So I’m an awful baker… but I’ve had a copy of Mrs beetons household management for years and cracked it open to take a look yesterday, and decided on Almond Cheesecake. 😎 Firstly… no cheese 🤷♀️ Secondly I can’t get bitter almonds for love nor money so I asked chatgpt and it told me to sub out for almond essence… So I got busy blanching and grinding my almonds to what I presumed should be a paste (in a food processor because hell if i’m using my tiny pestle and mortar) I made the insides and thought I’d cheat on the pastry, but realised I’d forgotten to get the pastry out the freezer, so I quickly knocked up some pastry, thought I was so clever for remembering to blind bake it, but put the balls directly on the pastry so they all got stuck, picked them all out and put the filling in, and actually it tastes pretty good. I think it would have been even better if a proper baker had made it. I also missed one of the balls and my husband nearly cracked a tooth… but he didn’t… so win! I reckon I’ll make this again!
by MissKLO
4 Comments
nice! I like the plate. Mrs. Beeton’s is really old right ?
This story was waaaaaay better than most online recipe introductions. Still, it would be good to see the recipe….
Bitter almonds are not really sold for consumption anymore because of high levels of a compound that your body turns into a poison. The extract tastes exactly like them though.
Is it anything like frangipane? Ground almonds, eggs, butter etc.
Anything with a creamy firm texture, or that was pressed and strained like cheese, was often named cheese back then. I am pretty sure that’s what the name chess pie comes from too. It’s also why we say lemon curd. Making it and the final result is reminiscent of various stages in the cheesemaking process, which most cooks were familiar with.
1219- Ingredients- 1/4 lb of sweet almonds, 4 bitter ones, 3 eggs, 2oz butter, the rind of 1/4 lemon, 1 tablespoonful of lemon juice, 3oz sugars
Mode- Blanche and pound the almonds smoothly in a mortar with a little rose or spring water; stir in the eggs which should be well beaten, and the butter, which should be warmed; add the grated lemon peel and juice, sweeten and stir well until the whole is thoroughly mixed. Line some patty pans with puff paste, put in the mixture and bake for 20 minutes, or rather less in a quick oven