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In 1776, baking a batch of cookies was no easy task. For starters, though pearlash, an early form of baking powder, was discovered in 1742, for the most part, chemical leavenings (ie: baking soda) were unheard of. This meant that egg whites were the only means available for lightening and softening baked goods. The small baked goods we now call cookies were actually rather uncommon. Other than macaroons, anything resembling one would've been been thin, hard, and dense.
Flavoring in colonial baking was wholly different as well. Bakers most commonly used molasses for sweetening. Other typical ingredients included rose water, caraway seeds, lemon, almonds, and coconut. Until the Civil War, peanuts and oats were considered strictly animal food. Vanilla, the bastion of contemporary baking, was nearly impossible to obtain and rarely used in 18th century American kitchens.
The actual baking process was incredibly complicated as well. Bakers had to dry their flour by the fire and then sift it before it could be weighed out. If raisins were to be used, they had to be rubbed between towels to remove dirt and stems and then deseeded one at a time. Sugar, if available, was purchased in blocks and would have to be cut off in pieces and pounded into a granulated state before it could be measured and mixed properly. Any spices that might be available had to first be dried, like the flour, then crushed to a powder and sifted. Butter, likely churned by the baker himself, was preserved with salt, and thus had to be washed with either plain or rose water before it could be used.
Whether a confection or a simple loaf of bread, the item to be baked was put directly onto the fire or placed on the hearth just in front of the fireplace. It wasnt until the 1800s that ovens came along, but their use and maintenance was an ordeal. Temperatures had to be measured by feel - historical sources say bakers measured heat by seeing how long they could leave their bare arm in the oven.
As we food lovers head into the July 4 weekend, while grilling is the call of the holiday, let us be grateful for our convection ovens, our double-acting baking powder, and our vanilla extract.
For those looking to bake up a little bit of history, following is a recipe for cookies from early New England, adapted, of course, for our modern conveniences. No need to put your arm in the oven. Just pre-heat to 375 degrees.
1 cup brown sugar1/2 cup shortening or butter1 egg1 1/2 cups flour1/2 tsp. baking soda1/2 tsp. salt1/2 tsp. cinnamon1/2 tsp. nutmegFor "Hobnobs," add 1 tsp. vanilla and 1/2 cup raisins. For "Applejacks," add 1 cup chopped, unpeeled apples.Cream together sugar and shortening. Add egg (and vanilla if you are making Hobnobs). Beat well. Mix dry ingredients together in another bowl and then slowly add to sugar mixture, in batches, beating well after each addition. Stir in raisins or apples. Form dough into balls and drop onto a greased cookie sheet, three inches apart. Bake at 375 degrees for 12-15 minutes.
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