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Naples Bisket

Naples Bisket is a traditional British recipe for a classic yeasted cake dating back to Elizabethan Italy made from a blend of nuts, egg whites, sugar, cream and rice flour. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Naples Bisket.

prep time

20 minutes

cook time

70 minutes

Total Time:

90 minutes

Additional Time:

(+cooling)

Makes:

12

Rating:

Tags : Baking RecipesBritish Recipes

There are many ingredients of this cake which probably ultimately dates back to Elizabethan times where the confectioners of Italy began to use other methods apart from yeast to make cakes rise. The recipe here is based on that from Hannah Woolley's The Queen-like Closet or Rich Cabinet (1672) and is for a concoction that's half-way between a cake and a pavlova.

Original Recipe

205. To make Naples Bisket.

Take four Ounces of Pine Apple seeds, two Ounces of sweet Almonds blanched, the Whites of two Eggs, one spoonful of Ale-Yeast, one spoonful of Rice Flower, one spoonful of sweet Cream, beat all these together in a Mortar, then add to it Musk or Ambergreece, drop it upon a Pie-plate, and make it in what shape you please, and so bake it.

Modern Redaction

The original recipe here calls for pine apple seeds (actually pine nuts) and musk or ambergris as a flavouring. I've substituted rose water for these in the recipe below, but if you would like to get closer to the flavour of the original you could use 1/2 tsp ground musk mallow seeds.

Ingredients:

120g pine nuts
60g blanched almonds
2 egg whites
1 tsp yeast
1 tsp sugar
2 tbsp warm water
2 tbsp rice flour
1 tbsp single cream
a few drops rose water or vanilla extract (the original recipe calls for musk or ambergris)

Method:

Lightly toast the pine nuts and almonds in a dry pan. When lightly brown tip into a coffee grinder and render to a flour-like consistency. Meanwhile mix the warm water, sugar and yeast together. Set aside until it begins to froth.

Lightly whisk the egg whites until they form soft peaks. Fold-in the nut flour, rice flour, sugar, yeast mixture and the cream. Whip lightly then add the flavouring. Place a square of parchment or baking paper on a baking tray and mound the meringue onto this in the shape of lozenges.

Place in an oven pre-heated to 180°C (350°F/Gas Mark 4) and immediately reduce to 150°C (300°F/Gas Mark 2). Bake for 30 minutes then reduce the heat to 120°C and cook for a further 45 minutes. Turn off the oven and allow the 'biscuit' to cool completely as the oven itself cools.