Sweet Baked Goods Tea Cakes

tea cakes

(from newspaper Puget Sound Herald, of Steilacoom, Washington Territory, April 16, 1864)

Ingredients:

1 lb. fine flour​

3/4 lb. fresh butter​

3/4 lb. loaf sugar​

3/4 lb. currants​

2 oz. candied lemon​

1 oz. almonds​

Instructions:

One pound of fine flour, three-quarters of a pound of fresh butter, the same of loaf sugar sifted finely, three quarters of a pound of well-washed currants, two ounces candied lemon, and one ounce of almonds. Rub the butter into the four, then add the rest, and moisten it with some well beaten eggs. Make it into a paste and roll it out. The oven must not be too hot.​

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It's a rainy day in upstate New York, so cookies seem like a good idea!

 

[donna]

Cooking is a great way to spend time. We making bread today.

 

[SoAlaNorthGeorgian]

Tea cakes are an English thing. My Grandmother taught me to make them. Her method involves a shorter, without a mold design, more related to cookies. Same recipe. I miss her. Mamas were taught good things back then.

 

[SoAlaNorthGeorgian]

Noticing that I can't edit my post, which is odd, I wanted to expound on the "same recipe" statement. We substituted pecans for currants, or used, barring availability of lemon jelly and almond butter/almonds, extracts and dried scuppernongs. Sugar makes everything good, your flavorings can change to suit reality.

 

[AshleyMel]

Noticing that I can't edit my post, which is odd, I wanted to expound on the "same recipe" statement.

I believe, after 48 hours, posts can not be edited.
No worries though!
You posted the substitutions just fine!!!

 

[AshleyMel]

two ounces candied lemon

???
Can you buy this in the supermarket or is there another substitution we can use.
I do have a lemon tree.
I do love this recipe. I'ma going to look forward to making it!

 

[donna]

Candied Lemon Recipe

1 cup sugar
1 cup water
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3 lemons, slice them 1/8 inch thickness

In pan combine sugar, water and lemon juice. Boil. Reduce and simmer and add lemon slices. Simmer about 15 minutes. Take lemon slices out and cool on wire rack.

Ashley since you have lemons try this to make candied lemons.

 

[AshleyMel]

Thank you Donna!
Very easy!

 

[lupaglupa]

???
Can you buy this in the supermarket or is there another substitution we can use.
I do have a lemon tree.
I do love this recipe. I'ma going to look forward to making it!

As @donna so helpfully pointed out, you can candy your own lemons. Or buy them in the supermarket, though they are not always available year round. They seem to show up near to Christmas when people use them for fruitcakes

 

[Nathanb1]

Tea cakes (the cookie-like ones) remind me of my mom. They were (again) from her old family recipe. I consider myself a tea cake professional, having actually run a contest at our Juneteenth celebration in Leon County years ago...I required every entrant to slip me a sample.

 

[AshleyMel]

Ah! Fruit cake!!!
I didn't make the connection!
Thanks!

 

[SoAlaNorthGeorgian]

Tea cakes (the cookie-like ones) remind me of my mom. They were (again) from her old family recipe. I consider myself a tea cake professional, having actually run a contest at our Juneteenth celebration in Leon County years ago...I required every entrant to slip me a sample.

"The cookie-like ones", Yes, Sir, I know them.