Lardy cake

Lardy Cake

Lardy Cake is a traditional British pastry that is popular in the southern regions of England. It is a rich and indulgent cake made with layers of dough, lard, sugar, and dried fruits. Lardy Cake is often enjoyed as a sweet treat with a cup of tea or as a dessert.

Ingredients

To make Lardy Cake, you will need the following ingredients:

• 500g strong white flour
• 10g salt
• 10g instant yeast
• 300ml warm water
• 200g lard
• 200g brown sugar
• 100g dried fruits (such as raisins or currants)
• 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon

Preparation

1. In a large mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt, and instant yeast. Mix well. 2. Gradually add the warm water to the dry ingredients, mixing until a soft dough forms. 3. Knead the dough on a lightly floured surface for about 10 minutes, until it becomes smooth and elastic. 4. Place the dough in a greased bowl, cover with a clean kitchen towel, and let it rise in a warm place for about 1 hour, or until it doubles in size. 5. Meanwhile, melt the lard in a saucepan over low heat. Set aside. 6. Once the dough has risen, punch it down to release any air bubbles. Roll it out into a rectangle shape, about 1cm thick. 7. Spread the melted lard evenly over the surface of the dough. 8. Sprinkle the brown sugar, dried fruits, and ground cinnamon over the lard. 9. Roll up the dough tightly from one end, like a Swiss roll. 10. Cut the rolled dough into slices, about 2cm thick. 11. Grease a baking tray and arrange the slices of dough, cut side up, on the tray, leaving some space between each slice. 12. Cover the tray with a clean kitchen towel and let the dough rise for another 30 minutes. 13. Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F). 14. Bake the Lardy Cake in the preheated oven for about 30-35 minutes, or until it turns golden brown and the sugar has caramelized. 15. Remove from the oven and let it cool slightly before serving.

Serving

Lardy Cake is best enjoyed warm. Serve it as a sweet treat with a cup of tea or as a dessert. It can be stored in an airtight container for up to 3 days.

See Also

• British Cuisine
• Pastry
• Tea Time

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  Lardy cake from The Indulgent Baker, Caversham, UK