FANCY BISCUITS, ALMONDS

FANCY BISCUITS, ALMONDS

82. -- Digestive Biscuits.

5 lbs. of wheat meal, 1 lb. of butter, 4 ozs. of sugar, 4 eggs, 1/4 oz. of carbonate of soda in 1 quart of water. Rub the butter in the wheat meal, make a bay, add the sugar, eggs, and soda; mix well together, add the water, and take in the wheat meal. After making it into dough, take about 2 lbs., roll it out into a sheet the thickness of a penny; take it on the pin again, and roll it on to a piece of cloth spread on the table; cut them out with a small oval cutter, put on tins well cleaned but not greased, and bake in a cool oven. 

83. -- Kent Biscuits.

4 lbs. of flour, 1 lb. of butter, 1 1/2 lb. of sugar, 10 eggs, and 3 drs. of volatile salt. Rub butter in with flour; or make a bay, put in the butter, partly cream it, add eggs and sugar, and voil after well mixing all together; take in the flour and make it into a dough. Roll out a sheet the thickness of two penny pieces, cut out with a small fluted cutter, lay them in rows, take a brush and egg-wash top, lay them on lump sugar previously broken into pieces the size of split peas, and bake on tins slightly buttered, in a moderate oven. 

84. -- Imperial or Lemon Biscuits.

Take 1 1/4 lb. of flour, 1 1/4 lb. of sugar, 4 eggs, 4 ozs. of butter, and a pinch of volatile salt. Rub butter in the flour, then take the sugar and mix it with the flour and butter; make a bay; put in your eggs and voil, and mix all lightly but well together. Take a piece, roll it out same as for hunting nuts, in strips, place on slightly buttered tins t inch apart, and bake on double tins, unless the oven is very cold.

Note.. -- In making fancy biscuits the tins must be as clean as it is possible to get them. I have seen a whole batch of biscuits spoiled through 'only a little bit of dirt,' as the boy said when taken to task for his carelessness. 

85. -- Venice Biscuits.

5 lbs. of flour, 1 1/2 lb. of butter, 2 1/2 lbs. of sugar, 11 eggs, 1 lb. of mixed peel and 1 oz. of volatile salt. Proceed to make the dough in the same way as for Imperial or Lemon Biscuits, roll out in a sheet, and cut out with a small oval fluted cutter; egg them on the top, and throw them on large crystallised sugar. Bake on slightly buttered tins in a moderate oven. 

86. -- Shrewsbury Biscuits.

2 lbs. of flour, 1 lb. of sugar, 1 lb. of butter, 4 eggs, pinch of powdered cinnamon, and a little milk. 

87. Another Way. -- 14 ozs. of flour, 10 ozs. of sugar, 10 ozs. of butter, 2 small eggs, half a nutmeg grated, a little cinnamon and mace, and a pinch of voil. 

88. Another Way. -- 1 1/2 lb. of flour, 1/2 lb. of butter, 1/2 lb. of sugar, 1 egg, with sufficient milk to make dough. Some add about 1/4 oz. of volatile salt. Rub the butter in with the flour, make a bay, add the sugar, eggs, milk, and spice; make the whole into a dough, roll it out on an even board to the thickness of an eighth of an inch, cut out with a plain round cutter two and a half inches in diameter, place them on clean tins, not buttered, bake in a cool oven. When the biscuits are a little coloured on the edges they are done. 

89. -- Peruvian Biscuits.

4 ozs. of flour, 1 lb. of rice-flour, 1/2 lb. of arrowroot, 1 lb. of butter, 1 lb. of sugar, 6 eggs, 1/2 oz. of voil. Make into a dough same as for other biscuits, roll into strips the thickness of your finger, cut them the size of small marbles, and bake on slightly greased tins in a moderate oven. 

90. -- Currant Fruit Biscuits.

3 lbs. of flour, 12 ozs. of arrowroot, 14 ozs. of butter, 2 lbs. of sugar, 10 eggs, 20 ozs. of currants, 1/2 oz. of voil. Proceed to make dough as before; roll out in a sheet the thickness of two penny pieces. Cut with a plain round cutter, and bake in a moderate oven. 

91. -- Snowdrop Biscuits.

1 lb. of arrowroot, 1 lb. of flour, the whites of 10 eggs, 1/2 lb. of butter, a lb. of sugar, 1/4 oz. of voil. Rub the butter in the flour, add the arrowroot, make a bay, add all the other ingredients, mix into a dough. Proceed the same as for Peruvian biscuits, and bake in a very cool oven. 

92. -- Rice Biscuits.

1 1/4 lb. flour, 3/4 lb. rice-flour, 1/2 lb. butter, 1 lb. sugar, 2 eggs, 1/4 oz. of voil. Make into dough with a little milk, roll out in sheets same size as for Currant Fruit, place on dry tins, and dust the tops with ground rice. 

93. -- Genoa and Toulouse Biscuits, Exhibition Nuts and Marseillaise Biscuits.

6 lbs. flour, 14 ozs. butter, 4 lbs. sugar, 10 eggs, 1/4 oz. voil. Make a nice stiff dough with the rest milk.

Genoas are made by rolling out the dough in strips and cutting off in pieces the length of the little finger. Wash them on top with white of egg and throw on lump sugar the size of split peas.

Marseillaise Biscuits are made from the same dough, rolled out in strips, but cut the size of small marbles. Put about twenty or thirty of them into a sieve, and roll them about to make them round. These are baked on dry tins.

Toulouse Biscuits and Exhibition Nuts have currants added to them. For Toulouse biscuits, roll out the dough in strips, cut the same length as Genoas, and wash the top with yolk of egg. Place on slightly greased tins 1/2 inch apart.

For Exhibition Nuts cut the dough the size of small marbles, lay in the tin with the cut side down, and press gently with heel of the hand. 

94. -- Walnut Biscuits.

2 lbs. flour, 1/2 lb. brown sugar, 1/2 lb. castor sugar, 1/2 lb. butter, and yolk of one egg. Simmer the sugar and a little milk over a slow fire, rub the butter into the flour; after the sugar has become cold put it into the bay and make into a stiffish dough. Put the dough into blocks, and give them the impression of half a walnut, after which cut off the surplus dough with a sharp knife, knock out the biscuits, and bake on slightly buttered tins until a nice brown. After they are baked dip in white of egg, and put two together so as to form a walnut. 

95. -- Queen's Drops.

8 ozs. butter, 8 ozs. sugar, 4 eggs, 10 ozs. flour, 6 ozs. currants. Some add a little voil, but if well creamed there is no use for voil. Cream the butter and sugar together, add the eggs, then flour and currants; have ready a linen bag with a small tin funnel at the end of it; have a small cork in the funnel so as to keep the mixture from dropping out, drop them on paper about the breadth of a shilling, put them on tins, and bake in a sound oven. 

96. -- Cracknel Biscuits.

3 1/2 lbs. flour, 3 ozs. butter, 6 ozs. castor sugar, 13 eggs, 2 drs. voil. Rub the butter in the flour, make a bay, put in the sugar in powder with the eggs and voil, make the whole into a dough of moderate consistence; break it well and let it be quite clear and smooth; roll out a quarter of an inch thick, cut out with an oval cutter, or one in the form of an oak-leaf, dock them in the centre, lay them on a tray in rows, cover them with a damp cloth. Have a copper on the fire boiling, throw them into the water one at a time face upwards, and after they have risen to the top be careful to turn each biscuit face uppermost. Let them remain this way for two or three minutes for the edges to turn up. When ready take a skimmer and throw them into a pail of cold water. When they have been in the water for about an hour put them in a sieve to strain, and bake on buttered tins in a moderate oven. When baked they should be placed in the drying stove for a few hours. 

97. -- Premium Drops.

1 lb. butter, 1 lb. sugar, 9 eggs, 1 lb. rice-flour, 1/4 oz. voil, 1 lb. flour, 4 drops essence of lemon. Proceed the same as for Queen's Drops. The batter, however, will be found a good deal stiffer. This makes a nice drop when well got up. 

98. -- German Wafers.

8 ozs. sugar, 8 ozs. eggs, 4 ozs. flour, 1 oz. butter. Put the flour in a small basin, rub in the butter and add eggs and sugar; have the tins well greased, and drop the batter on them with a spoon in pieces a little larger than a penny. Bake in a cool oven. When baked form into the shape of a cone, dip each edge in white of egg, and then each end in coloured sugar. They make a nice show for a window. 

99. -- Crimp, or Honeycomb Biscuits.

4 lbs. flour, 2 lbs. sugar, 1 lb. butter, 9 eggs, 1/2 oz. voil. Rub the butter in with the flour, make a bay, add the sugar, eggs and voil. Roll out a sheet a nice thickness. Cut out with a small round plain cutter, but before doing so run over the surface of the dough with a crimp-pin. Bake in a moderate oven. 

100. -- Hermit Biscuits.

2 lbs. flour, 4 oz. butter, 12 ozs. sugar, 1/4 oz. caraway seeds, 5 or 6 eggs, 1/4 oz. voil. Make up the dough as usual for biscuits, cut them out the size of spice nuts with spice-nut cutter, egg them on top; have some loaf sugar, and almonds with the skins on cut the size of split peas, place the biscuits on the sugar and almonds, gently press them down before putting them on slightly buttered tins, and bake in a moderate oven. 

101. -- Italian Macaroons.

1 lb. of Valentia almonds, 2 lbs. of powdered sugar, 7 or 8 whites of eggs. Beat the almonds with whites of eggs, but not so fine as for common macaroons; lay out stiff on wafer-paper; have almonds cut in slices, one into six pieces, lay them on the sides and top of each macaroon; ice them well from the icing-bag, and bake in a slow oven. 

102. -- Common Macaroons.

1 lb. Valentia almonds, 1 1/2 lb. sugar, about 8 whites of eggs. Beat the almonds very fine with the white of an egg in a mortar, and then add the sugar and two or three whites of eggs; beat well together. Take out the pestle, add two more whites, and work them well with a spatter until the whole of the whites, are incorporated. Lay out one on wafer-paper and bake it in a slow oven. If it appears smooth and light the mixture is ready, but if not add one more white of egg, as it is hardly possible to ascertain the exact number of whites to use. If ready lay out on wafer-paper, ice them with sugar on top, and bake in a moderate oven. 

103. -- French Macaroons.

1 lb. of Valentia almonds, 1 lb. of sugar, 5 or 6 whites of eggs. Proceed as before, but instead of beating the almonds with whites of eggs use rose or orange-flower water, and when beaten very fine put in the whites of eggs and sugar, beating them well with the spatter. Lay out one oval on wafer-paper and bake it. If it runs into its shape the mixture is ready; if too stiff, add one more white of egg; lay out on wafer-paper, dust sugar on top, and bake them in a good oven. 

104. -- Ratafias.

8 ozs. of bitter almonds, 8 ozs. of sweet almonds, 2 1/2 lbs. of sugar, and about eight whites of eggs. Blanch and beat the almonds with white of egg as fine as possible, and be careful when beating them you do not oil them. When beaten fine, mix {n the sugar and beat both well together; then add more whites of eggs, work them well with the spatter, adding more whites of eggs as you proceed. Then lay one or two on dry paper half the size of a macaroon, and bake them in a slow oven. If they are of proper stiffness lay them out; if too stiff, add more whites of eggs to them. Should they be good they will come off the paper when cold; if not, the paper must be laid on a damp table, when they will come off easily. 

105. -- Princess Biscuits,

These are exactly the same as common macaroons, but must be laid out on wafer paper half the size, and a dried cherry put on the top for effect. Use a square of citron on some, and a square of angelica on others. Dust them on top with sugar, and bake them in a slow oven. 

106. -- Rusks.

1 quart of sponge, 4 ozs. sugar, 2 eggs, 2 ozs. of butter. Mix all the ingredients together, make it up the size of bun dough with best flour, let it lie for two hours, make into long rolls and batch them on tins, greasing between each roll. Bake in moderate oven for thirty-five minutes. After they are baked let them lie for one day. Rasp top and bottom off, cut into neat slices, and bake again in a moderate oven until thoroughly crisp and dry, and of a nice brown colour. Put them in a basket, and leave them all night in a warm place. This will make them much crisper. Some add a pinch of ground alum. 

107. -- Rock Almonds (White).

Blanch and cut the long way any quantity of almonds. Make some icing pretty stiff, put the almonds into it and let them take up all the icing. Citron, lemon, and orange cut small may also be added. Lay out on wafer paper in small heaps and bake in a very slow oven. 

108. -- Rock Almonds (Pink).

Make any desired quantity of icing, colour it with lake finely ground, mix in as many cut almonds, citron, and lemon as it will take; lay out on wafer paper in small heaps and bake in a slow oven. 

109. -- Rock Almonds (Brown).

Take any quantity of Jordan almonds, cut them up very small (but not blanch them); also citron, lemon, and orange cut small Prepare some very light icing, with which mix the almonds, &c., into a soft paste. Lay out on wafer paper and bake in a slow oven. 

110. -- Almond Fruit Biscuits.

1 lb. of Valentia almonds, 1 lb. of powdered sugar, 2 or 3 whites of egg. Beat up the almonds very fine with white of one egg; then rub the sugar and almonds into a fine paste with 1 or 2 whites of egg, divide it into two parts, work 2 ozs. of flour into one part and roll it out thin for the bottom, cut it square and cover it with good raspberry jam; then roll out another square the same size, and lay it on the top of the fruit, cover this thinly with icing and cut it up into different shapes according to fancy; lay them on wafer paper and bake in a slow oven.

Note. -- There will be many cuttings from the above shapes which should not be wasted. Put several bits together in little heaps on wafer paper, put a little icing on top, a bit of green citron, and a small bit of raspberry jam. A little pink icing may also be added. Bake in a slow oven. 

111. -- Meringues.

Take any desired quantity of whites of eggs (half duck whites if you can procure them), whisk them until so stiff that an egg will lie on the surface, then mix in with the spatter some fine powdered sugar until they appear of a proper stiffness, which may be known by laying out one oval with a knife and spoon. If it retains the mark of the knife they are ready to bake; if not, more sugar must be added. Lay out oval on dry paper and bake on a piece of wood two inches thick: this is to prevent them having any bottom. They must have a pretty bloom on them when baked. Take one carefully off with a knife, take out the inside and fill it with any kind of preserved fruit. Then take off another and do the same, putting both sides together; and so on till they are all baked. If good they will have the appearance of a small egg. 

112. Another Way. -- The whites of 12 eggs and I quart of clarified sugar. Let one person whisk up the eggs as before directed while the sugar is boiled to the degree called 'Blown;' *then grain the sugar, and mix the whites of eggs and the sugar together. Lay out and bake as before directed. *To boil sugar to the degree called 'Blown,'. Refer 183. 

113. -- Common Drop Biscuits.

Break the eggs into a round-bottom pan, whisk them till they are hot, having your pan placed over hot water; take them off and whisk them till they are cold, then put in the sugar and whisk till hot, after which again whisk till they are cold. When the eggs and sugar are perfectly light take out the whisk, stir in the flour gently. From beginning to end the operation should not take more than twenty minutes. Cover the tins or wires with wafer paper, and lay out the biscuits any size required from a savoy bag. Dust them over with sugar and bake in a hot oven.

The savoy bag should be of the strongest fustian and so made as to come to a point, like a jelly-bag, at the point of which must be fixed a small tin pipe two inches long. Boil the bag two or three times to prevent the mixture passing through. 

114. -- Savoy Biscuits.

For ingredients, take 8 eggs, 1 lb. of sugar, and 1 lb. of flour, and see directions below under Fruit Biscuits. 

115. -- French Savoy Biscuits.

Take 8 eggs and 4 yolks, 1 lb. of sugar, and 1 lb. of flour, and see directions below. 

116. -- Judges' Biscuits.

Take 8 eggs and 4 yolks, 1 lb. of sugar, 1 lb. of flour, and a few caraway seeds, and see directions below. 

117. -- Lord Mayor's Biscuits.

Take 8 eggs, 1 lb. of sugar, 1 lb. of flour, and a few caraway seeds, and see directions below. 

118. -- Fruit Biscuits.

For these the ingredients are 6 eggs and 6 yolks, 1 lb. of sugar, and 1 lb. of flour.

To mix the above five recipes, observe the directions given for Common Drop Biscuits. They must be baked in a hot oven. The Savoy Biscuits must be laid out from a savoy bag on 'cap' paper one-half round and one-half long. The French Savoys must be laid out oval, and when baked two are to be put together. The drudges' Biscuits are to be laid out round, about the size of a half-crown; and the Lord Mayor's are to be round, and of double the size. The Fruit Biscuits are to be laid out about the size of a shilling, and preserved fruit put between two of them. Have ready some castor sugar, spread it on a piece of paper, making it smooth on the surface; then lay each half-sheet of paper on which the biscuits are placed on the sugar; let them remain a moment, take them off, give them a shake and bake in a hot oven. Turn each half-sheet on to a clean table, wash the bottom of the paper with clean water, let them lie for a moment, and they will be found to come off easily. Proceed in this way till all are off, and baked.

Note. -- Some prefer whisking up sponge mixtures cold. They keep better, but are not so showy. 

119. -- Palais Royal Biscuits.

Make the mixture exactly the same way as for French Savoys. Bake them in paper boxes about two inches long, one inch and a-half wide, and an inch deep. Dust them lightly on the top with sugar and bake in a moderate oven. The boxes must be made of the best writing paper. They are very proper to mix with rout biscuits. 

120. -- Rice Biscuits.

Take the weight of 8 eggs in sugar, 2 eggs in flour, and 6 eggs in rice-flour; or take 1 lb. of sugar, 4 ozs. of flour, 12 ozs. of rice-flour, and 8 eggs. Mix cold in the same manner as for Savoy Biscuits. Bake in a moderate oven in sponge frames nicely buttered. 

121. -- Scarborough Water Cakes.

8 eggs, 1 lb. of sugar, 1 lb. of flour, and a little ground cinnamon. Mix the same way as for Savoy Biscuits. Flavour with as much ground cinnamon as will make them pleasant to the taste. When taken off the paper put two together. 

122. -- Sponge Biscuit.

Take 12 eggs, 1 lb. 2 ozs. of sugar, 15 ozs. of flour. Mix cold the same as for Savoy Biscuits, which is the best method; or they may be mixed hot. The pans must be neatly buttered with creamed butter, and a dust of sugar thrown over them. Bake in a moderate oven, but not too hot. The bottoms should be a neat brown. 

123. -- Almond Sponge Biscuits.

Make exactly the same way as Sponge Biscuits, only have ready Jordan almonds blanched and each cut the long way into 6 or 8 pieces. Put them neatly on the top of each biscuit, dust sugar over them and bake as before. 

124. -- Naples Biscuits.

8 eggs, 1 lb. of sugar, 1 gill of water, 1 lb. 2 oz. of flour. A Naples Biscuit frame is about 8 ins. long, 3 ins. broad, and 1 in. deep. In this the partitions are upright, and must be papered neatly. Put the sugar and water into a small pan, let it dissolve and boil; then whisk the eggs. Pour in the sugar gently, and keep whisking until very light. When it is quite cold scatter in the flour, and mix it until smooth, stirring it as lightly as possible. Put it into the frames, well filled, and bake in a good oven, but not too hot. Dust them with sugar before putting in the oven.