Almond Cakes is a traditional British recipe, based on Alexis Soyer's recipe of 1849, for a classic drop biscuit (cookie) made from a ground almond, powdered sugar and egg white batter that's baked on rice paper and decorated with almond slivers. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Almond Cakes.
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This is a traditional British recipe redacted from Alexis Soyer's 1849 volume The modern Housewife or Ménagère, a classic Victorian cookbook.
Original Recipe
935. ALMOND CAKES.—Procure one pound of ground almonds, to which add two pounds of powdered sugar, mixing the whole with the whites of nine eggs, beating the mixture well with a wooden spoon for about ten minutes, lay them out upon wafer paper of an oval shape with a tablespoon, put three or four strips of almonds upon the top of each, and bake them in a slow oven; when done, break away all the wafer paper but that which adheres to the bottom of the cake, and, when cold, they are ready for use.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients
250g ground almonds
500g powdered sugar
5 egg whites, lightly beaten
slivered almonds, to decorate
rice paper
Method:
Mix together the ground almonds and powdered sugar in a bowl. Add the egg whites and beat with a spoon or electric mixer until the mixture is thick, pale and creamy.
Line your baking trays with rice paper and drop the batter by the tablespoon onto the paper. Form into an oval shape and decorate the top with about three slivered almonds apiece.
Transfer to an oven pre-heated to 160°C and bake slowly for about 15 minutes, or until they are set and very lightly golden on top.
Allow to cool completely then carefully tear them apart, shaping the rice paper nicely around them. Serve or store.
