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ROD 9/10/2006 Battle of Britain Day Lardy Cake (Great Britain)

Source of Recipe

Marla


Recipe Introduction

The Battle of Britain was the biggest Air Battle ever fought in the history of warfare. From July through November of 1940, the Royal Air Force fought against the German Luftwaffe. These determined flyers kept Britain from being invaded. They also gave Hitler's Germany its first major defeat of WW2. They later became immortalised as "Churchill's Few" or "Dowdings Chicks" and continue to be celebrated today.

List of Ingredients

ROD 9/10/2006 Battle of Britain Day Lardy Cake (Great Britain)




Lardy Cake (Great Britain)


15 g fresh yeast or 10 ml (2 level tsps) dried yeast and 5 ml
caster sugar (superfine granulated)
1 1/4 cup (1/2 pint) 300 ml tepid water
3 1/2 cup (1 lb) 450 g strong plain flour
2 level tsp (10 ml) salt
cooking oil
1/2 stick (2 oz) 50 g butter
1/2 cup (8 tbsp) 100 g caster sugar (superfine granulated)
1 tsp (5 ml) powdered Mixed Spice (All Spice / Pumpkin pie spice)
1/2 cup (75 g) sultanas (golden raisins) or currants
2 oz (50 g) lard




Recipe

1. Grease a tin measuring 25.5 x 20.5 cm (10 x 8 inch).

2. Blend the fresh yeast with the water. For dried yeast, dissolve the sugar in the water, sprinkle the yeast over and leave until frothy.

3. Sift the flour and salt into a basin and stir in the yeast mixture, with 15 ml (1 tbsp) oil to give a manageable soft dough. Beat until smooth. Leave in a warm place at about 23°C (75°F) to rise until doubled in size.

4. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured surface and knead for 5 - 10 minutes. Roll out to a strip 0.5 cm (1/4 inch) thick.

5. Cover two-thirds of the dough with small flakes of butter and 45 ml (3 tbsp) sugar, and sprinkle with half the spice and half the dried fruit. Fold and roll out as for flaky pastry.

6. Repeat the process with the lard, 45 ml (3 tbsp) sugar and the remaining spice and fruit. Fold and roll once more.

7. Place the dough in the prepared tin, pressing it down so that it fills the corners. Cover, and leave to rise in a warm place until doubled in size.

8. Brush with oil, sprinkle with the remaining caster sugar and mark criss-cross fashion with a knife.

9. Bake in the oven at 22O°C (425°F) mark 7 for about 30 minutes.

10. Cool on a wire rack.

11. Serve sliced, plain or with butter.