HISTORIC FORT YORK
RECIPE FROM THE MESS ESTABLISHMENT
OFFICERS' BRICK BARRACKS


PORTUGAL CAKES

ORIGINAL RECEIPTS

1. John Farley, The London Art of Cookery, (London: John Barker, 9th edition, 1800), page 310.

"Take a pound of fine flour, and mix it with a pound of beaten and sifted loaf sugar. Then rub it into a pound of pure sweet butter till it be thick like grated white bread. Then put to it two spoonfuls of rose-water, two of sack, and ten eggs. Whip them well with a whisk, and mix into it eight ounces of currants. Mix all well together, butter the tin pans, and fill them about half full, and bake them. If they be made without currants they will keep half a year. Add a pound of almonds blanced, and beat them with rose-water, as above directed, but leave out the flour.”

2. Hannah Glasse, The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy, facsimile of the 1796 London edition, (Hampden, Connecticut: Archon Books, 1971, introduction by Fanny Craddock), page 311.

"Mix into a pound of fine flour, a pound of loaf-sugar beat and sifted, then rub it into a pound of pure sweet butter till it is thick like grated white bread, then put to it two spoonfuls of rose-water, two of sack, ten eggs, whip them very well with a whisk, them mix it into eight ounces of currants, mixed all well together; butter the tin pans, fill them but half full, and bake them; if made without currants they will keep half a year; add a pound of almonds blanched, and beat with rose-water as above, and leave out the flour: these are another sort, and better.”

HISTORIC BACKGROUND

These receipts (recipes) for Portugal Cakes are almost identical. It was very common and quite acceptable to copy recipes from earlier books.

20th century cooks must read instructions in earlier cookery books very carefully. There are two cakes in these receipts. The first requires flour and currants, but the second eliminates the currants, and substitutes part of the flour with ground almonds. The second cake does not work if the last line is taken literally, that is, "leave out the flour". A pound of fine flour, ie. white, varies from three to four cups, but a pound of almonds is only two and a third cups; therefore only part of the flour is removed in order to give a proper consistency. The almonds were originally pulverized to a fine paste in a mortar and pestle with the rose water to reduce the natural oil released.

Eggs were a crucial ingredient in many cakes. Mistress Dods (in The Cook and Housewife's Manual, 5th edition, 1833, page 368) said: "It ought to be remembered that eggs, besides enriching cakes, are intended to supply the place of yeast". Even though the instructions do not say to separate the eggs, this was understood by all experienced cooks. Yolks and whites are beaten separately to incorporate as much air as possible; that is why so many are required.

"Loaf-sugar beat and sifted" refers to the time consuming process necessary to prepare the sugar. White sugar was moulded into hard cones, which had to be broken apart into lumps, then pulverized in a mortar and pestle, and finally sifted to as fine a powder as possible. Rose water is made by steeping rose petals in either brandy or distilled water. Its delicate perfume was once characteristic of all types of British cakes, confections and beverages. By the mid 19th century, it was being displaced by vanilla essence. Sack was a Portugese or Spanish red wine that resembled sherry.

John Farley was the principal cook at the popular middle class London tavern.

Hannah Glasse (1708 - 1770) was an entrepreneur: she was a dressmaker and milliner, she once pedalled a medicinal tincture, and she authored 2 cookery books and a book for servants. Eventually she landed in bankruptcy court, despite the success of her books. Her cooking style was plain and hearty, unlike many of her contemporaries who were influenced by the grander French cuisine. The Art of Cookery Made Plain and Easy (1747) was her first book.

Illustration from: Eliza Acton, Modern Cookery for Private Families, 1845, p. 281.

OUR MODERN EQUIVALENTS

The batter can also be baked in patty pans or muffin tins for about 35 - 40 minutes.

First cake:

Sift: flour and sugar together

Rub in: butter, "till it is thick like grated white bread”

Add: currants

Whisk: egg yolks and wine to a thick cream, about 10 minutes

Blend: whisked yolks into dry ingredients

Whisk: egg whites and rosewater until stiff, about 10 minutes

Fold: whites into batter

Turn into: a buttered or greased 33 cm x 23 cm (13" x 9") pan

Bake: in a moderate oven, 180 C (350 F), for about one hour or until toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean

Second Cake:
We suggest you pulverize the almonds yourself to retain the natural oil; commercial ground almonds are too dry.

Pulverize: almonds with rose water (in a food processor or mortar and pestle)

Sift: flour and sugar together

Blend: almonds, flour and sugar

Rub in: butter

Whisk: egg yolks and wine to a thick cream, about 10 minutes

Blend: whisked yolks into dry ingredients

Whisk: whites until stiff, about 10 minutes

Fold: whites into batter

Turn into: a buttered or greased 33 cm x 23 cm (13" x 9") pan

Bake: in a moderate oven, 180 C (350 F), about one hour or until toothpick inserted in centre comes out clean

revised January 1998

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Published with the permission of Heritage Toronto. Jessup Food & Heritage acknowledges the excellent research and experimentation performed in the historic kitchens of Heritage Toronto at Fort York, Spadina House, MacKenzie House and Colborne Lodge under the leadership of Fiona Lucas, Senior Domestic Interpreter. Our thanks go to Fiona and her expert staff in allowing us to share with you their work.

Jessup Food & Heritage, Limited
P.O. Box 446, 356 East Street
Prescott, Ontario K0E 1T0
telephone: 1-800-882-6704
fax: 613-536-0456

This page was last updated: Sunday, December 01, 2002