[Sca-cooks] Re: Masqued Ball

[Marian Rosenberg]

Phillipa Seton said:

> Almond Tart
>
> 8-inch unbaked pie pastry  shell
> 1 1/2 c  Blanched almonds; coarsely ground
> 1 1/2 c  Heavy cream            1 tb Plus 1 ts sugar
> 4 ts Rose water               Strawberry or cherry -preserves for topping
>
> To make a Tart of Almonds--Blanch almonds and beat them, and strain them fine
> with good thicke Creame.  Then put in Sugar and Rosewater, and boyle  it
> thicke.  Then make your paste with butter, fair water, and the yolks of two
> or three Egs, and so soone as ye have driven your paste, cast on a  little
> sugar, and rosewater, and harden your paste afore in the oven.  Then take it
> out, and fill it, and set it in againe, and let it bake till  it be wel, and
> so serve it.--The Good Huswives Handmaid
>
>   Almond milk, that popular medieval ingredient, is back again, but this
>   time with the addition of a favorite Elizabethan component:  rose water.
>   The filling is crunchy and rich, and tastes best chilled with a topping of
>   strawberry or cherry preserve....

I see a distinct lack of strawberry or cherry preserve in this recipe.
Besides, either strawberry or cherry preserve on this recipe would (in
my mind) overwhelm the delicate flavor of the rosewater.

Rosewater should be a delicate flavor.  If it isn't, you used too much.
Sometimes rosewater needs to be watered so that the flavor is delicate
but not overpowering.

I also fail to see almond milk in this recipe, I see blanched almonds in
cream but no almond milk.

> 1.  Bake pie shell at 425F for 10 minutes.  Reduce temperature to 350F and
> bake for an additional 5 minutes.  Let cool.

While the topic of pie shells is out and about, is there any medieval
way to make a pie shell (that is, without baking powder or baking
soda?).  For the Post-Pennsic Dessert Revel Tamminus and I made a
tardpolane and our pie shell (almond milk, flour, sugar ... ummm) turned
out to be a very good plate upon which to eat the filling.

Since this is intended to be a finger foods event, I would make
miniature pie shells and cook in greased ramikins (stainless steel ones
are available at some dollar stores at $0.25 apiece), flip upside down
onto those little paper circle things and garnish with a star pattern of
slivered almonds, or, if feeling adventurous, a miniature marzipan rose.

> 2.  Combine remaining ingredients in a heavy saucepan.
>      Boil gently about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally, until mixture
> thickens to the consistency of pudding.

1 1/2 c  Blanched almonds; coarsely ground; 1 1/2 c  Heavy cream; 1 tb
Plus 1 ts sugar; 4 ts Rose water

I am unsure of the periodness of this but I would have a mix of very
finely ground almonds and coarsely ground almonds for the mouthfeel.

I'd also use more sugar, maybe 2 tablespoons, since I have a sweet tooth
...

> 3.  Pour filling into pie shell.
> 4.  Bake at 350F about 30 minutes or until top is golden.
> 5.  Cool to room temperature on a wire rack.  Refrigerate for at least 2
> hours.
> 6.  Just before serving, spread a thin layer of preserve on top.

if one absolutely insists on using preserve, use rose-petal jelly ...

>   Serves 6-8
>
>   from To The Queen's Taste by Lorna J. Sass
>   "Desserts"
>   posted by Tiffany Hall-Graham

Hmmm ... are redactions like this the reason I've heard bad things about
that book?

-M