Sweet Baked Goods Almond Cheesecakes

almond cheesecakes.

(from The Book of Household Management, edited by Isabella Beeton, 1861)

Ingredients:

1/4 lb. of sweet almonds,​

4 bitter almonds​

3 eggs​

2 oz. butter​

rind of 1/4 lemon​

1 tbsp. lemon-juice​

3 oz. sugar​

Instructions:

1219. INGREDIENTS. - 1/4 lb. of sweet almonds, 4 bitter ones, 3 eggs, 2 oz. of butter, the rind of 1/4 lemon, 1 tablespoonful of lemon-juice, 3 oz. of sugar.​

​

Mode: - Blanch and pound the almonds smoothly in a mortar, with a little rose- or spring-water; stir in the eggs, which should be well beaten, and the butter, which should be warmed; add the grated lemon-peel and juice, sweeten, and stir well until the whole is thoroughly mixed. Line some pattypans with puff-paste, put in the mixture, and bake for 20 minutes, or rather less in a quick oven.​

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Time: - 20 minutes, or rather less.​

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Average Cost, 10d.​

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Sufficient for about 12 cheesecakes.​

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Seasonable at any time.​

This sounds like a tasty dessert for Christmas Day!
Hope y'all enjoy!

 

[donna]

It does sound good. One to try for the holidays.

 

[nitrofd]

Is that just 4 only bitter almonds?

 

[Albert Sailhorst]

Is that just 4 only bitter almonds?

Good question.....I interpret it as: out of 1/2 pound sweet almonds, add 4 bitter almonds....

 

[nitrofd]

Good question.....I interpret it as: out of 1/2 pound sweet almonds, add 4 bitter almonds....

How does one know the difference between the two.

 

[Albert Sailhorst]

How does one know the difference between the two.

Another good question......I have no idea, unless it is another type of almond.....Sorry I can't answer....

 

[Allie]

Don't use any bitter almonds, they are poisonous! Very! I always wonder about recipes like this, did they mean something different or did everyone just wonder why they all fell ill.

 

[Pat Young]

I note the abscence of cheese. What Up?

 

[Allie]

This is from the Wikipedia article on almonds - only five bitter almonds will kill a child -

The seeds of Prunus dulcis var. dulcis are predominantly sweet[31][32] but some individual trees produce seeds that are somewhat more bitter. The genetic basis for bitterness involves a single gene, the bitter flavour furthermore beingrecessive,[33][34] both aspects making this trait easier to domesticate. The fruits from Prunus dulcis var. amara are always bitter, as are the kernels from other Prunusspecies, such as peach and cherry (to a lesser extent).

The bitter almond is slightly broader and shorter than the sweet almond and contains about 50% of the fixed oil that occurs in sweet almonds. It also contains the enzymeemulsin which, in the presence of water, acts on solubleglucosides, amygdalin, and prunasin,[35] yielding glucose,cyanide and the essential oil of bitter almonds, which is nearly pure benzaldehyde, the chemical causing the bitter flavor. Bitter almonds may yield from 4–9 mg of hydrogen cyanide per almond[36] and contain 42 times higher amounts of cyanide than the trace levels found in sweet almonds.[37]The origin of cyanide content in bitter almonds is via the enzymatic hydrolysis of amygdalin.[37]

Extract of bitter almond was once used medicinally but even in small doses, effects are severe or lethal, especially in children; the cyanide must be removed before consumption.[37]The acute oral lethal dose of cyanide for adult humans is reported to be 0.5–3.5 mg/kg of body weight (approximately 50 bitter almonds), whereas for children, consuming 5–10 bitter almonds may be fatal.[37]

All commercially grown almonds sold as food in the United States are of the "sweet" variety. The US Food and Drug Administration reported in 2010 that some fractions of imported sweet almonds were contaminated with bitter almonds. Eating such almonds could result invertigo and other typical bitter almond (cyanide) poisoning effects.[38]

Certain natural food stores sell "bitter almonds" or "apricot kernels" labeled as such, requiring significant caution by consumers for how to prepare and eat these products.[39]

 

[Albert Sailhorst]

I note the abscence of cheese. What Up?

One could mix in Limburger, I suppose!

 

[Pat Young]

This is from the Wikipedia article on almonds - only five bitter almonds will kill a child -

That's why you only use 4. Safety first.

 

[Pat Young]

One could mix in Limburger, I suppose!

Albert, if I had gone to my local market and tried to buy those bitter almonds I would likely have been reported to Homeland Security!

 

[Albert Sailhorst]

I declare that I am not responsible nor liable for injury, death, accidents and other types of harm caused to those who choose to use an authentic recipe that I did not create, manufacture or invent..... I simply shared from an original, published book from the 1800's........

 

[Albert Sailhorst]

Pat, I may need to keep you on retainer!

 

[Pat Young]

Pat, I may need to keep you on retainer!

No problem. I'll do it pro bono to defend your 1st Amendment right to publish delicious ways to thin out your family.

 

[Albert Sailhorst]

No problem. I'll do it pro bono to defend your 1st Amendment right to publish delicious ways to thin out your family.

Thanks!!....I appreciate it!

 

[nitrofd]

I guess that is why they say cyanide smells of bitter almonds.

 

[Pat Young]

I guess that is why they say cyanide smells of bitter almonds.

Bitter almonds are apparently safe if cooked and processed, and they are used in cyanide poisonings:
http://articles.latimes.com/2002/feb/20/food/fo-almond20

 

[nitrofd]

Bitter almonds are apparently safe if cooked and processed, and they are used in cyanide poisonings:
http://articles.latimes.com/2002/feb/20/food/fo-almond20

Interesting.

 

[Bee]

This picture pops up and fills my screen every time I log on....it is pure torture.

Regarding the cyanide poisoning: if you crack open the stone of a peach, inside is a tiny replica of an almond -- this, too, carries the cyanide.