Lardy cake is a type of leavened bread originating from Wiltshire, England, made with lard instead of butter. It was traditionally made during harvest festivals to avoid waste and provide energy for workers. Modern versions may use butter instead of lard.
Lardy cake is a type of baked bread originating in the country of England, specifically in the county of Wiltshire. It belongs to the category of leavened bread, as it contains yeast to make the bread rise. Lardy cake got its name from the fact that the bread uses lard as the primary fat and shortening, instead of the usual butter. The bread is also known by a variety of names, such as Fourses pie, dough pie, and Lardy Johns.
It is said that the appearance of the Lardy cake dates back to the 19th century and that its production traditionally coincided with the harvest festivals. Many festivals like these usually call for pigs to be slaughtered and its different parts eaten as bacon, ham and other long-lasting dishes. In order to avoid waste, the fat from the pig is also processed and made into lard, which is then used to make Lardy bread. Using lard was said to be a very cheap substitute for butter, a more expensive shortening.
Lardy cake was particularly common in some rural villages, as its other ingredients, such as dried fruit and seasonal spices, were already considered extravagant. The spices used would generally be nutmeg and cinnamon. The original Wiltshire variety of bread contains dried currants, while the Gloucester variety also includes raisins. In Oxford, bread has no dried fruit. Lardy bread became more popular because its richness – mostly from lard – provided tired farmers, shepherds and other workers with sufficient calories and energy.
Lard can be very fatty and can contain a lot of cholesterol, so modern Lardy cakes sometimes substitute some of the lard for butter. Other common ingredients include sugar, salt, milk and water. It’s important that the water be warm, rather than lukewarm or cold, so that it reacts better with the yeast and actually makes the bread rise.
Preparing Lardy’s Pie is very similar to a puff pastry, in that you usually need to roll and fold. After each roll, dried fruit fillings are placed and the dough is folded. Bakers also recommend letting the dough rise up to two times before placing it in the oven for final baking. An egg brush can also be included in the process to make the top of the bread shiny and more appetizing. Some traditional recipes sometimes suggest that the Lardy cake be flipped right after it is taken out of the oven, causing all the fat at the bottom of the pan to flow back into the bread.
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