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Lardy Cake

Breads
Wiltshire, Hampshire, Somerset, Oxfordshire

(or Lardy Bread, Lardey Cake, Lardy John, Dough Cake, Fourses Cake. Compare with the Fatty Cake of Yorkshire) and the Cheltenham Dripper

Leavened bread dough highly enriched with approximately equal quantities of lard, sugar and dried fruit. Baked large and flat (or in a dish), top usually glazed and sprinkled with sugar. The Cheltenham Dripper is a variant.

Known since the mid-19thC - OED gives C. M. Yonge 1879 'Magnum Bonum' I. xiv. 261 "Hot tea and ‘lardy cake’ tendered for his refreshment."


Lardy Cake
Image: http://bbc.co.uk



Original Receipt from 'Taunton Courier, and Western Advertiser' - Wednesday 07 May 1930

LARDY CAKE.
This is equally enjoyable cold, and if you happen let it go stale, delicious toasted. 1lb. of bread dough, 4oz. of lard, 4oz.of granulated sugar, 2ozs. candied peel, 1/4lb sultanas. teaspoonful cinnamon. Warm the lard and knead into bread dough, then knead in the sugar, cinnamon, sultanas, and very finely-cut peel. When evenly mixed, turn into well-greased tins and leave in a warm place for 20 minutes. Bake in quick oven for about three-quarters of an hour. The cake can be baked in sandwich tins and cut into slices, or put in loaf tins




Original Receipt in the 'Western Times' - Friday 28 April 1944

LARDY CAKE. If you can get a half-quartern of dough from your baker a Lardy Cake, speciality of Wiltshire, is a welcome addition to the tea table. Roll the dough on a floured pastry board. On it put dabs of lard about the size of a walnut, and about inches apart. When lard is not available beef dripping (clarified) will do as a war-time substitute. Sprinkle with granulated sugar. Fold into three from the ends, and then into three from the sides. Turn the right, and roll out again. Repeat this process twice, each time adding a little more fat. After three foldings and lardings roll out to size of baking tin, score across with a knife, and bake in a moderate oven. liked, mixed spice may be mixed with the sugar, and currants and sultanas may be added as well.






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