Blueberry Roly Poly

This is such a good recipe. I love this yeasted dough, which includes lard, the traditional shortening for many pastries and raised pies from the north of England. Long-time readers of my books will remember my grandmother’s wonderful bramble pie recipe that uses Lard Pastry. Vegetarians could substitute butter, and blackberries or gooseberries could be substituted for the blueberries.

2. To make the dough, sift the flour with the salt into a medium bowl. Warm the milk and the 1 teaspoon sugar in a small saucepan over low heat. Sprinkle over the yeast and set aside for 10 minutes. When the yeast mixture is frothy, whisk in the beaten egg.

3. Make a well in the flour and tip in the milk/egg mixture. Using a wooden spoon, drag in our from the sides to the centre until most of the our has been incorporated. With your hands, bring the dough together. Tip the dough onto a floured bench and give it a very light knead, then replace it in the bowl, cover and leave to rise for 1 hour.

4. Work the caster sugar into the lard with a fork. Butter a 20 cm x 30–40 cm baking dish.

5. When doubled in size, tip the very soft dough onto a lightly floured work surface and pat it into a rectangle about 16 cm x 28 cm. Now lightly spread it with the softened lard and sugar mixture. With the short end towards you, fold the dough into thirds (fold the top third over the middle third, and again over the last third). Turn the dough 90 degrees and pat it back into a 16 cm x 28 cm rectangle. (It can have a slight dusting of flour if it needs it, and you can roll it if you like, but this is a very soft dough and does not need – or like – to be pressed heavily.)

6. Lift the dough rectangle into the buttered dish and drizzle it with the honey. Scatter the blueberries generously over the honey.

7. Roll the dough starting from the longest edge to enclose the berries – there is just enough pastry for a single roll. Pinch the ends of the log together and turn it so the seam is underneath. I like to curve the log a bit with my hands to a traditional roly-poly shape. Leave for 20–30 minutes to recover.

8. Pour the cream over the roly poly. Bake 25 minutes until puffed, golden brown and the juices are oozing.

9. Cut into thick slices and offer extra cream or ice-cream, or both!