Breads/Biscuits Scotch Bread

From The Cooks Guide & Housekeeper's & Butler's Assistant by Charles Francatelli published in 1863 this interesting period recipe for Scotch Bread

It's one of those one pound of each kind of ingredients type of recipe. Mind you Francatelli was chef to Queen Victoria, so I imagine he was quite used making food and desserts on very a grand scale.

 

[Jackson'sArm]

Modern conversion says 3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour = one pound; 2 cups granulated sugar = one pound; 2 cups butter= one pound. If you halved everything, it should make it manageable. It sounds like something in between a pound cake and shortbread. Have you tried it? I'd probably forego the candied peel and use something like cinnamon chips or chopped pecans. I feel a bakin' jones coming on...

 

[Anna Elizabeth Henry]

Modern conversion says 3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour = one pound; 2 cups granulated sugar = one pound; 2 cups butter= one pound. If you halved everything, it should make it manageable. It sounds like something in between a pound cake and shortbread. Have you tried it? I'd probably forego the candied peel and use something like cinnamon chips or chopped pecans. I feel a bakin' jones coming on...

Why thank you for running a modern conversion! I agree it sounds a bit like a pound cake but different! The candied peel makes it sound more fruitcake-ish on some level. It's a hybrid of sorts.

I second your idea of using chopped pecans - love pecans! I'm wondering if toffee bits would be a good addition with the pecans? Hmm...the yummy possibilities are endless!

If you're feeling your baking Jones coming on, head over to Netflix and indulge in binge-watching "The Great British Bake Show". I always find something new and interesting to put on my 'to bake list' when I watch it!

Edit - and no I haven't attempted this yet!

 

[Jackson'sArm]

I know! Love Mary Berry and the indomitable Silver Fox. Their baking is so different from ours... I had never even heard of a Victoria sponge! Mary probably has a recipe for Scotch bread and knows all about it.

 

[donna]

I like the candied peel. The toffee bits and pecans sound like a great addition.

 

[Anna Elizabeth Henry]

I know! Love Mary Berry and the indomitable Silver Fox. Their baking is so different from ours... I had never even heard of a Victoria sponge! Mary probably has a recipe for Scotch bread and knows all about it.
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Ah! You've had the pleasure of watching the show I see! Yes, I never ever heard of a Victoria sponge either! I did a post about the sponge before you joined us - https://civilwartalk.com/threads/victoria-sponge.131672/#post-1481150

I've made a sponge and am currently contemplating making Brandy Snaps. My British bestie gave me some of the show's associated cookbooks recently when she visited. Such different methods and unique recipes.

 

[donna]

Brandy Snaps sound good. Hope you post about them.

 

[nitrofd]

What are white comfits?

 

[Anna Elizabeth Henry]

What are white comfits?

According to Wikipedia it's a confectionery treat consisting of died fruits, nuts, seeds or spices coated with sugar candy, much like a Jordan almond from the sound of it. Since the recipe asks for white comfit maybe it's the sugar coating he's referring to that would perhaps be drizzled on the outside of a loaf cake?

 

[nitrofd]

According to Wikipedia it's a confectionery treat consisting of died fruits, nuts, seeds or spices coated with sugar candy, much like a Jordan almond from the sound of it. Since the recipe asks for white comfit maybe it's the sugar coating he's referring to that would perhaps be drizzled on the outside of a loaf cake?

I guess it is just a way to add sweetened nuts to the bread.

 

[donna]

Even though, wrong kind of scotch for scotch day, just had to bring this recipe back up. Love scotch bread.

 

[nitrofd]

Here is a different take:

This Scotch Shortbread,from "The Lady's Own Cookery Book" (1844)
1 lb.of butter
2 lbs.of flour
1/2 teacup full of yeast
2 oz. Caraway seeds
1 oz. Scotch Caraway. (Caraway Comfit)
Lump sugar
Melt the butter,pour it on the flour,yeast,caraway seeds,Scotch Caraway;sweeten to your taste with lump sugar,then knead it well together and roll it out,not too thin,cut in quarters and pinch it round: pick it well with a fork.
The recipe did not give any information on baking the dough.

 

[nitrofd]

SCOTCH SHORTBREAD
from "The Book of Household Management" (1861) Mrs.Isabella Beeton,author
2lbs. Of flour
1 lb. Of butter
1/4 lb. Loaf sugar
1/2 oz. Caraway seeds
1 oz. Sweet almonds
A few strip of orange peel
Beat the butter to a creme,gradually dredge in the flour and add the sugar,caraway seeds,and the sweet almonds;which should be blanched and cut into small pieces.Work the paste until it is quite smooth and divide it into 6 pieces.Put each cake on a separate piece of paper,roll the paste out square to the thickness of about 1 inch,and pinch it in on all sides.Prick well with a fork and ornament it with one or two strip of candied orange peel.Put the cakes in a good oven and bake them 25 to 30 minutes and where the flavor of the caraway seeds is disliked,omit them ,and add rather a larger proportion of candied peel.

 

[Eleanor Rose]

Another great thread on Scotch Bread so I'm giving it a bump!

 

[donna]

Things for bringing up. Several good recipes here.

 

[Fairfield]

Modern conversion says 3-1/2 cups all-purpose flour = one pound; 2 cups granulated sugar = one pound; 2 cups butter= one pound. If you halved everything, it should make it manageable. It sounds like something in between a pound cake and shortbread. Have you tried it? I'd probably forego the candied peel and use something like cinnamon chips or chopped pecans. I feel a bakin' jones coming on...

Actually, I'd leave the peel. The Norwegians make a delicious cake called "julekake" (which is more of a pound-cake bread that a cake); it is made with citron peel).