Rout Cakes is a traditional British recipe, based on Alexis Soyer's recipe of 1849, for a classic biscuit (cookie) of an almond, sugar nad egg yolk paste that's shaped into fanciful forms before air-drying and oven baking. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic British version of: Rout Cakes.
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This is a traditional British recipe redacted from Alexis Soyer's 1849 volume The modern Housewife or Ménagère, a classic Victorian cookbook.
Original Recipe
938. ROUT CAKES.—Procure one pound of ground almonds, to which add one pound of powdered sugar, mixing them together with yolks of eggs until forming a stiffish but flexible paste, when form it into small biscuits of the shapes of coronets, bunches of filberts, birds' nests, or any other shapes your fancy may dictate; let them remain five or six hours, or all night, upon the baking-sheet, and bake them in a warm oven.
Modern Redaction
Ingredients
225g ground almonds
225g powdered sugar
2 large egg yolks
Method:
Mix together the almonds and sugar in a bowl. Whisk together the egg yolks then add to the almond mixture and work the ingredients together until you have a stiff paste (you can add a little water or lemon juice if the paste is too stiff).
The aim is to form a marzipan that's a stiff but still flexible paste so that you can work it and roll it out. Take the paste and shape into cornucopias, coronets, birds' nests, balls, nuts, eggs, or any form that take your fancy (you can also shape these for special occasions in appropriate forms).
Arrange on a baking tray then set aside to air-dry over night. The following day, place in an oven pre-heated to 160°C and bake for about 10 minutes, or until lightly golden brown. Allow to cool before storing or serving. These also make excellent cake decorations.
