[Sca-cooks] Granado's Bizcochos w/ Orange Flower Water

[Robin Carroll-Mann]

lilinah at earthlink.net wrote:

> BIZCOCHOS - 16th C. SPANISH BISCOTTI
>
> ORIGINAL
>
> Diego Granado, Libro del Arte de Cozina (1599)
> translation by Lady Brighid ni Chiarain

[snip]

>
> QUESTION 1 - so, i separate 4 eggs - then do i use the whites or the 
> yolks in this recipe?

The yolks.  Spanish baking recipes tend to be heavy on egg yolks.  This 
one says to remove (or take away) four of the egg whites.

> QUESTION 2 - the sugar, ground - should that be normal granulated 
> sugar or powdered sugar?

I usually take granulated sugar and run it through the blender.  I 
wouldn't use powdered sugar.

> QUESTION 3 - how much flour? equal to sugar? half as much? twice as much?

The other bizcocho recipe from Granado calls for one pound of sugar to 
one pound of wheat starch.  I've assumed the same proportion for this 
recipe.

> QUESTION 4 - how long is half-done? about 15 minutes? I figure the 
> loaves should not brown, and should be soft enough to slice...

Soft enough to slice, yes.  I don't recall how much time it took.  I 
only baked these once or twice, some years ago.

-- 
Lady Brighid ni Chiarain
Barony of Settmour Swamp, East Kingdom
Robin Carroll-Mann *** rcmann4 at earthlink.net