Shrewsbury Cakes (RETIRED)
Oct 27, 2007 20:35:33 GMT -5
Post by QNPoohBear on Oct 27, 2007 20:35:33 GMT -5
The set was introduced in 1991 and retired in 2001. It is associated with the book, Felicity's Surprise.
PC description: Make colonial Christmas cookies just like Felicity did. An authentic recipe for Shrewsbury cakes is included in this kit. After you've cut out the cakes with four fancy cutters, unwrap the blue paper from the sugar loaf and scrape sugar on top of them. Put the tea cloth in the basket and then tuck in the tasty cakes, warm from the oven. Felicity can take them to Miss Manderly's for tea - if you haven't eaten all of them first!
This set is darling! It comes with a little wicker basket, just the right size for Felicity, a pretty printed napkin, tiny tiny metal cookie cutters that really work, a cone of sugar and a recipe. The cookie cutters are little and make bite size cookies for Felicity. They are made from real metal and actually make real cookies (or FIMO). The recipe card comes with two versions of the recipe: one in flowery print like Colonial handwriting, which is the original recipe, and a modern reproduction recipe which you can make yourself. (recipe follows). The best part of the set is the miniature sugar cone. In Felicity's time sugar came in cone shapes loaves and the ampunt needed was scraped off a little at a time. Lissie's is an exact replica of a Colonial Williamsburg sugar cone. It is REAL sugar wrapped in blue paper with a floral sticker seal. The paper may loosen up over time. Mine is not as tightly wrapped as it was when it was new but I haven't unwrapped it all the way and I've stored it in Felicity's wardrobe and as far as I can tell it is fine (I hope).
This is a fun set that could possibly be recreated except for the sugar cone but it is possible to make a fake sugar cone.
Grade: A+
Colonial Recipe:
Shrewsbury Cakes
Take one pound of sugar, three pounds of the finest flour, a Nutmeg grated, and some beaten Cinnamon; the Sugar and spice must be sifted into the flour and wet it with three eggs, and as much melted butter as will make it a good thickness to roll it into a Paste; mould it well, and cut it into what shape you please, perfume them, and prick them before they go into the oven.
Colonial cooking terms
A Nutmeg grated: Colonial cooks grated whole nutmeg seeds to make powder for baking. Today you can buy it already ground.
Beaten Cinnamon: This is the same as ground cinnamon
Paste: When the recipe says to make a paste, it means to make a thick mixture of dough for rolling into cakes.
Perfuming: Colonial cooks sprinkled rosewater on cakes before baking to "perfume" them. The modern recipe adds rosewater to the dough.
Modern recipe:
Shrewsbury Cakes
Ingredients
1 egg
2 tablespoons rosewater
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 1/2 cups flour
approoximately 1/2 pound butter
Extra flour for rolling out the dough
Shortening to grease the baking sheets
Equipment
Flour sifter
Large mixing bowl
Small mixing bowl
Small saucepan
wooden spoon
measuring cups and spoons
Two baking sheets
Rolling pin
Cookie cutters
Directions
1) In large mixing bowl, sift together the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and flour. Set aside.
2)In a small mixing bowl, beat together the eg and rosewater, then set aside
3) In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat
4) While the butter is melting, add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.
5) Stir in enough of the melted butter to make a soft dough
6)preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lighty grease two baking sheets with shortening
7) sprinkle some flour onto a table or counter. Dust the rolling pin with flour too
8) Roll the dough out to about 1/4 inch thick and cut into shapes with cookie cutters. Carefully place them onto the greased baking sheets.
9) bake the cakes until golden brown
PC description: Make colonial Christmas cookies just like Felicity did. An authentic recipe for Shrewsbury cakes is included in this kit. After you've cut out the cakes with four fancy cutters, unwrap the blue paper from the sugar loaf and scrape sugar on top of them. Put the tea cloth in the basket and then tuck in the tasty cakes, warm from the oven. Felicity can take them to Miss Manderly's for tea - if you haven't eaten all of them first!
This set is darling! It comes with a little wicker basket, just the right size for Felicity, a pretty printed napkin, tiny tiny metal cookie cutters that really work, a cone of sugar and a recipe. The cookie cutters are little and make bite size cookies for Felicity. They are made from real metal and actually make real cookies (or FIMO). The recipe card comes with two versions of the recipe: one in flowery print like Colonial handwriting, which is the original recipe, and a modern reproduction recipe which you can make yourself. (recipe follows). The best part of the set is the miniature sugar cone. In Felicity's time sugar came in cone shapes loaves and the ampunt needed was scraped off a little at a time. Lissie's is an exact replica of a Colonial Williamsburg sugar cone. It is REAL sugar wrapped in blue paper with a floral sticker seal. The paper may loosen up over time. Mine is not as tightly wrapped as it was when it was new but I haven't unwrapped it all the way and I've stored it in Felicity's wardrobe and as far as I can tell it is fine (I hope).
This is a fun set that could possibly be recreated except for the sugar cone but it is possible to make a fake sugar cone.
Grade: A+
Colonial Recipe:
Shrewsbury Cakes
Take one pound of sugar, three pounds of the finest flour, a Nutmeg grated, and some beaten Cinnamon; the Sugar and spice must be sifted into the flour and wet it with three eggs, and as much melted butter as will make it a good thickness to roll it into a Paste; mould it well, and cut it into what shape you please, perfume them, and prick them before they go into the oven.
Colonial cooking terms
A Nutmeg grated: Colonial cooks grated whole nutmeg seeds to make powder for baking. Today you can buy it already ground.
Beaten Cinnamon: This is the same as ground cinnamon
Paste: When the recipe says to make a paste, it means to make a thick mixture of dough for rolling into cakes.
Perfuming: Colonial cooks sprinkled rosewater on cakes before baking to "perfume" them. The modern recipe adds rosewater to the dough.
Modern recipe:
Shrewsbury Cakes
Ingredients
1 egg
2 tablespoons rosewater
1 cup sugar
1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg
2 1/2 cups flour
approoximately 1/2 pound butter
Extra flour for rolling out the dough
Shortening to grease the baking sheets
Equipment
Flour sifter
Large mixing bowl
Small mixing bowl
Small saucepan
wooden spoon
measuring cups and spoons
Two baking sheets
Rolling pin
Cookie cutters
Directions
1) In large mixing bowl, sift together the sugar, cinnamon, nutmeg and flour. Set aside.
2)In a small mixing bowl, beat together the eg and rosewater, then set aside
3) In a small saucepan, melt the butter over low heat
4) While the butter is melting, add the wet ingredients to the dry ingredients.
5) Stir in enough of the melted butter to make a soft dough
6)preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Lighty grease two baking sheets with shortening
7) sprinkle some flour onto a table or counter. Dust the rolling pin with flour too
8) Roll the dough out to about 1/4 inch thick and cut into shapes with cookie cutters. Carefully place them onto the greased baking sheets.
9) bake the cakes until golden brown