Read The Unofficial Downton Abbey Cookbook Online
Authors: Emily Ansara Baines
The Unofficial Downton Abbey Cookbook (30 page)
Back in medieval times, the Roman Catholic Church decreed that “the pudding should be made on the twenty-fifth Sunday after Trinity, that it be prepared with thirteen ingredients to represent Christ and the twelve apostles, and that every family member stir it in turn from East to West to honor the Magi and their supposed journey in that direction.” While this pudding recipe isn’t quite as specific as that, it’s likely that many of Downton Abbey’s staff has family that would still follow these directions come Christmastime.
Another holiday dessert, Bûche de Noël is a cake covered in frosting shaped to resemble a “yule log,” a log burned as part of a traditional Christmas celebration. Whether French or British, rich or poor, all would enjoy this dessert come Christmastime — including both the staff and aristocrats at Downton Abbey. Traditionally made with yellow cake, this recipe uses chocolate to give the cake an added richness.
For Cake
5 eggs, separated
1
1
⁄
2
cups white sugar
1
⁄
2
cup cake flour
1
⁄
2
cup high-quality baking cocoa
1
⁄
2
teaspoon kosher salt
1
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2
teaspoon cream of tartar
1 cup whipping cream
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1
⁄
2
cup confectioners’ sugar
1
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2
cup butter, softened
1
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2
cup high-quality baking cocoa
2 cups confectioners’ sugar, plus extra for garnish
2 teaspoons vanilla extract
2 tablespoons whole milk
- Preheat oven to 350°F. Line a 10×15×1-inch baking pan with parchment paper, then grease the paper.
- Place egg whites in a small bowl, then let stand at room temperature for half an hour. Then in a large mixing bowl, beat egg yolks until they are light and fluffy. Mix in
1
⁄
2
cup of the white sugar, beating until thick and lemon-colored. - In a separate bowl, combine flour, cocoa, and salt. Gradually add to egg-yolk mixture until well blended.
- Beat egg whites until foamy, add cream of tartar, and beat until soft peaks form. Gradually add remaining sugar, beating on high until stiff peaks form. Fold egg-white mixture until no streaks remain.
- Pour mixture into the baking pan, then spread evenly. Bake in preheated oven for 15 minutes or until cake springs back when pressed. Cool for 5 minutes, then invert onto a linen towel dusted with confectioners’ sugar. Peel off the parchment paper, then roll the cake in the towel, starting with the end. Cool on a wire rack.
- In a medium mixing bowl, pour in cream and vanilla. Beat cream mixture until it begins to thicken, then add sugar. Beat until stiff peaks form and chill.
- Unroll cooled cake, and spread filling to within a half-inch of the edges. Roll up again, then place on a serving platter and chill in refrigerator.
- In a mixing bowl, beat together the frosting ingredients until smooth. Frost cake. Using a fork or knife, make lines resembling tree bark, and sprinkle with powdered sugar to resemble snow if desired.
While America had the fat and jolly Santa Claus to help celebrate Christmas, before the 1950s (and the influx of American influence) the celebrated Christmas icon in England was Father Christmas. Although Father Christmas was originally a religious figure, by the Victorian and Edwardian eras he was thought of as more of a jovial figure (like Santa), as a symbol of the goodwill of Christmas.
A traditional British holiday fruitcake is covered in marzipan and then royal icing. Oddly enough, in Yorkshire the fruitcake is served with cheese. Fruitcake is also used as the base of traditional English wedding cake, with the top layer called the “christening cake,” which is meant to be saved for the christening of the couple’s first child. Marriage or no marriage, this highly alcoholic dessert would be enjoyed by all at Downton Abbey.
1 cup golden raisins
1
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8
cup chopped dried cherries
1
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4
cup dried cranberries
1
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2
cup dried blueberries
1
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4
cup candied ginger, chopped
2
⁄
3
cup dark rum
1 cup butter
1
⁄
2
cup packed light brown sugar
1
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4
cup white sugar
1 egg, room temperature
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1
⁄
2
cup all-purpose flour
1
⁄
8
teaspoon baking soda
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1
⁄
2
teaspoon ground cinnamon
1
⁄
4
cup molasses
2 tablespoons whole milk
1
⁄
2
cup toasted pecans, broken
- In a large bowl, soak raisins and other dried fruit with candied ginger in
1
⁄
2
cup of the dark rum for at least 24 hours, preferably longer. Cover tightly and store at room temperature. - Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a 6-inch round pan that is 3 inches deep and line it with parchment paper.
- In a large bowl, cream together butter, brown sugar, and white sugar until fluffy. Beat in egg and vanilla extract.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together flour, baking soda, salt, and cinnamon. Mix into butter mixture in 3–4 batches, alternating with molasses and whole milk. Stir in soaked fruit and nuts. Pour batter into prepared pan.
- Cook in preheated oven for 30–35 minutes or until a toothpick inserted comes out relatively clean. Cool in pan for 15 minutes, then sprinkle with 3–4 tablespoons of the rum.
- Cut out 1 piece parchment paper and 1 piece cheesecloth, each large enough to wrap around top and bottom sides of cake. Arrange cheesecloth on top of parchment paper, and place cake on it. Spritz cake top and sides with remaining rum. Wrap cheesecloth close to the surface of the cake, then wrap with paper. Place in an airtight tin and age for at least 2
1
⁄
2
months. If storing longer, spritz with additional rum every 6 weeks.
For a period of time in Victorian England, it was the custom for single wedding guests to put a slice of the wedding fruitcake under their pillows at night and then they would dream of the person they’d marry.
No Edwardian meal could end without a proper selection of sweets, especially fresh fruit. The fact that a house could serve fruit such as oranges would show great wealth, as citrus fruits were still a rarity in England during Edwardian times. It’s likely that the Earl and Countess of Grantham would treat their esteemed guests to this Fruit Salad before retiring to their respective sitting rooms for coffee and conversation.
4 fresh pears, cut into bite-sized pieces
4 peaches, cut into bite-sized pieces
4 oranges, peeled and cut into bite-sized pieces
1
⁄
2
cup raspberries
2 tablespoons lemon juice
3
⁄
4
cup simple syrup (1 part sugar, 1 part water)
1
⁄
4
cup lightly packed mint leaves
4 tablespoons rum
1 cup slivered almonds
- Preheat oven to 350°F.
- Stir together the diced fruit, raspberries, and lemon juice.
- Purée together the simple syrup and mint until fully liquefied. Pour over fruit. Add rum, then stir to combine. Let stand at room temperature for 2 hours, stirring occasionally.
- Spread slivered almonds on a rimmed baking sheet. Place in preheated oven for 5 minutes or until almonds are lightly toasted. Sprinkle almonds over fruit mixture before serving.