To Make Ratifia Cakes

This recipe comes from an English aristocratic household at the turn of the 18th century, specifically Lady Craven's receipt book, dated between 1702 and 1704. The manuscript was created in a noble context, where kitchens were staffed with skilled cooks and rare, luxurious ingredients (like ambergris) were obtainable for special sweets and confections. Lady Craven's book is one of many 'receipt books' (what we now call cookbooks) that circulated within elite circles. These books were hand-written collections, often containing attributed recipes from friends and acquaintances, serving both as culinary records and social currency. The confections within, including these ratafia cakes, reflect the era's fascination with sweetmeats and elaborate candies for entertaining.

In the early 1700s, this recipe would have relied on a stone mortar and pestle for grinding nuts very finely—essential for the smooth, rich paste required. Sugar would have been refined but still less processed than today, and boiling sugar was achieved in copper pans over a 'clear fire' (steady, clean-burning wood or charcoal). Dropping the mixture onto sheets of glass gave the candies their shape and sheen, and a 'stove' (a warm, dry cabinet or brick oven kept at a low temperature) was used to gently dry and candy the cakes over several days.