RE: Medieval Recipes - Jumbles or Knot Biscuits

[Guest guest]

Are you getting sick of these yet? *laugh*

 

Jumbles or Knot Biscuits " Jumbles a hundred " - (Scottish

Elizabethan dated from 1596 AD)

A Book of Historical Recipes by Sara Paston-Williams The National

Trust of Scotland, 1995 ISBN 0-7078-0240-7; Posted by Paul Macgregor

 

** British Measurements **

1 1/2 oz Butter; salted

4 oz Caster sugar

1 TB Rose-water

1/2 oz Caraway seeds

1 lg. Egg; beaten

8 oz Plain flour

Extra rose-water & caster sugar for glaze

Preheat the oven to 350oF / 180oC / gas mark 4. Cream the butter,

sugar and rose-water together, then mix in the caraway seeds, beaten egg

and flour to form a soft dough. Knead on a lightly floured board, then

take small walnut-sized pieces of dough and with your fingers form each

into a roll, approximately 3/4-inch in diameter and 6-inch in length.

Make into simple knots, plaits or rings and arrange on a lightly greased

baking sheet. Brush with rose-water and sprinkle with caster sugar. Bake

near the top of the oven for about 20 minutes, or until tinged with

brown. (Knots and plaits will take longer to bake than simple rings, so

don't mix shapes on a baking sheet.) Remove from the oven and cool on a

wire rack. Store in an airtight tin. Delicious when served with syllabub.

 

To make finer Jumbals

 

Redaction:

 

1/2 c. sugar

2 egg whites

1 egg yolk

1/2 c. sifted flour

4 Tbsp butter, melted and cooled to warm

1 1/2 tsp rosewater

3/4 c. blanched almonds, coarsely ground

1-2 tsp anise and/or coriander seeds

 

Whip sugar & egg whites until mixture is consistency of heavy cream. Add egg

yolk, flour, butter, and rosewater. Blend thoroughly. Stir in almonds. Drop

batter from a teaspoon (for round cookies) or squeeze dough through a pastry

tube into shapes onto a well-greased lightly flooured cookie sheet at least

1

1/2 inches apart. Sprinkle tops with anise and/or coriander seeds. Bake at

400 for 12 minutes, or until jumbals are golden brown around the edges.

Remove from baking sheet immediately and cool on a wire rack.

 

Gervase Markham, The English Hous-wife, 1615

 

 

 

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