Breads, Biscuits and Cakes Recipes - Shakespeare's Fine Cakes

Ingredients                      

• 175 g/6 oz/3/4 cup unsalted (sweet) butter

• 100 g/4 oz/1/2 cup caster (superfine) sugar

• 1 egg, separated

• 175 g/6 oz/1 1/2 cups plain (all­purpose) flour

• 25 g/1 oz/1/4 cup ground rice

• 2.5 ml/1/2 tsp ground cloves

• 1.5 ml/1/4 tsp ground mace

• 1.5 ml/1/4 tsp saffron powder

---

Method:

1. Cream the butter and sugar until light and fluffy. Beat in the egg yolk. Sift the flour, ground rice, cloves, mace and saffron together.

2. Add to the creamed mixture and work with a wooden spoon until the mixture forms a ball.

3. Press into a greased 23 cm/9 in square shallow baking tin (pan) or a Swiss (jelly) roll tin (pan).

4. Brush with the lightly beaten egg white. Bake at 160°C/325°F/gas mark 3 for about 45 minutes or until firm to the touch.

5. Cool slightly, then cut into squares and transfer to a wire rack to cool completely.