My parents don’t live too far away and so I pop round a couple of times a week (usually to be fed!). I had a nice surprise on my latest visit when my parents announced they’d been to Cranleigh and brought me back some lardy rolls.
Now I cannot begin to tell you how much I love lardy rolls. Smothered in butter and marmite that are a rare treat I adore!
A lot of people make the mistake of thinking is just a different sized lardy cake. It isn’t, it’s a completely different recipe. A lardy roll is a scone sized baked good. It has an almost doughy texture to it, much more moist than a roll or scone, closer to a crumpet but without the bitterness or rubberyness. Given the springy nature and the air pockets there’s a strong part of me that believes that it must use filo pastry. But I know very little about baking and could be completely wrong.
It used to be that you could get them from Bakers all over Surrey, but as they’ve closed down over the years, so stockists have dwindled. The only place you seem to be able to get them now is in a baker in Cranleigh, Surrey.
As well as a number of friends who remember them fondly, I’ve spent a lot of time researching the lardy roll as it seems that it is in danger of being lost. Whilst I believe the baker in Cranleigh has handed things onto his son and with it the recipe, they do seem slightly different. I can find very few references to it in history outside Surrey and West Sussex which has lead me to believe it was a local delicacy around the 1920s and 30s. All references to it, mark it as exceptional (“their lardy rolls were particularly good”).
Whilst I think if I had them too regularly, they’d lose their appeal I do worry that one day we’ll go to Cranleigh and the baker’s will be closed down. I don’t want to see him lose his revenue and will happily frequent and supply him with business for years to come, I just want to know that future generations will be able to sample the wonder of the lardy roll!
I do agree that Lardy Rolls are very nice and yes it is getting much harder to find them, I used to work for one of the many bakerys in Surry that used to make them but sadly has closed down this was Hammonds of Milford. I am not sure if Hillers of Waverly make them but I will have to find out I think part of the problem why they have dissaperd so much is they have a short shelf life as they are good on the day of making but lose there freshness very quick and unless you can sell enough it was not viable to make them. I think we only made them one or two days in the week at Hammonds. But yes it would be very sad to lose them altogether. I must say I have never thought that they where only a reginal food iteam but I have asked in bakers shops all over the country and had funny looks and even asked if I mean Lardy Cakes. I would be good to know how many people even in the Surry/West Sussex area know of Lardy Rolls.
Hi Ian;
As you used to make the Lardy Roll’s I wonder if you could enlighten us with a recipe. I have searched high and low and can find no reference or hint of a recipe. Everything is about Lardy Cakes.
With best regards
Alistair
Hello everyone please please can you provide a recipe, my hubby is desperate for a receipe, he lived in Godalming and remembers Hammonds bakers, recipe would be much appreciated
just read the lardy rolls. I used to live in the area and used to love lardy rolls. have been trying for years to get a recipie but to no avail. can anyone out there please help. as I do miss them now as it brings back childhood memories and you cant get anything like that in somerset where I know live
andy
Lardy Rolls, I failed to reply years ago, and only just found this again, after thinking about Lardy Rolls, although I said I worked at Hammonds of Milford, I was not actually a baker, I was a packet and van driver delivering bakery products to shops, pubs, and other businesses mainly in the Haslemere, Midhurst and Petworth area but in other areas as well as we had wholesale and retail rounds, as we as being a driver I did help out in the bakehouse mainly on weekends and busy times of the year, as dough cutter, so not a baker, so no actual idea of the recipe for Hammonds Lardy cakes, but know they had a very short shelf life, but very nice but sadly lost for ever.
Hi
I was hoping you could tell me where i can find the recipe for Lardy Rolls. I have been looking for months my Nana’s 80th birthday is soon and my mum and i would love to make her some as she keeps going on bout them.
Thank you
‘ve yet to find one, Mia. Only place I know that sells them is Celebration Cakes in Cranleigh.
If you find out the recipe, please let me know so I can share it. Good luck!
I Lived in Milford in Surrey until I married, and always loved visiting my nana May who had a bakers delivery every week which included Lardy rolls. At that time she probably bought them from Hammonds.How I loved them and still do. I return to Milford in March each year and if I get there early enough, I can buy Lardy rolls from Secretts farm shop. I believe they buy them from a bakers in Godalming. Next time I am there I shall go to Godalming and try to find which baker sells them.
I believe the bakers that sells or sold Lardy rolls was called Ayers of Godalming.
Secretts used to sell them and as you say supplied by a company in Godalming
Hi all I am the Grandson running Celebration Cakes in Cranleigh and we are still making the Lardy Rolls not to many each day so best to order them or drop me a email it is great to read everyone’s memories .i have a customer who serviced my Grandfathers boat and they used to have cheese ones made and warmed on the engine not very healthy but great
Hi I have been after Lardy rolls for 50 years I used too live in byworth near pet worth .we had a bakers in the village who would bake Lardy rolls I would like to get recipe
Hi Simon Cornwall.I Know your Dad And I can only hope Hes Still With Us .I Also knew Your Grand Parents or at least the Bakery they kept in Cranleigh.I have fond memories of School Days There.The Two Most Famous Things I Remember from Cranleigh Food Wise Are Cornwalls Lardy Rolls. And Collins Sausages I ‘ve hunted High and Low for the Lardy Rolls Recipe and as yet have never found one,I Always remember them to be more of a Puff Pastry Type texture,With a very Moorish cheesy Taste.If its not a secret Recipe –I For one would welcome a Copy.And I’m sure there are a Lot of others out there that would welcome it as well.You would Be held in high Regards For parting with it to What must be Some of the Cornwall Family’s Oldest Customers..My Best wishes to You All .