SC - Shrewbery Cakes

[Decker, Terry D.]

Shrewsbery Cake

To make Shrewsbery Cakes.  Take a quart of very fine flour, eight ounces of
fine sugar beaten and sifted twelve ounces of sweet butter, a Nutmeg grated,
two or three spoonfuls of damask rosewater, work all these together with
your hands as hard as you can for the space of half an hour, then roll it in
little round Cakes, about the thickness of three shillings one upon another,
then take a silver Cup or a glass some four or three inches over and cut the
cakes in them, then strew some flower upon white papers & lay them upon
them, and bake them in an Oven as hot as for Manchet, set up your lid till
you may tell a hundredth, then you shall see the white, if any of them rise
up clap them down with some clean thing, and if your Oven be not too hot set
up your lid again, and in a quarter of an hour they will be baked enough,
but in any case take heed your Oven be not too hot, for they must not look
brown but white, and so draw them forth & lay them one upon another till
they bee could, and you may keep them half a year the new baked are best. 

1 cup flour
1/4 cup sugar
1/2 cup butter
1 Tablespoon nutmeg
1 teaspoon rosewater

Cream the sugar and butter together.
Sift the flour and nutmeg together.
Cut the flour mix into the creamed butter until it crumbs.
Add rosewater and work into the dough.
Knead the dough gently into a ball.  Remove to a lightly floured surface.
Knead gently until the dough is no longer sticky.  Add more flour if
necessary, but try to keep it at a minimum.
Roll out the dough about 3/8 inch thick.
Cut out rounds with a 3 inch diameter cookie cutter.
Continue rolling and cutting until the dough is expended.
Place the rounds on a baking sheet covered with bakers parchment.
Bake at 350 degrees F. for 15 minutes.

Notes:  Shrewsbery cakes are not particularly sweet and the flavor is
produced by the nutmeg.  Old spices may require more than fresh spice.

It is easy to make these taste floury, so be gentle with the flour.