Black Bun Recipes

Steps:

• 1. To make the pastry case, rub the butter into the flour with the baking powder and add enough cold water to mix to a stiff dough. Leave to rest and roll out to a fairly thin sheet. Grease 2 x 20 cm (8-inch) loaf tins and line them with the dough, reserving enough to cover the top.
• 2. Preaheat the oven to 110°C (225°F/ Gas 1/4).
• 3. Make the filling. Mix all the dry ingredients together, then mix in the brandy, egg, and enough milk to moisten the mixture. Put it into the prepared loaf tins and cover with the remaining pastry. Use the remaining milk or an egg wash (1 egg beaten with a splash of milk) to seal the top crust. Prick all over with a fork and brush with egg wash. Bake in the oven for about 3 hours. When it is cool store in an airtight tin.

Steps:

• PASTRY: In medium mixing bowl, blend flour and baking powder. Cut in butter until mixture resembles cornmeal. Add just enough cold water to form pastry into ball. On lightly floured board, roll out 2/3 of pastry into a circle large enough to line lightly greased 8 x 8 x 3 inch square cake pan or an 8 x 3 inch round cake pan, allowing enough pastry overhanging edge to seal with top crust. Chill remaining dough for top of bun while making filling.
• FILLING: In large bowl, mix dry ingredients together. Add dried fruit, nuts, eggs, brandy and milk. Stir to mix well. Pack filling into pastry lined pan.
• Roll out remaining pastry to square or circle large enough to cover filling. Moisten edges with water and seal with bottom crust. Prick with fork or make decorative slashes in top of bun. Brush lightly with beaten egg to glaze.
• Bake in 300°F oven for 2 1/2 hours or until pastry is brown and cake tester inserted in centre comes out clean. Cool cake in pan for 10 minutes. Carefully remove to rack to complete cooling.
• Canadian Living.