Uncovering the past with Imperial/Empire Biscuits

Imperial/Empire Biscuits

Is it the cherry or the glace icing which made Imperial or Empire biscuits a hit in Doncaster for the 1914-18 commemorative event? Despite being from a different era, they are also still popular in tearooms across Scotland today. 

I found the recipe for these biscuits in my treasured copy of The Glasgow School of Cookery published in 1910. The Glasgow School alongside similar schools in Liverpool and Leeds was at the forefront of developing classes in cookery for women and girls of all social backgrounds.

Imperial/Empire Biscuits

¼ lb (110g) butter

¼ lb (110g) sugar

½ lb (225g) flour

1 teaspoonful cinnamon

½ teaspoonful baking powder

1 small egg (beaten)

Raspberry jam

Water icing and cherries

Cream the butter and sugar; add the flour, cinnamon and baking powder, also the egg by degrees. Work smoothly. Set aside to become stiff. Roll thinly and cut into biscuits. Bake 15-20 minutes in a moderate oven (350F, Mark 4,180C). Spread half the biscuits with jam, place the others on top. Then decorate with water icing and a small piece of cherry on top. 

N.B.  To make water icing, mix 5oz/150g icing sugar, 2 tbs water and 1 tsp lemon juice.

I made these biscuits as one of several recipes from the 1900s as part of the Life on the Home Front weekend event at Cusworth Hall Museum and Park on 18- 19 July 2015. It was an amazing weekend with lots of visitors and activities to remind us of the events of 100 years ago.

 Here are Anzac Biscuits

and Yorkshire Parkin recipes

More #ww1 recipes coming soon ....