Kringles - a recipe from Kent

I found this recipe in a book which was published over a hundred years ago.  It contains almost 1100 recipes which were gathered and collated from very old family recipe collections, many dating back to the seventeenth century.

I was drawn by the unusual name, Kringles.

Luckily the hens are laying well or I wouldn't have attempted it...

Kringles

Beat well the yolks of eight and the whites of two eggs, and mix with four ounces of butter just warmed, and with this knead a pound of flour and four ounces of sugar to a paste.    Roll into thick or thin biscuits, prick them, and bake on tin plates.

That is it, no further instructions, it was down to common sense and baking experience.

The huge number of egg yolks made for a beautifully rich yellow dough, it looked like marzipan.

I used half the dough to make plain biscuits, the other half I made in the shape of a shortbread round.

I baked them in a moderate oven and this is how they turned out dull on the outside, still rich and yellow on the inside.   Similar to shortbread, very pleasant, but next time I make them I will make a few additions.   Almost anything would add a little interest - vanilla, lemon, almond, raisins, choc drops, grated lemon zest, orange zest, some ginger...just something to make them a little more exciting.

My granddaughter had no problem in deciding what she wanted to do - icing and smarties.   I made a zingy lemon glace icing, just icing sugar and lemon juice, it added the kick which I felt was lacking before.

Like most children, she likes nothing more than rolling up her sleeves and playing about with a rolling pin and some dough.

I popped a few into an old tin so that she could take some home to share with the rest of her family.


So that's Kringles - the Kentish version.

Next time I'll be making a Preserved Ginger Cake if I can resist eating all the ginger in the meantime.