Richmond Maids of Honour recipe

This is part of a local history note on Richmond Maids of Honour. See the start of this local history note.

The favourite tarts in Tudor times were, however, fruit and it was not until the 17^th century that almond tarts began to appear in the cookery books and attain great popularity. These tarts either took the form of cheese cakes or were filled with ground almonds scented with rose water or later with orange flower water.

The following recipe appeared in The Encyclopaedia of Practical Cookery (1892), edited by T.F. Garrett.

"Beat the yolks of six eggs in a basin, mix in 10oz of powdered sugar, 1oz of bitter and 2oz of sweet almonds, blanched and pounded, the finely-grated rinds of four lemons, the strained ice of two, and two large potatoes, boiled and mashed. Put ½ gall.of milk into a basin with a piece of rennet, and let it remain until it curds; place the curds in a sieve to dry, crumble up, pass them through a sieve into a basin, and mix in 9oz of warmed butter. Work well until the mixture is quite smooth, then add the sugar preparation and 4 tablespoons of brandy. Put the mixture into tartlet-pans lined with rich puff paste, and bake in a quick oven until of a good colour; take them out, turn the cheese-cakes out of the pans, and serve either hot or cold."

A modern version of the above recipe is:

• 1 pint of fresh milk
• 1 teaspoon rennet
• 1oz butter
• 1 standard egg
• 1oz ground almonds
• ½ level teaspoon finely grated lemon rind
• 1oz castor sugar
• 1 small (7oz) packet of frozen puff pastry, just thawed
• ½ oz currants

Make junket, using milk and rennet, but omitting sugar, as directed on bottle of rennet; leave in a warm place to set (if it does not set, move to a warmer place). Pour into a large plastic sieve placed over a basin; cover and leave in a cool place for at least 4 hours or overnight. This should make 1 quarter pint curds; discard whey.

Prepare a hot oven (425 degrees F, Gas Mark 7). Press curds through sieve into a bowl; melt butter.

Beat egg and add to curds, together with ground almonds, lemon rind, sugar and butter. Mix well.

Roll out pastry thinly on a lightly floured board. Using a cutter ½ inch larger than top measurement of tartlet tins, cut pastry into 12 to 15 rounds. Place rounds centrally over tartlet tins and ease into tins; press pastry well into base of tins, but avoid stretching pastry or tarts will become oval on cooking.

Place a teaspoonful of filling into each pastry case; sprinkle a few currants on top of each.

Bake just above centre of oven for 20 to 25 minutes, until pale golden brown.

Leave in tins for a few minutes, then lift out and leave to cool on a wire rack. Serve cold.

A much simpler recipe was given by Joyce Poulson in her book Thames Valley Recipes (1977):

• 4 oz castor sugar
• two egg yolks
• 2 oz ground almonds
• orange flower water
• puff pastry
• two tablespoons cream
• one dessertspoon of flour

Alternatively for a richer mixture use:

• 4 oz ground almonds to
• 2 oz castor sugar

Mix carefully together the flour, sugar and almonds. Blend in the egg yolks and cream, then flavour to taste with orange flower water.

Have prepared small patty tins, lined with puff pastry, and into these put in a spoonful of the mixture.

Bake in a moderately hot oven until firm and golden brown.