Rout Cakes

Drop biscuit-style cakes with dried currants

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City/Region: London, England

Time Period: 1806

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In the 18th and 19th centuries, members of the aristocracy threw wild parties called routs. These parties, which sound akin to a modern frat party, eventually devolved to rooms stuffed with way too many people, so that attendance consisted of jostling from room to room before leaving. If you were lucky, you could grab a rout cake to help sustain you while you party hopped.

These cakes are dense and dry, but not unpleasantly so. While they are delicious, because of the dryness I recommend enjoying them with a cup of coffee, tea, or party beverage of your choice. They’re just sweet enough, and the flavors of the brandy and the flower waters shine through.

“Rout Drop Cakes.
Mix two pounds of flour, one ditto butter, one ditto sugar, one ditto currants, clean and dry; then wet into a stiff paste, with two eggs, a large spoon of orange-flower water, ditto rose-water, ditto sweet wine, ditto brandy, drop on a tin-plate floured; a very short time bakes them.”

— A New System of Domestic Cookery by A Lady (Maria Rundell), 1806

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Ingredients:

• 2 cups (240 g) all-purpose flour
• 1/2 cup (115 g) salted butter, cut into pieces
• 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon (115 g) sugar
• 3/4 cup (115 g) dried zante currants
• 1 egg
• 2 teaspoons orange blossom water
• 2 teaspoons rose water
• 1 tablespoon sweet sherry, or other sweet wine like malmsey
• 1 tablespoon brandy

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 350°F (175°C).
2. Place the flour in a large bowl, then work the butter into the flour with your fingers until you get a crumbly mixture.
3. Mix in the sugar and currants until evenly combined.
4. Using a spatula or spoon, stir in the egg until incorporated. The dough won’t be evenly mixed at this point; some parts will be dry, some parts will be mixed with the egg.
5. Stir in the orange blossom water, rose water, sweet wine, and brandy until you get a stiff dough. It should just come together, but if your dough is too dry, add a splash more wine or brandy until it forms a dough.
6. Line a baking sheet with parchment or a silicone mat. You may need more than one baking sheet. Scoop heaping tablespoons of the dough onto the prepared baking pan about 1 inch (2.5 cm) apart.
7. Bake for 15 to 17 minutes, or until the edges have started to brown.
8. Let the cakes cool for about 5 minutes, then remove them to a wire rack to cool completely before serving them forth.

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