Lardy Cake Lardy Bread Recipes

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.

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.

Steps:

• In a large bowl, combine bread flour, sugar, and butter. Use your hands to mix, until the mixture is the texture of breadcrumbs.
• In a small jar, stir together the milk, yeast, and eggs. Pour three quarters of the liquid mixture on top of the dry ingredients and mix together. Add liquid, a tablespoon at a time, until the mixture forms a soft dough.
• Turn the mixture out onto a large, floured surface and knead for 10 minutes.
• Form the dough into a ball and place it in a clean mixing bowl covered with cling film. Set in a warm, dry place and let it rise for one hour.
• Combine the raisins and the hot tea in a small bowl and let the mixture sit for 45 minutes, then drain the raisins.
• When the dough has risen, divide it into 16 equal sized pieces. Flatten each piece into a disk about 8cm in diameter, and place a teaspoon of cream cheese and a teaspoon of raisins in the centre. Form the disk into a ball, with the sultanas and cream cheese in the centre.
• Roll each ball in caster sugar, to coat. Place stuffed balls of dough into a cast iron skillet or round baking dish and cover with cling film. Set in a warm, dry place and let it rise for one hour.
• Bake in a 350°F/180°C fan oven/gas mark 6 for 45 to 50 minutes, until the bread is cooked through and golden on top.
• While the bread cooks, make the glaze. Stir together icing sugar, cream cheese, and milk to combine. If the mixture is too dry, add more milk a tablespoon at a time.
• Drizzle it all over the monkey bread.
• Enjoy!