The Unofficial Downton Abbey Cookbook (34 page)

This is a classic biscuit that all of the Earl of Grantham’s daughters would enjoy, with or without a cup of tea or their usual bickering. It’s easy to imagine Lady Sybil nibbling on these while Lady Mary and Lady Edith squabble after Lady Mary ruins her possible engagement out of spite. Not even this sweet dish could sweeten up those girls and stop the bickering!

1 cup unsalted butter, softened

1 teaspoon almond extract

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cup sugar

1 cup plus 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour

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cup custard powder
*

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cup unsalted butter, softened

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1 tablespoon whipping cream

2
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cups confectioners’ sugar

*
Custard powder is popular in Britain, but it’s likely that American cooks will have to special-order custard powder; it is not found in the average American supermarket.

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease a medium-sized baking sheet and set aside.
   
2. Cream together butter, almond extract, and sugar until light and fluffy.
   
3. In a medium-sized bowl, sift together flour and custard powder, then slowly mix into butter-sugar mixture to form a malleable dough. Roll dough into small balls and place on greased baking sheet about 1 inch apart. With a fork, press down lightly on balls to make an impression.
   
4. Bake balls for 10–12 minutes until set, but do not let brown. Let cool for 7–10 minutes on cookie sheet, then move to rack to cool completely while you make cream filling.
   
5. For cream filling:
   Cream butter until smooth. Mix together vanilla extract and whipping cream, then add to creamed butter. Slowly mix in confectioners’ sugar, being careful to avoid lumps. Beat with a mixture until smooth.
   
6. Form sandwiches with cookies, putting cream in the middle. Let cookies set for 2 hours before serving.
   

In Edwardian times, the drinking and enjoying of tea and its accoutrements — such as this biscuit — was a noiseless affair. Stirring a cup of tea was to be done quietly by moving the teaspoon in a small arc back and forth. To let the teaspoon touch the side or rim of the cup was considered rude, as was drinking from a teacup with the spoon inside it. Instead, the spoon should be placed on its saucer with the end pointing in the same direction as the handle of its cup. Remember that the saucer shouldn’t be left behind on the table. Rather, when you take a sip of tea, the saucer comes with you. Do not, by any means, cradle the teacup if there is a handle.

In the United Kingdom, as well as in Greece and Ireland, digestive biscuits were thought to aid in digestion. It was believed that the sodium bicarbonate (baking soda) in these cookies — known as “digestives” — helped the digestive system. It is likely that many of the family members in
Downton Abbey
would have digestive biscuits, both with and without chocolate, lying around their room for times when they were feeling queasy. Considering the heaviness of their meals, the need for such biscuits would be quite great!

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cup whole-wheat flour

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cup all-purpose flour

1 teaspoon kosher salt

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teaspoon baking powder

1 tablespoon rolled oats

4 tablespoons unsalted butter

6 tablespoons brown sugar

4 tablespoons whole milk

6 ounces high-quality bittersweet chocolate, melted

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Grease medium to large baking sheets.
   
2. Sift together whole-wheat flour, all-purpose flour, salt, and baking powder in a large bowl, then mix in oatmeal. Set aside.
   
3. In a medium-sized bowl, cream together butter and brown sugar. Add to dry mixture, then stir in milk until mixture forms a thick (and quite sticky) paste. Cover and chill in refrigerator for 1 hour.
   
4. Knead dough out onto a lightly floured surface until smooth. Dough will be sticky; wet your hands to combat stickiness. Roll out dough to approximately
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   -inch thickness. Using a biscuit or cookie cutter, cut into 2- to 2
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   -inch rounds. Transfer to cookie sheets, impressing patterns on biscuits with a fork.
   
5. Bake cookies for 20–25 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool on a wire rack before coating with melted chocolate, then let cool again. Store in an airtight container.
   

The British enjoy their digestives with coffee or tea, often dunking their cookies directly into their beverages. It is said that Alexander Grant, an employee of McVitie’s Biscuits in Scotland, developed the digestive biscuit in the nineteenth century, with the first advertisement for this particular type of biscuits run by the British company Huntley & Palmers in 1876.

With or without prompting, it’s no wonder Daisy takes up the chance to nibble on some of these sweet biscuits — much to the consternation of Mr. Carson. The sweet scent of ginger and golden syrup (a popular sweetener in the United Kingdom) would lure even the most well-behaved of ladies.

1 cup unsalted butter, room temperature

1
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cups sugar

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teaspoon vanilla extract

1 cup golden syrup

3 cups all-purpose flour

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teaspoon kosher salt

1 heaping tablespoon ground ginger

1 teaspoon baking soda

1. Preheat oven to 350°F. Thoroughly grease a baking sheet.
   
2. In a large bowl, cream together the butter and sugar. Slowly mix in vanilla extract and golden syrup.
   
3. In another bowl, whisk together the flour, salt, ground ginger, and baking soda. Slowly add to wet ingredients and thoroughly mix together. Roll dough into small balls, then place balls on greased baking sheet. With the back of a spoon, gently press balls down.
   
4. Bake biscuits in preheated oven for 15 minutes. Cool on a wire rack to room temperature, then store in an airtight container.
   

What the British call biscuits Americans know as cookies or crackers. Other than Sybil’s Ginger Nut Biscuits, other famous biscuits that date back to the Victorian and Edwardian eras include the Chocolate Digestive Biscuits (see recipe in this chapter) and Classic Custard Creams (see recipe in this chapter). All of these were invented as a means to have delicious snacks that could last during long voyages or for long periods of time.

These fancy confections would be served at the end of dinner or with coffee and tea. Also known as a Fondant Fancy or French Fancy, all the women of
Downton Abbey
would want to offer this rather beautiful treat with their tea service.