Lardy Jacks Johnny Boys Medieval English Sweet Cakes Food

LARDY CAKE

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.

MEDIEVAL FINE CAKES

Steps:

• Cream together the sugar, salt, and butter.
• Mix together the cinnamon and flour. Add this to the creamed mixture. Mix in water, as needed, to make the dough manageable.
• Press dough into 2-3 baking sheets lined with baking parchment; prick all over with a fork at regular intervals.
• Bake at 325 degrees F for 30 minutes; cut into 100 squares.

BRUMMIE BACON CAKES - ENGLISH BACON SCONES FOR BREAKFAST

Steps:

• Grill the bacon until crisp. Cut into small pieces. Sieve the flour and salt into a bowl and rub in the butter to fine breadcrumbs. Add the bacon and one third of the cheese.
• Mix the milk, ketchup and Worcestershire sauce together in a separate bowl. Add the dry ingredients to make a soft dough. On a floured board, roll out an 18 cm (7 inch) circle.
• Brush with milk and cut into 8 wedges. Arrange on a greased baking sheet and sprinkle with the remaining cheese. Bake for 30 minutes in a preheated oven at 200 °C / 400 °F / Gas 6.
• Serve hot with fried eggs and tomatoes for breakfast, or split and spread with butter and garnished with watercress.

FANNIE'S SWEET POTATO JACKS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees.
• Cover sweet potatoes with water and boil until tender. They are ready when a fork pierces the potato easily. Should take 20-30 minutes depending on size. Pour off hot water. Rinse with cold water until potatoes cool.
• Peal off potato skin with a fork. Discard the.
• Mix cooked sweet potatoes, cinnamon, vanilla, sugar, salt, milk and butter until combined. Taste the mixture and add more of each ingredient until it is to your liking. The mixture should be thick.
• Unroll pie crust. Add half of the mixture on half of the crust. Leave space on the edges for crimping. Fold the other half of the crust over and crimp the edges. Cut a couple of small slits in the crust. Repeat with the second crust. The final product should look like a calzone.
• Optional: These jacks can also be shaped into individual pastries. Use a large circular or square cookie cuter to make smaller jacks.
• Bake the jacks on a cookie sheet for about 30 minutes or until crust is golden brown.
• Let the jacks cool. Cut each jack into 4-6 slices. Serve alone or with a scoop of ice cream.

JOHNNY CAKES

Steps:

• Sift flour, salt, and baking powder.
• Cut in the shortening with a knife and add milk. Mix lightly and press in a pan.
• Bake at 350 degrees until light brown for about 30 minutes.

LARDY CAKE (LARDY BREAD)

Steps:

• Sprinkle yeast into 1 cup warm water with the pinch of sugar. Leave until frothy, about 15 minutes.
• Put the flour and salt in a bowl. Cut in 1 tablespoon lard with 2 knives or pastry blender. Make a well in the center and pour in the yeast liquid. Beat with an electric mixer until a dough forms and starts to pull away cleanly from the sides of the bowl, adding more water if necessary.
• Turn dough onto a lightly floured surface and knead until smooth and elastic, about 10 minutes. Place in a clean bowl and cover with a clean tea towel. Leave in a warm place until doubled in size, about 1 hour.
• Turn risen dough onto a lightly floured surface and roll out to a 1/4-inch thick rectangle. Dot 1/3 of the remaining lard over the surface, then sprinkle with 1/3 each of the raisins, currants, orange zest, and sugar. Fold the bottom third of the dough up and then the top third down and give a quarter turn on the work surface. Repeat the process twice more, starting with the rolling.
• Grease an 8x10-inch pan. Roll out the layered dough to fit and place in the pan. Cover and leave in a warm place until puffy, about 30 minutes. Score the top in a criss-cross pattern with a knife.
• Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F (220 degrees C).
• Bake in the preheated oven until well risen and golden brown, about 30 minutes. Remove from the oven and serve immediately or leave to cool on a wire rack.

LARDY JACKS & JOHNNY BOYS (MEDIEVAL ENGLISH SWEET CAKES)

Steps:

• Basic English Egg Dough:.
• Pour scalded milk over butter, salt, & sugar.
• Cool.
• Dissolve yeast in warm water.
• Let stand until it bubbles.
• Add yeast to beaten eggs and then to cooled milk.
• Gradually add flour - only enough to make an easily handled dough.
• Turn out on floured surface and knead until smooth & elastic.
• Place in greased bowl, cover and let rise about 1 hour.
• Punch down and shape into 3 loaves.
• Place in greased loaf pan and let rise until doubled.
• Bake at 450º F for 10 minutes. Lower temperature to 350º F and bake 40 minutes longer.
• For Lardy Jacks:.
• After first rising of the Egg Dough,knead in the sugar, butter, raisins, & nuts. Roll dough to 1/2-inch thick. Cut into triangles.
• Brush with milk and sprinkle with sugar. Bake on greased baking sheet at 400º F until done about 15 minutes.
• For Johnny Boys:.
• Follow Lardy Jacks recipe above, but add 3 Tbs. cinnamon to the sugar. Shape the triangles like a boy with outflung arms (or use a gingerbreadman cookie cutter).