Deer Cake

Cierva cake is a typical recipe from the Murcian region, dating from the late s. XIX (with legend included) on the coast of the Mar Menor. It is a somewhat peculiar preparation, as it combines in a single bite the salty flavor of the filling with the sweetness of the dough. It is quite a striking contrast, especially for those who have not known it since they were children, and come across it out of the blue, since the sweet/salty contrasts are very pronounced.
It is not the typical recipe with nuances or touches; You either like Cierva's cake a lot or it scares you. Let's say there is no middle ground. Of course, there is no excursion worth its salt without a good portion of Cierva cake or a delicious Murcian meat pie.

Like almost all traditional recipes, it is very simple and with ingredients that we always have at home: chicken, eggs, flour, sugar... and also, if you have a Magimix , the preparation of the cake (dough + filling) is a must and not seen.

To make this cake I have opted for a Le Creuset ceramic mold because they are ideal for this type of elaboration, since it bakes the dough wonderfully and best of all, I do not have to put parchment paper on the base, since nothing ever sticks You're welcome, and that's great to be able to unmold without problems, for example, this Cierva cake.

Le Creuset ceramic mold

Ingredients

• 700 g chicken (thighs, breasts…)
• The water to cook the chicken
• 2 hard-boiled eggs
• 250 g of lard
• 250 g of white sugar
• 1 egg for the dough
• Lemon zest
• 450 g pastry flour
• Salt and pepper
• Beaten egg for brushing

Magimix food processor and Le Creuset ceramic mold

Preparation

1. In a pot with water, cook the chicken (breast or thigh or a combination of both) with salt and in a saucepan we will put the eggs to boil for about 12 minutes. Once everything is cooked, reserve.
2. In the large glass of the Magimix we will put the lard together with the sugar and the lemon zest. Press AUTO until a homogeneous mixture is obtained. Next, we add the egg until incorporated and at once we add the flour and activate PULSE, little by little until the dough binds.
3. Pour the dough onto a countertop lined with parchment paper or a silicone mat and knead with your hands. At this moment, the dough will surely ask for a little more flour, we are adding little by little, just enough so that it does not stick and trying not to give it too much heat. Shape into a ball, wrap in plastic wrap and let cool for at least 40 minutes.
4. With the warm or cold chicken, we transfer it to the Magimix glass and chop it on AUTO for a few seconds, until it is well crushed. We transfer it to a bowl, season to taste and gradually add cooking water until we obtain a homogeneous mass that does not crumble. Just enough to give the filling moisture and not be dry after baking.
5. Take the dough out of the fridge and cut a little more than half for the base of the mold and the rest will be the lid. We stretched it on parchment paper with a roller and placed it on our mold, we adapted it around the entire perimeter and base, pressing slightly.
6. Add the meat, place the roughly cut boiled eggs on top and place the “lid” of dough, pressing the ends against the walls so that it is well sealed. We paint with beaten egg, and very important: we DO NOT make any holes or steam vents.
7. With the oven preheated to 180 °C heat up and down with the rack in the center, we bake for 1 hour. It should be very golden on the outside.
8. Let cool completely so you can cut the portions without falling apart. Also, in order to fully enjoy this cake, I suggest you eat it cold.