Lardy Jacks & Johnny Boys (medieval English Sweet Cakes)

Total Time: 1 hr 15 mins Preparation Time: 1 hr Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• 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
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1/2 cup butter, very soft
• 3/4 cup raisins
• 3/4 cup nuts
• 3 tablespoons cinnamon

Recipe

• 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).