Tunbridge Cakes ORIGINAL RECIPE Rub six ounces of butter into a quart of flour; then mix six ounces of sugar into three well beaten eggs, and make the flour into paste, adding a little rose-water and what spices you like. Roll the paste very thin and cut with the top of a glass, prick the cakes with a fork, and cover with caraways, or wash with the white of an egg and dust a little sugar over. Bake on tins in a moderate oven. The Good Housekeeper by Sarah Josepha Hale, 1839 SOURCE The Good Housekeeper MODERN ADAPTATION 1 1/2 sticks of butter, softened 4 cups of sifted all-purpose flour 3/4 cup of granulated or grated maple sugar (not maple syrup) 1/4 cup of sugar for sprinkling atop the cakes 3 eggs, well beaten 1 teaspoon rose water (optional) 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (optional) 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (optional) 1 tablespoon caraway seeds (optional) 1 moderately beaten egg white Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a mixer, cream the butter and sugar together. Add rosewater (if desired) and eggs; blend in until smooth. Add the sifted flour (and spices if desired) a cup at a time while mixing until the dough has formed. If it is still sticky, add additional sifted flour until it is the consistency of pie crust (firm yet moist, not sticky- it needs to hold together to be rolled out). Roll out cookie dough to about 1/4 of an inch. Cut cakes out with the lip of a small water glass or your favorite cookie cutter. Lay cookies on a buttered or greased baking sheet. Brush cookies with egg whites and sprinkle with maple sugar or caraway seeds. Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes or until golden. Omit the rosewater, spices, and caraway seeds if you want the maple sugar flavor to shine. Maple sugar has a delicate flavor that can be lost with the addition of other flavorings. INGREDIENTS - 1 1/2 sticks of butter, softened 4 cups of sifted all-purpose flour 3/4 cup of granulated or grated maple sugar (not maple syrup) 1/4 cup of sugar for sprinkling atop the cakes 3 eggs, well beaten 1 teaspoon rose water (optional) 1/4 teaspoon cinnamon (optional) 1/4 teaspoon nutmeg (optional) 1 tablespoon caraway seeds (optional) 1 moderately beaten egg white - Omit the rosewater, spices, and caraway seeds if you want the maple sugar flavor to shine. Maple sugar has a delicate flavor that can be lost with the addition of other flavorings. INSTRUCTIONS 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees. In a mixer, cream the butter and sugar together. 2. Add rosewater (if desired) and eggs; blend in until smooth. 3. Add the sifted flour (and spices if desired) a cup at a time while mixing until the dough has formed. If it is still sticky, add additional sifted flour until it is the consistency of pie crust (firm yet moist, not sticky- it needs to hold together to be rolled out). 4. Roll out cookie dough to about 1/4 of an inch. Cut cakes out with the lip of a small water glass or your favorite cookie cutter. Lay cookies on a buttered or greased baking sheet. Brush cookies with egg whites and sprinkle with maple sugar or caraway seeds. 5. Bake in the oven for 8-10 minutes or until golden. Non-personal archive pmurad January 24, 2016 at 2:51 PM