Great Aunt Vicks Tea Cakes Recipes

MAMIE'S TEACAKES

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F.
• Grease two large (14-by-16-inch) cookie sheets with shortening.
• Sift together the flour, baking soda and salt. Using an electric mixer set to medium speed, cream the butter and sugar together. Add the eggs and vanilla. Add the sour cream and mix well. On low speed, gradually add the flour mixture until just blended. Turn the dough out onto a lightly floured board, and gently pat with floured hands to a 1/4-inch thickness. Cut with a 2-inch round, floured cookie cutter and place about 1 inch apart on the cookie sheets. Bake until the teacakes are lightly browned, about 10 to 12 minutes. Do not overbake. Sprinkle with a couple of tablespoons of sugar and remove the cookies to a rack to cool.

TEACAKES

Steps:

• Warm the milk with the butter in a pan until the butter has melted, then add 100ml water to cool the mixture to room temp. Tip the flour, yeast, sugar, spice and 1 tsp salt into a bowl, making sure the yeast is on the other side of the bowl to the salt. Make a well in the flour mixture and pour the milk and butter in, mixing until it forms big flakes, then bring together with your hands. Tip on a surface and knead until smooth (about 5 mins). Put the dough into a large, lightly oiled bowl, cover with a damp tea towel and leave until doubled in size, so about 1-1 ½ hours.
• Line a tray with baking paper. Tip the mixed dried fruits into the dough and knead them in, trying to disperse them evenly throughout the dough. Cut your dough into 6 even-sized balls, take each ball and, using the cup of your hand, and pressing down a little with your palm, roll the ball in a circular motion on the surface to create tension across the top of the bun and a neat round shape. Place onto a tray about 5cm away from each other and press down with your palm to flatten the dough down a little, creating the teacake shape. Cover loosely with an oiled sheet of cling film, for a further 45 mins, or until they have doubled in size.
• Meanwhile, heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas mark 6. Brush the top of each bun liberally with the egg wash, then bake for 20 mins on the top shelf of the oven, until the buns are golden and well risen. Allow to cool on a wire rack, then slice in half, toast and slather with butter if you like.

GRANDMA'S OLD FASHIONED TEA CAKES

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, cream together the butter and sugar until smooth. Beat in the eggs one at a time, then stir in the vanilla. Combine the flour, baking soda, salt and nutmeg; stir into the creamed mixture. Knead dough for a few turnns on a floured board until smooth. Cover and refrigerate until firm.
• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F (165 degrees C). On a lightly floured surface, roll the dough out to 1/4 inch in thickness. Cut into desired shapes with cookie cutters. Place cookies 1 1/2 inches apart onto cookie sheets.
• Bake for 8 to 10 minutes in the preheated oven. Allow cookies to cool on baking sheet for 5 minutes before removing to a wire rack to cool completely.

RUSSIAN TEA CAKES

Steps:

• First, brown the butter: Place the butter in a medium saucepan over low heat to cook. Check it after about 7 minutes; it should be a medium-brown color, not too light but not too burnt. Once it reaches that color, take it off the heat and let it cool. Refrigerate to continue to cool for about 30 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees F. Line 3 half sheet pans with parchment paper.
• Add the cold browned butter, flour, powdered sugar, salt, vanilla extract and cinnamon to a food processor; process until light and fluffy. Transfer to a large bowl. Add the walnuts and mix with a rubber spatula until combined.
• Using a small ice cream scoop, portion 48 mounds of the dough onto your prepared sheet pans, spacing them 2 inches apart. Place in the freezer to cool for 15 minutes.
• Bake until the cookies are firm and smell nutty and toasty, 15 to 18 minutes. Rotate the pans 180 degrees halfway through baking.
• Meanwhile, place additional powdered sugar in another large bowl. Once the cookies are out of the oven, let cool for exactly 6 minutes 30 seconds then toss in the powdered sugar. Enjoy!

AUNT BURVIN'S SOUTHERN TEA CAKES

Steps:

• Beat white sugar, confectioners' sugar, and butter together in a stand mixer until smooth and creamy. Add eggs and vanilla extract; beat until fully incorporated. Pour oil into sugar-butter mixture; beat until smooth. Slowly add flour to sugar-butter mixture, 1 cup at a time, mixing well after each addition until dough is stiff. Refrigerate dough, 8 hours to overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Drop dough by the spoonful onto baking sheets.
• Bake in the preheated oven until lightly browned, 5 to 10 minutes. Work in batches if needed.

AUNT LELAND'S TEA CAKES

Steps:

• Cream the shortening with the sugar until fluffy.
• Add in egg & vanilla beat on low until mixed.
• In a seperate bowl mix flour, salt & baking soda together, then add into the creamed ingredients.
• Roll dough into a log and wrap in plastic wrap. Chill well, overnight is probably best.
• Once chilled, pre-heat oven to 350 deg., slice and bake until cookies get light brown on the edges.

TEA CAKES

Steps:

• In a large bowl, cream butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Add eggs, one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in vanilla. Combine the flour, baking powder and salt; gradually add to the creamed mixture (the dough will be soft). , Drop by teaspoonfuls 2 in. apart onto greased baking sheets. Bake at 375° for 7-8 minutes or until the edges are golden brown. Remove to wire racks to cool.

GREAT AUNT VICK'S TEA CAKES

Steps:

• Melt butter, let it cool, and add beaten eggs, sugar, vanilla, and milk. Add in the self rising flour. Bake at 350 degrees until light brown.