Lardy Cake Sponge Recipes

LARDY CAKE

Steps:

• Mix together the flour, salt and yeast in a mixing bowl. Rub in 20g/¾oz of the lard using your fingertips until there are no pieces of lard visible.
• Add three-quarters of the water and hand-mix the flour into the water to form a dough. Add as much of the remaining water as you need to get a dough that is soft and leaves the sides of the bowl clean.
• Tip the dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5-10 minutes, or until the dough is smooth. Place in a clean bowl, cover and leave to rise until doubled in size. This depends on the temperature of the room, but should take 1-2 hours.
• Tip the dough onto a floured work surface and roll into a rectangle about 20x50cm/8x20in and about ½cm thick.
• Dot a third of the remaining lard and a third of the butter over the surface of the dough. Scatter over a third of the fruit and a third of the sugar. Fold the top third of the dough down and the bottom third up so that the dough is folded in three and roughly square. Turn the dough a quarter turn. Roll out and repeat the out process twice more, to use up all the lard and fruit.
• Line a 23x23cm/9x9in square loose bottomed tin with baking parchment. Roll out the dough to fit the tin and place it inside. Cover with clingfilm, or place inside a large plastic bag, and leave to rise for 30 minutes. Preheat the oven to 220C/425F/Gas 7.
• Bake for 30-35 minutes, or until golden-brown.
• Leave to cool slightly before removing from the tin. Cut into squares and serve warm or cold, with butter.

LARDY CAKE

Steps:

• Using a rolling pin, roll out half of the dough into a 16-inch square on a lightly floured work surface. Cover remaining half with plastic; set aside. In a small bowl, combine spices. In a large bowl, combine dried fruit.
• Spread 2 ounces shortening over top of dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border around perimeter. Sprinkle 6 tablespoons turbinado sugar over shortening. Sprinkle one-fourth of combined spices over sugar. Sprinkle one-fourth of dried fruit over spices. Using the palms of your hands, gently press fruit into dough.
• Fold 4 corners of square into center, creating a smaller square, enclosing filling. Gently press down on dough with rolling pin. Spread 2 ounces shortening over dough, leaving a 1/2-inch border around perimeter. Sprinkle 6 tablespoons sugar, another one-fourth of spices, and another one-fourth of fruit. Using palms of your hands, gently press fruit into dough; fold dough into thirds.
• Transfer dough to a piece of parchment paper; roll dough out into an 11-by-17-inch rectangle. Carefully lifting parchment, transfer to baking sheet. Let stand about 20 minutes.
• Repeat steps 1 through 4 with remaining dough, shortening, turbinado sugar, spices, and dried fruit.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine jam and cognac in a small saucepan. Set over low heat; cook until liquefied. Strain jam, discarding solids. Brush surface of lardy cakes with jam.
• Bake cakes until golden and puffed, 35 to 45 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving. Lardy cake will keep for up to 1 day, wrapped in aluminum foil; reheat cake before serving.

LARDY CAKE SPONGE

Steps:

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine 1/4 cup warm water and the yeast. Let stand until foamy, about 10 minutes.
• Add remaining 1 1/4 cups warm water and the flour; mix on low speed, 2 minutes; the sponge should feel like a very wet dough.
• Place sponge in a lightly oiled bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, and let stand at room temperature for 24 hours. Store sponge, refrigerated, up to 1 week, or freeze in plastic for up to 3 months. Bring sponge to room temperature before using.

SOUR LARDY CAKE DOUGH

Steps:

• In the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the paddle attachment, combine 1 cup warm water and the yeast. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes. Add remaining 1/2 cup warm water and the sponge. Mix on low speed until combined, about 2 minutes.
• In a medium bowl, combine flour and salt. Add to yeast mixture, and mix on low speed, 1 minute. Change attachment to dough hook, and mix on medium-low speed until dough is smooth and just sticks to your fingers when squeezed, about 8 minutes.
• Lightly flour a work surface. Turn out dough, and knead 4 or 5 turns into a ball. Place dough, smooth side up, in a lightly oiled bowl, and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until dough has doubled in bulk and is slightly blistered and satiny, about 1 hour.
• Punch dough down, and fold over 4 or 5 times. Place folded side facedown in bowl. Cover, and let rise again in a warm place until doubled in bulk and satiny, about 50 minutes. Divide dough in half, and wrap in plastic until ready to use.

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.

MARTHA STEWART'S LARDY CAKE

Steps:

• To make the sponge - In the bowl of an electric mixer, combine 1/4 c warm water (110 degrees) and first set of yeast. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes. Add 1 1/4 c warm water and flour. Mix on low speed, 2 minutes; the sponge should feel like very wet dough. Place sponge in lightly oiled bowl, cover with plastic wrap and let stand at room temperature for 24 hours. Store sponge, refrigerated up to 1 week or freeze in plastic up to 3 months. Bring to room temperature before using.
• To make dough - With paddle attachement on mixer, combine 1 c warm water and second set of yeast. Let stand until creamy, about 10 minutes. Add 1/2 cup warm water and 3 1/2 cups of the sponge that has been pulled into small pieces. Mix on low until combined, about 2 minutes.
• In a medium bowl combine bread flour and salt. Add to yeast mixture and mix on low for 1 minute. Change to dough hook and mix on medium low until dough is smooth and just sticks to your fingers when squeezed, about 8 minutes.
• Lightly flour a work surface. Turn out dough and knead 4-5 turns into a ball. Place smooth side up in a lightly oiled bowl and cover with plastic wrap. Let rise in a warm place until doubled, slightly blistered and satiny, about an hour. Punch down dough and fold over 4-5 times. Place folded side face down in bowl. Cover and let rise again until doubled and satiny, about 50 minutes. Divide dough in half and wrap in plastic until ready to use.
• To make cake - Using a rolling pin, roll out half of the dough into a 16" square on a lightly floured surface. Cover remaining half with plastic and set aside.
• In small bowl, combine spices. In a large bowl combine dried fruit.
• Spread 4 T of butter over top of dough, leaving 1/2" border around perimeter. Sprinkle 6 T brown sugar over butter. Sprinkle 1/4 of the spices over the sugar and 1/4 of the fruit over the spices. Using palm of hand gently press fruit into dough. Fold four corners of square into the center, creating a smaller square, enclosing the filling. Gently press dough down with a rolling pin. Spread 2 oz butter over dough, leaving a 1/2" border around perimeter. Sprinkle 6 T brown sugar over butter. Sprinkle another 1/4 of the spices over the sugar and another 1/4 of the fruit over the spices. Using palm of hand gently press fruit into dough. Fold dough into thirds.
• Transfer dough to a piece of parchment paper; roll out into an 11"x16" rectangle. Carefully lifting parchement paper; transfer to baking sheet. Refrigerate 20 minutes to chill butter.
• Repeat with remaining dough, butter, brown sugar, spices and dried fruit.
• Heat oven to 350 degreees.
• Combine jam and brandy in a small saucepan. Set over low heat; cook until liquified. Strain mixture; discard solids. Brush surface of lardy cakes with jam mixture.
• Bake cakes until golden and puffed, 35-45 minutes. Let cool slightly before serving.
• Lardy cake will keep up to 3 days, very tightly wrapped in plastic. Reheat cake before serving.