Friday, 11 September 2015

I have to admit that the taffety tart c 1660 that I made the other day looked nothing like Heston Blumental's, even though we both use the same cookbook. I like to think that he aspires to a more homemade look but can't pull it off. (Taffety tart is made from apple, fennel seeds, rosewater, lemon peel and lots of sugar and as long as you don't burn it, it'll taste pretty good, no matter what it looks like.)
This afternoon I made bean bread c 1670 which looks like this no matter who makes it. (Not the millefruit variety because I didn't have any candied fruits. Just slivered almonds, more rosewater, and a teaspoon of aniseed.) Hannah Woolley is my kind of cook: take it out of the oven, she says, and mend what is amiss. It is tooth-achingly sweet. I can't vouch for its keeping for several weeks because it's all gone.
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3 comments:

  1. Anonymous13 September 2015 at 09:44

    I am wondering where on would buy caraway comfits?

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  2. mary13 September 2015 at 18:49

    I was thinking I might have a go at making some, Toffeeapple. It's a slow and sticky process so you have to be in the mood. The nearest equivalent, I think, is those little coloured comfits you get after an Indian meal - but they're fennel. Much the same thing.

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  3. Anonymous14 September 2015 at 19:02

    Oh yes, the little sugar coated fennel seeds, I had forgotten about those, thanks for reminding me.

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