Jumbals (medieval/elizabethan)

20 servings

Ingredients

Quantity Ingredient
½ cup Sugar
2 Egg whites
1 Egg yolk
½ cup Sifted flour
4 tablespoons Butter -- melted and cooled
1½ teaspoon Rose water
¾ cup Blanched almonds -- coarsely chopped
1 teaspoon Anise or coriander -- seeds

Directions

To make finer Jumbals--To make Jumbals more fine and curious than the former, and deerer to the taste of the Macaroon, take a pound of Sugar, beat it fine. Then take as much fine wheat flowre, and mixe them together. Then take two whites and one yolk of an Egge, half a quarter of a pound of blanched Almonds: then beat them very fine altogether, with half a dish of sweet butter and a spoonfull of Rose water, and so work it with a little Cream till it come to a very stiff paste. Then roul them forth as you please: and hereto you shall also, if you please, adde a few dryed Anniseeds finely rubbed, and strewed into the paste, and also Coriander seeds.--Gervase Markham, The English Hous-wife

It is thought that the word *jumbal* is derived from *gemel*, a finger ring popular at the time, which could be divided into two separate loops. Jumbals were traditionally shaped as interlacing loops or in fancy knot patterns, but were not always made of rolled dough as the recipe [above] instructs. If you wish, squeeze this batter through a pastry tube to create your own fanciful shapes. But the round cookie with its golden brown edge tastes just as good.

1. Whip sugar and egg whites with electric or hand beater about 2 minutes or until mixture is the consistency of heavy cream.

2. Add egg yolk, flour, butter, and rose water. Blend thoroughly.

3. Stir in almonds.

4. Drop batter from a teaspoon onto a well greased, lightly floured cookie sheet. Leave at least 1½ inches between jumbals.

5. Sprinkle tops of jumbals with anise or coriander seeds.

6. Bake at 400F about 12 minutes or until jumbals are golden brown around edges.

7. Remove jumbals from baking sheet immediately and place them on rack to cool.

from To The Queen's Taste by Lorna J. Sass "Desserts" posted by Tiffany Hall-Graham

Recipe By : To The Queen's Taste From: Marjorie Scofield Date: 09-20-95 (17:40) (160) Fido: Recipes

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