Edna Lewis Tea Cakes Recipes

EDNA LEWIS'S BISCUITS

Steps:

• Take a large bowl, sift into it the measured flour, salt, soda and baking powder. Add the lard, and blend together with a pastry blender or your fingertips until the mixture has the texture of cornmeal.
• Add the milk all at once by scattering it over the dough. Stir vigorously with a stout wooden spoon. The dough will be very soft in the beginning but will stiffen in 2 or 3 minutes. Continue to stir a few minutes longer.
• After the dough has stiffened, scrape from sides of bowl into a ball, and spoon onto a lightly floured surface for rolling. Dust over lightly with about a tablespoon of flour as the dough will be a bit sticky. Flatten the dough out gently with your hands into a thick, round cake, and knead for a minute by folding the outer edge of the dough into the center of the circle, giving a light knead as you fold the sides in overlapping each other.
• Turn the folded side face down and dust lightly if needed, being careful not to use too much flour and cause the dough to become too stiff. Dust the rolling pin and the rolling surface well. Roll the dough out evenly to a 1/2-inch thickness or a bit less. Pierce the surface of the dough with a table fork. (It was said piercing the dough released the air while baking.)
• Dust the biscuit cutter in flour first; this will prevent the dough sticking to the cutter and ruining the shape of the biscuit. Dust the cutter as often as needed. An added feature to your light, tender biscuits will be their straight sides. This can be achieved by not wiggling the cutter. Press the cutter into the dough and lift up with a sharp quickness without a wiggle. Cut the biscuits very close together to avoid having big pieces of dough left in between each biscuit. Trying to piece together and rerolling leftover dough will change the texture of the biscuits.
• Place the biscuits 1/2 inch or more apart on a heavy cookie sheet or baking pan, preferably one with a bright surface. The biscuits brown more beautifully on a bright, shining pan than on a dull one, and a thick bottom helps to keep them from browning too much on the bottom. Set to bake in a preheated 450-degree oven for 13 minutes. Remove from the oven, and let them rest for 3 to 4 minutes. Serve hot.

SOUTHERN TEA CAKES

Steps:

• In a bowl, cream together shortening and sugar. Beat in eggs. Add milk and vanilla; beat well. Stir in flour; mix well. , Drop by tablespoonfuls 2-1/2 in. apart onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 350° for 15-20 minutes.

EASY TEA CAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F.
• Cream the butter and sugar, about 4 minutes. Add the eggs and mix thoroughly. Then add the milk and gradually add the flour, making a light, soft dough. Roll the dough out so it¿s very thin. Cut into rounds and put on a buttered baking pan. Bake until the cakes are yellowish in color, about 8 minutes.

TEA CAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Grease a baking sheet.
• Beat butter and sugar in a bowl until creamy. Stir in flour, vanilla extract, baking powder, and baking soda until dough is well mixed. Drop spoonfuls of dough 2 inches apart onto prepared baking sheet.
• Bake in preheated oven until lightly browned, 5 to 10 minutes.

JUNETEENTH TEA CAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees.
• Line two baking sheets with parchment paper or silicone mats. Set aside.
• In the bowl of an electric mixer, cream together the butter and sugar until light and fluffy - about 3 minutes.
• Add the eggs and mix until incorporated.
• Pour in the buttermilk and lemon zest and mix until combined with the butter and egg mixture.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together the flour, baking powder, salt, and nutmeg.
• Add the flour mixture to the wet ingredients and mix just until combined. You may need to mix the last of the flour in by hand because the dough will be quite thick.
• Divide the dough into four portions.
• Roll each portion on a lightly floured surface to ⅛-inch thickness.
• Use a biscuit cutter to cut the dough into 2 ½-inch thick rounds.
• Lightly sprinkle the top with granulated sugar.
• Place on the prepared baking sheets ½-inch apart.
• Bake in the preheated oven for 8-10 minutes or until the edges begin to turn golden.
• Remove the cookies to a rack to cool completely.
• Store in a tightly covered container for up to 1 week.

EDNA LEWIS TEA CAKES

Steps:

• Preheat oven t 400 degrees.
• Mix together softened butter and sugar. When well blended add eggs. You can use a hand mixer or do it by hand.
• Add the eggs one at a time then slowly add the buttermilk and lemon zest.
• Sift together the flour baking soda and salt in a separate bowl.
• Add the flour mixture by cupfuls into the liquid ingredients mixing well after each addition. If using an electric mixer the dough will be stiff enough to go to using your hands.
• Divide the dough into 4 portions. Roll each portion on a lightly floured surface to the thickness of 1 inch
• Use a biscuit or cookie cutter to cut out 2 1/2 inch rounds. Place 1/2 inch apart on parchment lined cookie sheets. Sprinkle the surface of each cookie with sugar.
• Bake o the meddle rack of preheated oven for 8-10 minutes or until edges begin to turn golden brown. Remove immediately to a cooling rack to cool.