Victorian Marguerites Recipes

VICTORIAN MARGUERITES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375°F
• Grease several baking sheets or coat with nonstick spray.
• In a large bowl, thoroughly stir flour, salt, cinnamon, nutmeg or mace, set aside. In another large bowl with electric mixer on medium speed, beat together butter and sugar till light and well blended.
• In another bowl, with electric mixer on high speed, beat egg yolks and 3 tbs warm water until light colored and thickened, 2-3 minutes. Beat the egg yolk mixture and lemon zest into the butter mixture until well blended and smooth.
• Gradually beat or stir in the flour mixture, until evenly incorporated. divide dough in half.
• Place each portion between large sheets of wax paper and roll out each portion 1/3" thick; check underside of dough and smooth out any wrinkles. Working with one portion of dough at a time, gently peel away, then pat one sheet of wax paper back into place. Flip the dough over, cut out the cookies.
• If at any point dough softens too much, transfer back to chill. Using spatula, carefully transfer cookies to baking sheets, spacing about 1 1/4 inches apart.
• Reroll any dough scraps. Continue cutting out cookies till all dough is used.
• Bake the cookies one sheet at a time in the upper third of oven for 8 -10 minutes, or faintly colored on top and just slightly darker at edges. Reverse sheets halfway through to ensure even browning. Transfer sheets to wire rack and let stand 1-2 minutes for cookies to firm up slightly. Transfer cookies to rack to cool completely.
• FROSTING: In large bowl with mixer on low speed, beat the egg whites, lemon juice and powdered sugar till blended.
• Increase the speed to high and beat 2-3 minutes or until glossy and stiffened.
• Preheat oven to 325°F Coat baking sheets with nonstick spray--thinly spread the cookie tops with layer of marmalade or preserves. Spread cookie with frosting to cover their sides.
• Place cookies on baking sheets, spacing 1 inch apart. Bake 8-11 minutes or frosting is just tinged with color.
• Let stand 15 minutes before serving. Store cookies airtight for up to 10 days or freeze up to 1 month.
• Once frosted, cookies should be eaten within 3 days.

MOST MEMORABLE MARGUERITE CAKE

Steps:

• Cake method: Prepare two 8"round layer cake pans by buttering and lining with wax paper circles. Preheat the oven to 350°F. Cream butter, brown sugar, egg whites, and molasses together and beat until smooth.
• Mix the flour with the soda in a small bowl.
• Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture, alternating with buttermilk, and ending with flour.
• Scoop the batter evenly into the two prepared pans. For precision, you can weigh the uncooked cakes, although it is not necessary. Bake the cakes for 30 minutes in a preheated 350°F oven. Test for doneness with a toothpick.
• Cool completely in pans on wire racks; turn out when cool.
• TIPS: You can make the cake ahead, freeze it, and fill and frost it at a later date. For a large crowd, make a layered slab cake. Each recipe for cake batter fills one 9 by 13 inch pan. Make two separate batches, rather than doubling the initial recipe. You can double the filling to cook at one time. Also, if your double boiler is large enough you can double or triple the icing too. A layered slab cake will serve 24 people generously.
• Filling Method: In a medium saucepan, over medium heat, mix the egg yolks, raisins, milk, butter, brown sugar, and vanilla.
• Cook, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Continue cooking and stirring until mixture thickens. This takes four or five minutes. Cool completely.
• Assemble cake by placing one cake upside down on a plate. Spread the filling over the cake and top with the second cake, right side up.
• Cover the cake until ready to ice with Brown Sugar Seven Minute Frosting.
• Icing Method: Double this recipe for Memorable Marguerite Cake Put brown sugar, egg white, water, and salt, into the top of a double boiler over boiling water and beat the mixture with a hand mixer until stiff. It will take almost seven minutes.
• When taken off heat, add the ½ teaspoon of vanilla and the ¼ teaspoon of baking powder and stir using the mixer for a few seconds. Spread generously on the Marguerite Cake.
• Make sure the boiling water in the base isn't touching the bottom of the icing pot, as this can lead to a more granular icing. For Marguerite Cake, I double this recipe, ice the cake generously, then store leftover icing in an airtight container, in the fridge. For a treat, spread it on a muffin or graham wafer. It keeps for a couple of days. This icing elevates any cake to a fancy dessert.
• Tip: Once the Memorable Marguerite Cake is iced, cover it, and put it in the refrigerator, until serving time. It is just fine made a day ahead.