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Dublin gur cake
Spiced bread-and-fruit slice between two layers of pastry
Gur cake was the cheapest treat in Dublin bakeries, made from the day's leftover bread and cake soaked with tea, dried fruit and spice and baked between two sheets of pastry. It gave its name to the 'gurriers', the kids who mitched school and bought slices for a ha'penny, and you still find it in the bakeries of the inner city, where it is also called Chester cake. It is dense, sticky and spiced. Chef's tip: let the filling soak for a good half hour so the bread breaks down completely into a smooth paste.
- Total time
- 90 min
- Difficulty
- medium
- Serves
- 16
Ingredients
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Tear the 10 ½ oz stale white bread or plain cake into a bowl, pour over the ¾ cup strong black tea and leave for 30 minutes to soak.
30 minStep 2: Mash it to a paste, then beat in the 7 oz raisins and currants, 3 ½ oz soft brown sugar, 1 ¾ oz butter, 1 ¾ oz plain flour, 2 tsp mixed spice and 1 egg. It should be a thick, spreadable paste.
4 minStep 3: Heat the oven to 375°F (350°F fan). Roll half the 1 ⅛ lb shortcrust pastry to line a 20 × 30 cm tin. Spread the filling evenly, then cover with the rest of the rolled pastry, pressing the edges to seal.
10 minStep 4: Prick the top all over with a fork, cut lightly into 16 squares through the top layer only, and bake for 50–60 minutes until golden. A common mistake is a soggy filling; if it is very wet, add another spoonful of flour before baking.
60 minStep 5: Sprinkle with 1 tbsp caster sugar while hot, cool in the tin, then cut through into squares.
30 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 270 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 44 g
- Fat
- 9 g
- Fibre
- 2 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does dublin gur cake take?
- About 90 minutes in total: 30 minutes to prepare and 60 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 16 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegetarian?
- Yes. It has no meat or fish.
- Can I make it ahead?
- Yes. It keeps well, so you can cook it earlier in the day or the day before and reheat it.
- What can I use instead of soft brown sugar?
- White sugar + 1 tbsp molasses or treacle per 200g.
- What can I use instead of butter?
- The same weight of ghee or coconut oil (for frying and most baking).
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