James Martin Lardy Cake Recipes

LARDY CAKE

Steps:

• In a large bowl, mix together the flour with 2 tsp salt, then rub in 50g of the lard until the mixture resembles fine breadcrumbs. Leave the remaining lard at room temperature to soften.
• In a jug, mix the yeast, milk and eggs together, then add it to the flour, holding back a little liquid. Mix until it forms a soft dough, adding a splash more liquid if it feels too dry, or a little flour if too wet. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for 10 mins, then put it back in the cleaned mixing bowl, cover with cling film and leave in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hr.
• Mix the dried fruit in a bowl and pour over the hot tea. Leave to soak for at least 45 mins. Grease a 23cm springform cake tin with a little lard, line the baking parchment and grease the parchment with lard too.
• Drain off any excess tea from the fruit, then mix with the remaining lard, the mixed spice and sugar. Roll the dough out to a 40 x 20cm rectangle. Spread half the dried fruit and lard mixture over the surface. With the shorter end facing you, fold the top third of the dough down into the middle, then fold the bottom third up to overlap, sealing in the fruit. Give the dough a quarter turn, roll it out to around the same size as before and spread the dough with the rest of the lard mixture. Fold as before, then turn the dough over.
• Put the dough into your prepared tin and press it down gently to shape it to fit the tin. Cover with cling film and leave to prove for 30 mins-1 hr or until doubled in size. Heat oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6.
• Uncover and bake for 55 mins-1 hr or until golden brown and cooked through. Leave to cool for 5 mins in the tin, then transfer to a wire rack. Mix the icing sugar with 1 tsp water to make a runny icing, then drizzle over the cake. Sprinkle with more caster sugar. Best serves warm with a warm cup of tea.

LARDY CAKE (LARDY BREAD)

Steps:

• Sprinkle yeast into 1 cup warm water with the pinch of sugar. Leave until frothy, about 15 minutes.
• Put the flour and salt in a bowl. Cut in 1 tablespoon lard with 2 knives or pastry blender. Make a well in the center and pour in the yeast liquid. Beat with an electric mixer until a dough forms and starts to pull away cleanly from the sides of the bowl, adding more water if necessary.
• Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Place in a clean bowl and cover with a clean tea towel. Leave in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Turn risen dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll out to a 1/4-inch thick rectangle. Dot 1/3 of the remaining lard over the surface, then sprinkle with 1/3 each of the raisins, currants, orange zest, and sugar. Fold the bottom third of the dough up and then the top third down and give a quarter turn on the work surface. Repeat the process twice more, starting with the rolling.
• Grease an 8x10-inch pan. Roll out the layered dough to fit and place in the pan. Cover and leave in a warm place until puffy, about 30 minutes. Score the top in a criss-cross pattern with a knife.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Bake in the preheated oven until well risen and golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve immediately or leave to cool on a wire rack.