Lardy Jacks & Johnny Boys (Medieval English Sweet Cakes)

Submitted by Marlitt

"This recipe is actually 3 in 1. The base for this is a Basic English Egg Dough and then 2 variations of the recipes These are really quite nice, they are like a sweet bisquit. I got this recipe when I was helping my daughter a school project. The original recipe dates back to the 17th century. It was almost impossible to read (I'm not sure if that was they way they wrote back then or a literacy issue) Anyway this a modernized version. It was really kind of fun since I enjoyed the recipe I kept it."

 

• Ready In: 1hr 15mins
• Ingredients: 13
• Yields: 18 Pcs

ingredients

• Basic English Egg Dough(a bread dough made of milk butter and eggs)

• 1 1⁄2 cups milk, scalded
• 1⁄2 cup butter
• 2 teaspoons salt
• 1⁄2 cup sugar
• 21 g dry yeast (3 packets)
• 1⁄2 cup warm water
• 2 eggs, beaten
• 9 cups flour

• Lardy Jacks (use 1/3 cup egg dough)

• 1⁄2 cup sugar
• 1⁄2 cup butter, very soft
• 3⁄4 cup raisins
• 3⁄4 cup nuts

• Johnny Boys

• 3 tablespoons cinnamon

directions

1. Basic English Egg Dough:

2. Pour scalded milk over butter, salt, & sugar.
3. Cool.
4. Dissolve yeast in warm water.
5. Let stand until it bubbles.
6. Add yeast to beaten eggs and then to cooled milk.
7. Gradually add flour - only enough to make an easily handled dough.
8. Turn out on floured surface and knead until smooth & elastic.
9. Place in greased bowl, cover and let rise about 1 hour.
10. Punch down and shape into 3 loaves.
11. Place in greased loaf pan and let rise until doubled.
12. Bake at 450º F for 10 minutes. Lower temperature to 350º F and bake 40 minutes longer.

13. For Lardy Jacks:

14. After first rising of the Egg Dough,knead in the sugar, butter, raisins, & nuts. Roll dough to 1/2-inch thick. Cut into triangles.
15. Brush with milk and sprinkle with sugar. Bake on greased baking sheet at 400º F until done about 15 minutes.

16. For Johnny Boys:

17. 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).