch cutter. Place on ungreased baking sheet.
• Bake at 450 for 12 to 15 minutes. About 1 1/2 dozen biscuits.
• Culinary Arts Institute Canadian Family Cookbook.