Paul Hollywood’s Lardy Cake

Method

Step 1
Line the roasting tin with baking paper, then grease generously with lard and sprinkle with granulated sugar.

Step 2
For the dough, tip the flour into a large mixing bowl. Add the salt to one side of the flour and the yeast to the other. Mix together then rub in the lard using your fingertips.

Step 3
Pour in 225ml of the water and mix to form a dough. Add the remaining water (if needed) to form a soft dough that leaves the sides of the bowl clean.

Step 4
Tip the dough out onto a lightly floured work surface and knead for 5-10 minutes, until the dough is smooth. Place in a clean bowl and leave to rise for 30 minutes, or until doubled in size.

Step 5
For the filling, tip the raisins and currants into a heatproof bowl. Add the tea bag then pour over just enough water to cover the fruit. Cover the bowl with cling film, then pierce a few holes in the top.

Step 6
Microwave on High Power for 5 minutes. Carefully remove from the microwave and peel off the cling film. Stir in the bicarbonate of soda, then leave to stand for 15 minutes, then drain through a sieve and pat dry with kitchen paper.

Step 7
For the candied orange, peel the orange quarters and cut the peel into 1cm wide strips, then cut into 1cm dice. Put the orange peel into a medium pan, add water to cover well, then place over a high heat and bring to the boil. Boil for about 10 minutes, until the white pith becomes translucent. Change the water and boil for another 10 minutes.

Step 8
Drain the peel through a sieve. Rinse out the pan, add the caster sugar and water. Heat gently until the sugar dissolves, then add the softened peel. Bring to the boil, allow to boil for 10 minutes, then remove from the heat and drain the peel through a sieve again, reserving the syrup. Leave the peel to cool.

Step 9
For the filling, mix the raisins, currants, orange peel and brown sugar in a bowl, and set aside.

Step 10
Tip the dough onto a lightly floured work surface and roll into a rectangle about 20cm x 50cm about ½cm thick.

Step 11
Dot one third of the lard and butter over the bottom two thirds of surface of the dough. Scatter over a third of the filling mixture. Fold the top third of the dough down and the bottom third up so that the dough is folded in three and roughly square. Turn the dough a quarter turn. Roll out and repeat the whole process twice more, to use up all the butter and filling.

Step 12
Roll the dough into a rectangle about 20cm x 30cm and place in the greased tin. Place in a proving bag and leave to rise for 30 minutes.

Step 13
Heat the oven to 200°C/180°C fan/400°F/gas 6 and bake for 35 - 40 mins until dark golden brown. Remove from the oven and brush with the reserved orange syrup.

Step 14
Leave to cool in the tin for 10 minutes before turning out, upside down onto a cooling rack. Leave to cool for 20 minutes then cut into 9 rectangles.