1800s Tea Cakes Recipes

TEACAKES

Steps:

• Warm the milk with the butter in a pan until the butter has melted, then add 100ml water to cool the mixture to room temp. Tip the flour, yeast, sugar, spice and 1 tsp salt into a bowl, making sure the yeast is on the other side of the bowl to the salt. Make a well in the flour mixture and pour the milk and butter in, mixing until it forms big flakes, then bring together with your hands. Tip on a surface and knead until smooth (about 5 mins). Put the dough into a large, lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp tea towel and leave until doubled in size, so about 1-1 ½ hours.
• Line a tray with baking paper. Tip the mixed dried fruits into the dough and knead them in, trying to disperse them evenly throughout the dough. Cut your dough into 6 even-sized balls, take each ball and, using the cup of your hand, and pressing down a little with your palm, roll the ball in a circular motion on the surface to create tension across the top of the bun and a neat round shape. Place onto a tray about 5cm away from each other and press down with your palm to flatten the dough down a little, creating the teacake shape. Cover loosely with an oiled sheet of cling film, for a further 45 mins, or until they have doubled in size.
• Meanwhile, heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas mark 6. Brush the top of each bun liberally with the egg wash, then bake for 20 mins on the top shelf of the oven, until the buns are golden and well risen. Allow to cool on a wire rack, then slice in half, toast and slather with butter if you like.

1800'S TEA CAKES

Steps:

• 1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• 2. Cream sugar and shortening. Add eggs and vanilla-mix well. Sift flour, baking powder and salt. Combine with shortening mixture. Knead dough until it can be rolled out on a floured board. Roll about 1/8 inch thick, cut out and place cut 'cookies' on ungreased sheet pans/cookie sheets and bake until edges are just golden. (About 10-12 minutes) Middle of cookie should be fairly light. The longer baked, and the browner the cookie, the crisper it will be.

ORIGINAL FAMILY RECIPE FOR TEA CAKES (FROM 1800'S)

Steps:

• 1. Cream butter and sugar together. Add eggs, one at a time and stir after each one.
• 2. Dissolve baking soda in sour milk and add this to the mixture.
• 3. Add enough flour to make dough stiff enough to dump on floured board. Knead in more flour until you can roll the dough out and cut out tea cakes. Bake and cool.
• 4. Modern day instructions not included in original recipe: Place on cookie sheets and bake at 375 degrees for 10-12 minutes.

GRANDMA'S OLD FASHIONED TEA CAKES

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt and nutmeg; stir into the creamed mixture. Knead dough for a few turnns on a floured board until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until firm.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch in thickness. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Place cookies 1 1/2 inches apart onto cookie sheets.
• Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.