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This archived content is from Mary Wilkins’ sewing and quilting message board “Sew What’s New,” which was retired in August 2007. It is being provided by “Sew What’s Up,” which serves as the new home for many members of “Sew What’s New.”
From: Magot
Date: 01-10-2006, 05:32 PM (1 of 11)
Lardy Cake – a traditional Wiltshire recipe

This is a recipe my Dad used to make as a treat maybe once a year when I was a child, The reason being it has so much lard in it you can feel the cholesterol clogging up your arteries as we speak. However the evocative scent of that rich fruit and spicy smell filling the house makes this the epitome of comfort food. The succulent dough is crisp and golden and crunches beneath your teeth to reveal the soft doughy underbelly of the beast, redolent with spices.
I will use metric measurements.

Ingredients
milk and water mix 300 ml
fresh yeast 20gm
castor sugar 20g
strong flour 500g
pinch salt
butter 75gm
cinnamon 1/2 tsp
mixed spice 1/2tsp
lard 150gm
castor sugar 100gm
currants 100gn
sultanas 100gm
mixed peel 50 gm

o Warm the milk to blood temperature and add the yeast, sugar and butter -cream together and keep in a warm place to prove for 15 minutes.
o Put the flour and salt in a bowl and rub in 15g(1/2oz) of the lard. Make a well in the flour and pour in the yeast liquid.
o Beat together to make a dough that is soft and pliable and leaves both the sides of the bowl and your hands clean. I remember my Dad telling me that a good dough should have the same texture as a young maidens breast. Whether this is a peculiarly Wiltshire thing or my Dad being pervy we will never know – but boy! Could he cook!
o After kneading for about 10 minutes the dough should be placed in a clean bowl, covered with a cloth and left for an hour in a warm place to prove. Just time for a cup of tea.
o Put the oven on to warm 170 degrees and grease a baking tin 20 x28 cms (8 x 10 inches)
o Now the fun – roll the dough out into a rectangle about 1 inch thick
o . Dot one-third of the 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, and then repeat the process twice more.
o The last time lovingly place the dough into your prepared tin and leave for 30 minutes while it has a breather – sprinkle a bit more sugar over the top just in case it doesn’t have enough calories yet.
o Place the tin into the oven and cook for 30 –35 minutes until the crust is golden and flakey
o Whip the lardy cake out of the oven and glaze with an egg wash before whacking it back in for another 2-3 minutes.
o Get the kettle on again, if this manages to go cold before it is all eaten – you can always served it sliced with butter!
love and kisses, Jan
Guts-R-Us
Cells a Speciality
DNA to order.
User: Magot
Member since: 12-22-2002
Total posts: 3626
From: pretnichols
Date: 01-10-2006, 08:22 PM (2 of 11)
Sounds rich and fattening and yummy..... What is castor sugar?

Peggy
Peggy

So little time, sew much to do...........
User: pretnichols
Member since: 10-16-2005
Total posts: 342
From: Magot
Date: 01-10-2006, 08:25 PM (3 of 11)
You get sugar in grades of crystal size - ordinary granulated sugar would be large, castor sugar next and icing sugar is pounded to a powder.
love and kisses, Jan
Guts-R-Us
Cells a Speciality
DNA to order.
User: Magot
Member since: 12-22-2002
Total posts: 3626
From: MotherInLaw
Date: 01-10-2006, 11:30 PM (4 of 11)
We have powdered sugar for icing sugar and granulated sugar for courser sugar but I've never heard of cantor sugar. Lesson learned. I'd love to see how that would compare to one of our turn overs. Sounds something like a turn over. Yummy. Like a fruit filled pie? Gooey Yummmm

Jan Stop talking about food and goodies. I've got to be a good egg this week and lose some of this weight. My poor husband has been smoke free for a week and he's killing me with the snacking. Everytime I turn around he's saying, What ya got to snack on,,,,,,,,,,,,ugh NOT AGAIN. LOL He's only 147 pounds so he gains gracefully.
I'm regressing back into my youth, I just have to figure out how I'm going to convience my body to come along with me.
User: MotherInLaw
Member since: 06-25-2005
Total posts: 1118
From: Magot
Date: 01-11-2006, 02:15 AM (5 of 11)
More like a really fatty fruit bread. I blame Mary for a contest in old fashioned receipes - I haven't made it for years - but my weinerbrot is lovely ( a bit like Danish Pastry)
love and kisses, Jan
Guts-R-Us
Cells a Speciality
DNA to order.
User: Magot
Member since: 12-22-2002
Total posts: 3626
From: bridesmom
Date: 01-11-2006, 03:53 AM (6 of 11)
I think castor sugar may also be called 'fruit' sugar for some reason. I remember my mom using it at times for certain things. It's a very fine granulated sugar, and I still think you can get it in stores here.
Laura
Tickled pink with my Innovis 4000D
User: bridesmom
Member since: 01-21-2004
Total posts: 2026
From: MaryW
Date: 01-11-2006, 10:23 AM (7 of 11)
In order to keep the recipe challenge easier to judge, I am going to move Jan's recipe to a new thread. In that thread I can't have chitchat because it's too hard to wade thru to find recipes. Chat as much as you want here but not in the new thread, ok?

Jan, what is strong flour?
MaryW
owner/editor of Sew Whats New
User: MaryW
Member since: 06-23-2005
Total posts: 2542
From: Magot
Date: 01-11-2006, 11:18 AM (8 of 11)
Thanks Mary, Strong flour is a bread flour - it has a higher protein content which enables the dough to maintain a good sponge. It you use ordinary flour when baking bread you will get a much smaller crumb structure and a denser loaf - do you get to bake and test all these? Lardy Cake would certainly put the lard on!

Re reading the recipe I realise I have left out the word centrigrade after telling you to put the oven on to 170 degrees - could you edit for me in the new thread. thanks.
love and kisses, Jan
Guts-R-Us
Cells a Speciality
DNA to order.
User: Magot
Member since: 12-22-2002
Total posts: 3626
From: MotherInLaw
Date: 01-11-2006, 08:25 PM (9 of 11)
Sorry Mary you know me I have to chat :dave:
I'm regressing back into my youth, I just have to figure out how I'm going to convience my body to come along with me.
User: MotherInLaw
Member since: 06-25-2005
Total posts: 1118
From: MaryW
Date: 01-12-2006, 10:59 AM (10 of 11)
No problem.
MaryW
owner/editor of Sew Whats New
User: MaryW
Member since: 06-23-2005
Total posts: 2542
From: mommydionne
Date: 01-13-2006, 06:42 PM (11 of 11)
I have heard cantor sugar called berry sugar here in Canada, the Canadian Living Cookbook says to give regular granulated sugar a whirl in the food processer to create your own. Also... High gluten flour (look for bread maker flour) = strong flour.
Yes I sew and cook :nah: my sister calls me Martha sigh......
Jeanette
User: mommydionne
Member since: 01-08-2004
Total posts: 838
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