Cornish Slab Cake [number 1]

I would imagine there are as many versions of this as there are villages in our fair County! I have put off tackling this recipe until I found some old authentic recipes after being asked many times for the genuine article. There is no definitive genuine article I feel!! Cornish farming ladies, WI and suchlike would each add their own touches over the years and so it would evolve. So here is one and I will post another in a week or two. Anyone with more? This recipe probably dates back to the turn of the last century or late 1800s.

My close friend Jeny comes from Tuckingmill/Camborne area as did her father. His grandmother was affectionately known, by one and all, in the nearby village of Roseworthy as ‘Granny Clements” [I am not sure of the correct spelling of this surname]. She was of farming stock and this is her recipe. Jeny’s mother often made this and Jeny has many fond childhood memories of this being served at teatime.

You will need a baking sheet or an oblong shallow ish tin, as I used. Pre heat your fan oven to about 200C

1lb self raising flour [or plain and baking powder]

4 oz butter, softened

4 oz lard

¼ pint whole milk [I wonder what it would be like using buttermilk?]

12 oz currants

6 oz caster sugar [or granulated]

½ teaspoonful salt

In a mixing bowl, rub the lard into the flour and salt. Add the sugar and fruit. Mix with the milk and roll out into a rectangle. Divide the butter in half and dot little dobs of half the butter over two thirds of the mix and fold the bare third into the middle, then fold the other third over the top of that. Turn. Roll out once more into a rectangle and repeat. Roll into your finished shape, about 1 inch thick and bake for approx 30 mins.

Oh my! Absolutely wonderful.

Notes: I sprinkled some sugar over the top before popping into the oven. My oblong tin was 11 x 8 inches and I lined it with parchment to help lift it out,

To the non Cornish baking folk, this is not Heavy Cake. Heavy Cake has no raising agents and is mixed with water and a lot less fat and sugar! This is light and quite soft.