Regency Shrewsbury Cakes
Today’s Regency recipe is a Shrewsbury Cake recipe from 1806. They’re called cakes, but they’re really cookies! Let me know how it works for you in the comments!
These are delightfully simple spiced biscuits (or sugar cookies if you're in the US). Because the dough is brought together with melted butter rather than creamed butter, the baked cookies have a wonderful crispness to them. Flavoured with warming cinnamon, freshly grated nutmeg, and a delicate splash of rosewater, this dough is incredibly easy to work with and perfect for rolling out and cutting into your favourite shapes.
Original recipe
Sift one pound of sugar, some pounded cinnamon, and a nutmeg grated, into three pounds of flour, the finest sort. Add a little rosewater to three eggs, well beaten, and mix these with the flour, etc., then pour into it as much butter melted as will make it a good thickness to roll out. Mould [knead] it well, roll thin and cut it into such shapes as you like.
Recipe taken from “A new system of domestic cookery, formed upon principles of economy and adapted to the use of private families” by Maria Eliza Ketelby Rundell, 1806 edition.
Modern ingredients
- 3 ½ cups (450g) all-purpose flour (UK: plain flour)
- ¾ cup (150g) granulated sugar (UK: caster sugar)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp ground nutmeg
- 1 large egg
- 1 tsp rosewater (or vanilla extract)
- 1 cup or 2 sticks (225g) unsalted butter, melted (adjust as required)
Modern method
Mix the dry ingredients: In a large bowl, whisk together the flour, sugar, cinnamon, and nutmeg.
Prepare the wet ingredients: In a small bowl, beat the egg lightly with a fork, then stir in the rosewater (or vanilla extract).
Form the dough: Pour the beaten egg mixture into the dry ingredients. Gradually pour in the melted butter, mixing with a wooden spoon and then your hands until the mixture comes together into a smooth, pliable dough. Knead it well for a minute or two just until evenly combined.
Chill the dough: Wrap the dough in plastic wrap and chill it in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes. This allows the melted butter to firm up slightly, making the dough much easier to roll and helping the cookies keep their shape in the oven.
Roll and cut: Preheat your oven to 350°F (175°C / 155°C fan). Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to about ¼-inch (6mm) thickness. Cut into your desired shapes using cookie cutters and transfer them to the prepared baking sheets, leaving a little space between each.
Bake: Bake in the centre of the oven for 10 to 12 minutes, or until the edges are just beginning to turn golden brown. Let the cookies cool on the baking sheet for 5 minutes before transferring them to a wire rack to cool completely.
