Yorkshire Parkin
1 tsp bicarbonate of soda
140ml milk
200g sugar
200g golden syrup
255g flour
2 tsp ground ginger heaped
85g black treacle
85g soft margarine mixed with 55 g lard (or 140 g butter, if you prefer)
100g porridge oats
10ml vinegar
Mix the flour, sugar, oats and ginger in a bowl and make a well in the middle.
Melt the fats together in a pan. Before they get hot, add the syrup and treacle. Melt a little but do not boil.
Pour this mixture into dry ingredients in bowl. Drop bicarbonate of soda into the centre, sprinkle on the vinegar and watch it fizz.
Put the milk into the syrup pan, warm a little to clean syrup from pan and empty into bowl.
Now stir it well, when mixed it should pour like a batter mixture (it actually looks awful but it tastes really nice)
Pour into a large greased and floured roasting tin.
Bake at 180C/350F/gas mark 4 slightly above the middle of the oven for one hour. Check after first 15-20 mins to see if middle has risen too far and if so give it a shake!
Allow to cool in tin, cut into squares. Eat.