Yule Tide Comebacks

Victorian philosopher James Ward, now widely forgotten but in his age, a much respected thinker, came from the East Yorkshire town of Hull. Much of his philosophical work was devoted to overcoming the self-contradictory problems of absolute idealism, the dominant philosophical movement at this time.
In honour of Yorkshire, forgotten philosophers, and forgotten recipes, I've made a traditional Yorkshire Yule Cake, brining a touch of Yorkshire to my Christmas at home in Norfolk.
The recipe is from 'Yorkshire Teatime Favourites'.

In keeping with tradition, measurements are given in imperial.

Ingredients:

1 lb self-raising flour

1 tsp salt

3 oz lard (I used vegetable fat as a vegetarian alternative)

4 oz butter

1/2 oz fresh yeast if you can get it (or 2 x 7g dried yeast sachets)

6-7 fluid oz tepid water (or 200 -ish ml)

6oz soft brown or caster sugar

1/4 teaspoon mixed spice

1/4 teaspoon grated nutmeg

12 oz currants (I used halved and tea-soaked raisins)

1 egg, beaten

Grease and line a 7 inch baking tin, leaving a collar of baking parchment for removal. Or if you're really modern, the trusty square silicone baking 'tin' never fails.

Sift the flour and salt into a bowl, rub in the lard and butter till breadcrumb-like.

Cream/mix the yeast into the water till it froths (a bit of sugar will encourage the dried version). Add to the mixture, followed by the sugar. 

Bring together as a dough and knead on a lightly-floured surface for around five minutes. Flour the bowl and leave to rise for a good hour to an hour and a half (I used the airing cupboard). Once risen, knock back slightly, and add the beaten egg, currants and spices, and work them into the dough. It then needs to transfer to the cake tin, and prove again for a further hour or so.

Bake in the middle of a preheated oven on gas mark 6 for an hour at the most (check after 40 minutes) the top should be golden, but check the middle, as a skewer may come out clean but it could still be slightly raw in places. If the top cooks too quickly, cover it in some tucked in greaseproof paper.

Leave the cake to cool before turning out.

Tasting like the love-child of bread and butter pudding and fruitcake, this winner has a festive tang but can compliment a cup of (English breakfast of course) tea any time of year! Decorating with icing would detract from the unique doughy texture and flavouring, but I feel a sprig of holly and ribbon would be a non-excessive, seasonal touch.

Merry Christmas!