Lardy Cake

This bread was originally made throughout many counties of England when celebrating the harvest. I know it’s Spring, not harvest time, but I remember my Granny and my Aunt making this for the Harvest Festival Fete at the end of August, which is Spring in Southern Africa, so now I’m confused.

I can, and will, eat this special rich fruit bread any time of the year.

Today some bakers use butter or margarine, but you don’t get the same flavour if lard or dripping isn’t used.

Ingredients:

20g fresh yeast

300ml tepid water

25ml caster sugar

450g white bread flour

5ml salt

15ml vegetable oil

For the Filling:

75g lard or dripping

75g soft brown sugar

5ml mixed spice

100g sultanas and currants mixed

25g mixed chopped peel

Melted butter for brushing

20-30ml caster sugar

Method:

Preheat the oven to 200C. Grease a 25 x 20cm shallow roasting tin.

In a glass bowl, cream together the yeast with half of the water, then blend in the remaining water. Leave in a warm place until frothy.

Sift the flour and salt into a mixing bowl and blend in the sugar. Make a well in the centre of the flour and pour in the oil, followed by the yeast mixture. Mix with the fingers to a soft dough. Knead on a floured surface until smooth and elastic. Place in a lightly oiled glass bowl, cover with a cloth and put in a warm place for about an hour to rise until double in size.

Turn the dough out on a lightly floured surface and knock back. Knead for 2-3 minutes.

Roll out to a rectangle about ½ inch thick.

Using half the lard for the filling, cover the top two-thirds of the dough with flakes of lard. Sprinkle over half the sugar, half the dried fruit and peel and half the mixed spice. Fold the bottom third up and the top third down over that, sealing the edges with the rolling pin.

Turn the dough by 90 degrees and repeat the rolling out the rectangle again. Cover with the remaining sugar, fruit, peel and spice. Fold, seal and turn as before, roll to a rectangle again to fit the baking tin.

Place the dough in greased roasting tin. Press down so that the dough fills the corners. Cover with a cloth and put in a warm place for 30-45 minutes to rise until doubled in size.

Brush with melted butter and sprinkle with caster sugar.

Score the top with a criss-cross pattern using a sharp knife.

Bake in the oven for about 30-40 minutes until golden.

Cool on a wire rack before serving sliced and buttered.