Almond Cheesecakes is a traditional British recipe, based on Robert Kemp Philp's recipe of 1859, for a classic cheesecake of a butter, almond and egg filling flavoured with brandy and orange flower water baked in pastry-lined pans. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Almond Cheesecakes.
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This is a classic recipe for a Victorian version of Almond Cheesecakes that's derived from Robert Kemp Philp's 1859 volume, The Dictionary of Daily Wants. Below you will find both the recipe in its original form and a modern redaction.
Original Recipe
Pound eight ounces of sweet and ten bitter almonds with a little orange flower water; add eight yolks and four whites of eggs, three-quarters of a pound of powdered loaf sugar, beat all together; add one pound of melted butter nearly cold, one nutmeg, the peel of one lemon grated, a wineglassful of orange-flower water and one of brandy. Mix these ingredients thoroughly, and bake in patty pans lined with paste.
260g blanched almonds
3 drops bitter almond extract
1/2 tsp orange flower water
4 whole eggs, separated
4 egg yolks
340g brown sugar, powdered
450g butter, melted and cooled
1/2 nutmeg, grated
freshly-grated zest of 1 lemon
200ml orange flower water
200ml brandy
300g shortcrust pastry (enough to line two sandwich tins)
Method:
Pound the almonds with the bitter almond extract and orange flower water in a mortar until you have a smooth paste. Transfer to a bowl then beat in the egg yolks, followed by the egg whites. Stir in the sugar and beat until dissolved then mix in the melted butter, grated nutmeg and grated lemon zest. Finally beat in the orange flower water and brandy.
Prepare the shortcrust pastry according to the recipe and use to line two greased sandwich tins. Pour over the filling then transfer both tins to an oven pre-heated to 180°C and bake for about 25 minutes, or until the pastry is cooked and the filling is set and golden. Allow to cool before slicing and serving.
Blanched almonds, 1/2lb; bitter almonds, 10; eggs, 8 yolks and 4 whites; loaf sugar pounded, 3/4lb.; butter, 1lb; nutmeg, 1; rind lemon, 1; orange flower water, wineglassful; brandy, wineglassful.