Grease the baking sheet with a little lard.
Place the water in the saucepan and heat to 30C/86F.
Transfer to the measuring jug, whisk in the yeast and teaspoon of sugar and leave to stand for 10 minutes to activate the yeast.
Sift the flour into the large mixing bowl.
Add the caster sugar and nutmeg and stir thoroughly.
Place the butter in the small saucepan and heat until melted. Allow to cool a little.
Place the eggs in the medium mixing bowl and beat together with the electric hand whisk.
Add the brandy, cream and melted butter and whisk in.
Add the currants and stir in.
Make a well in the centre of the dry ingredients and pour the wet mixture in, along with the yeast mixture.
Use your hands to bring everything together to a very wet dough.
Turn out onto a floured work surface and knead for 8 minutes or so until silky and elastic. As the dough is so wet it will stick to the board as you knead it. Just keep stretching the dough, gathering it up as it spreads with a metal or plastic dough scraper.
Divide the dough into 8 and use the palms of your hands to roll into balls. Place them on the greased baking sheet.
Cover with the clean tea cloth and leave to rise for 2 hours in a warm place until doubled in size.
Preheat the oven to 190C/375F/gas 5.
Place the cakes in the oven and bake for 20 minutes or until golden.
Just before you take the cakes out of the oven, place the golden syrup in the small saucepan and heat until runny.
As soon as you take the cakes out of the oven use the pastry brush to glaze the tops of the cakes with the golden syrup. Allow to cool a little before serving – they should be served warm.
