[Sca-cooks] Bizcochos and Prosciutto-wrapped Almond-stuffed Dates

[lilinah at earthlink.net]

I served Bizcochos at the Mists Bardic. They were not cooked by me,
but by Dueña Dueña Duquesa Juana Isabella de Montoya y Ramirez. She
used a recipe she'd used before, flavored with anise. I don't like
anise and wanted to use the recipe below. Has anyone tried this? What
quantities did you use? Etc.

Also, a question to those who have more experience with the "Spanish"
repertoire. Duquesa Juana also made dates stuffed with almonds
wrapped with prosciutto. I didn't eat one because i was afraid there
weren't enough. I regret being so honest :-) She didn't remember
where the recipe came from. Has anyone seen it? I'd like to know the
source before i put all the feast recipes on line...

Thanks
Anahita

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BIZCOCHOS - Biscotti

ORIGINAL
Diego Granado, Libro del Arte de Cozina (1599)
trans. by Lady Brighid ni Chiarain

Take twelve eggs, and remove the whites from four of them, and with a
little orange-flower water beat them a great deal, and grind a pound
of sugar, and cast it in little by little, always beating quickly,
and cast in flour, or powdered wheat starch, and beat it with force.
Having cast in the said flour, when they see that it is necessary,
and very fine, and the dough must remain white, just as for fritters,
and then cast it in your pots, and carry them to the oven, and when
half-cooked remove them, and dust them with well-ground sugar, and
cut them to your taste, and return them to the oven, and let them
finish baking a second time: and if they wish when they beat them,
cast in as much white wine as an eggshell, it will be good.

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This is as far as i've gotten trying to work up the recipe. Since
Duquesa Juana had her own recipe, i didn't finish. However, these
might be good for the cookie exchange...

TENTATIVE VERSION

8 eggs
4 yolks
a little orange flower water
an eggshell of white wine
1 pound sugar
(?1 pound?) white wheat flour
powdered sugar

1. Preheat oven to 450° Fahrenheit.
2. Beat eggs and orange flower water together well, adding an
eggshell of white wine.
3. Add sugar little by little, beating constantly.
4. Add flour and beat with force.
5. Put the dough in a baking pan, forming it into a loaf or two a
couple inches high.
6. Bake for some time... (1/2 hour?)
7. When half-cooked remove, dust with powdered sugar, and slice to your taste.
8. Return to the oven, and finish baking the second time.