You may have noticed something of an overarching theme in this site’s construction, but while Alice in Wonderland comes up here and there, I have yet to post any recipes for roasting Jabberwocky or to offer any advice on adding pepper to soups.
That being said, when I came across this now out-of-print cookbook riffing on the classic tale, it seemed like a match I surely could not ignore. It was easier to ignore it once I caught the triple-digit price tag on existing copies, however. Still, even while I waited for a version more within my budget, there were a few treats from the book posted online, so I decided to see where that rabbit hole would lead.
Whether you’re plotting a grand tea party for six or it’s just you and your cat, the recipe for these Very Dry Tea Biscuits is simple enough to whip up any time. No worries. As long as you don’t over-bake them, they are not too dry at all, neither are they terribly sweet, though bright hints of lemon and the rich scent of nutmeg accent them beautifully. This recipe turned out about 40 two-inch biscuits for me, and they store perfectly in the freezer. I like having them on hand to pull out at a moments notice when curious guests suddenly arrive and are in need of snacks.
Now that I’ve had a taste of Wonderland cooking, I must admit that roasting Jabberwocky sounds kind of intriguing. Maybe we’ll have to follow this white rabbit a bit more often.
Not Too Dry Tea Biscuits
from The Alice in Wonderland Cookbook: A Culinary Diversion by John Fisher
1 stick butter, room temperature
1/3 cup sugar
1 egg, lightly beaten
8 ounces flour
2 teaspoons lemon zest
a pinch of salt
a very generous scratch of nutmeg
2 tablespoons milk, as needed
Heat oven to 325°F
In a medium bowl, measure out flour. Add lemon zest, salt, and nutmeg and whisk to combine.
Cream together butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add egg, and continue mixing until incorporated. By hand, stir in mixture of flour, lemon zest, salt, and nutmeg. If dough remains too dry, add just enough milk to pull it together.
Roll out dough on lightly floured counter and cut out desired shapes. Place each biscuit on a parchment covered cookie sheet (you can squeeze them fairly close–they will not spread much) and prick each with a fork. Bake 14-16 minutes, or until lightly browned.
Cool completely on a wire rack. Store tightly covered (in the freezer for an even longer shelf life).
these are lovely, they kinda remind of ritz crackers. and i like the freezing part. for some reason, i have this thing about doing a lot of prep work to freeze and then weeks later opening my freezer to look for something to bake/cook that’s already been done up.
Admittedly, Lan, I did buy this cookie cutter during my DIY cracker phase, so you have me dead to rights on that front. One day I may be the kind of lady with awesome cookie cutters in the pantry, but that day is not likely to happen in 2013. :) However! The “freezer box of doom” as my colleague Alex calls it, is an awesome Pandora construction o’ sweetness in waiting. It’s possibly my #1 contribution to happiness many days of the week.
We’re mounting a full length ballet version of Alice in a few months. Now I’m thinking I should track down a copy of this book to make treats for the cast…
Oooh, that sounds awesome. At the Brain Pickings link above, there is a recipe for a whole cake. I’m going to try it once I manage to produce a batch of mixed peel.