tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8745493398948198755.post7235587511986224346..comments2024-03-28T12:23:06.497-07:00Comments on Food History Jottings: Toad-in-a-Hole Biscuits and FriendsIvan Dayhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/03500437663759868535noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8745493398948198755.post-29646983783047533522013-09-08T15:10:08.406-07:002013-09-08T15:10:08.406-07:00Hi Donna,
It is beautiful, but also very practica...Hi Donna,<br /><br />It is beautiful, but also very practical and saves a lot of work. Of course it was also the prototype for the mechanical rollers that are still used to mass-produce biscuits with these kinds of patterns, which of course are still with us.<br /><br />Cheers<br /><br />IvanIvan Dayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03500437663759868535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8745493398948198755.post-77261612698593105232013-09-08T15:06:44.133-07:002013-09-08T15:06:44.133-07:00Hi Elise,
I have attempted to answer your questio...Hi Elise,<br /><br />I have attempted to answer your questions - <br /><br />Judges Biscuits<br /><br />“…and put three papers on your plates…” Would this be interpreted as putting three layers of parchment paper onto a metal baking sheet? <br /><br />Yes this is correct, though the paper used for baking at this period was not like modern greaseproof, parchment or silicone paper. It was a laid paper, similar to a light watercolour paper. Although here the author tells us to 'cut\ the biscuits off the paper, in other recipes he instructs us to wet the back of the paper once they come out of the oven, a method that works very well.<br /><br />“…the oven rather sharp …” Is this referring to a very hot oven? How hot did you choose to use? Would that work with the Yarmouth and orange biscuits (“ Your oven must be rather hot”)?<br /><br />'Sharp' here means a fairly hot oven. I baked these in my range oven which is heated from the fire. At a guess the temperature was at about 190C. You have to watch they don't burn. Because of the high sugar content most of these sweet biscuits were baked at between 160 and 190C. Any hotter and they brown too quickly. <br /><br />Fine Almond Faggots<br />“…put some wafer papers on your wire…” Would this be interpreted as using a wire rack rather than a metal baking sheet? And, is wafer paper the same as parchment paper or is it “rice paper”, the thin, edible “paper”? <br /><br />Confectioners frequently baked on wire racks. Remember if they are using a wood fired oven, it keeps the delicate biscuits off the dusty oven floor. The heat could also circulate under and around them without them coming in direct contact with the oven floor which always retains a lot of heat. Wafer paper was close to modern rice paper, but not exactly the same. The only recipe I know to make it is in John Thacker, The Art of Cookery. (Newcastle upon Tyne: 1758)<br /><br />“…and cut the wafer paper off round them, that is ragged, and leave the wafer paper at the bottom of them.” I see this as cutting the “edible rice paper” around the almond faggots while still leaving the wafer paper on the bottom of each, now individual, almond faggot. Do I interpret that correctly?<br /><br />That is perfectly correct. <br /><br />Cheers<br /><br />IvanIvan Dayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/03500437663759868535noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8745493398948198755.post-32929180357687714442013-09-08T05:06:17.841-07:002013-09-08T05:06:17.841-07:00Some questions about the recipes, if you would be ...Some questions about the recipes, if you would be so indulgent! Thank you!<br /><br />Judges Biscuits<br /><br />“…and put three papers on your plates…” Would this be interpreted as putting three layers of parchment paper onto a metal baking sheet?<br /><br />“…the oven rather sharp …” Is this referring to a very hot oven? How hot did you choose to use? Would that work with the Yarmouth and orange biscuits (“ Your oven must be rather hot”)?<br /><br />Fine Almond Faggots<br />“…put some wafer papers on your wire…” Would this be interpreted as using a wire rack rather than a metal baking sheet? And, is wafer paper the same as parchment paper or is it “rice paper”, the thin, edible “paper”?<br /><br />“…and cut the wafer paper off round them, that is ragged, and leave the wafer paper at the bottom of them.” I see this as cutting the “edible rice paper” around the almond faggots while still leaving the wafer paper on the bottom of each, now individual, almond faggot. Do I interpret that correctly? <br />Elise Fleming/Alys K.https://www.blogger.com/profile/02042501679460805720noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8745493398948198755.post-90685055820454085042013-09-06T20:53:23.734-07:002013-09-06T20:53:23.734-07:00Never met a biscuit I didn't like and the roll...Never met a biscuit I didn't like and the roller is quite a beauty.donna bakerhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/13507579686738843451noreply@blogger.com