Maple Walnuts
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Historic recipe from Malinda Russell's 1866 cookbook "A Domestic Cook Book". Page 18. One of the earliest known cookbooks by an African American author.
Melting the fats with molasses creates an emulsion that distributes sweetness and fat evenly throughout the dough, while keeping them lukewarm prevents the eggs from cooking prematurely. The high ratio of eggs and sugar creates a tender crumb through protein coagulation and sugar's hygroscopic properties, which trap moisture. Rolling the dough thin before baking allows rapid moisture evaporation, transforming these into crisp crackers rather than soft cookies. The combination of soda (baking soda) with acidic molasses produces carbon dioxide for slight leavening and contributes to browning through the Maillard reaction.
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Melt the molasses, lard and butter together, until lukewarm
Beat the eggs and sugar together till light
Add the ingredients together, with flour enough to make a stiff dough
Knead well
Roll thin
Bake in a quick oven
Cut with cake cutters
The dough can be made up to 3 days ahead, wrapped tightly in plastic wrap, and refrigerated. Let it sit at room temperature for 15-20 minutes before rolling to soften slightly. Baked crackers can be made up to 2 weeks ahead and stored in an airtight container at room temperature.
Store completely cooled crackers in an airtight container at room temperature for up to 3 weeks. Place parchment paper between layers to prevent sticking. If crackers soften, re-crisp them in a 300°F oven for 5-7 minutes. Do not refrigerate, as this will introduce moisture and make them soggy.
