Emeles (almond cakes)

The word ‘emeles’ comes from the Catalan ‘ametlles’, meaning almonds. One blogger suggested this technique for cooking them: "I am inclined to view these as fritters, formed by dropping spoonfuls of batter into a griddle and then "brushing" them smooth." If by chance you do not have any pork fat, use good oil. And similarly, if you don’t want to use sugar, use some good honey.

This recipe comes from the manuscript B.L. Add. 32085, dating from the late 13th Century. The original version says:

“Emeles. E une friture k’ad a noun emeles. Pernez sucre e sel e alemaundes e payn demeyne, e braez les ensemble; e pus metez des oefs; e pus gresse ou oile ou bure, e pernez une quilere e oingnez les; e pus pernez sus e rose les de sucre sec, &cetera."

Constance Hieatt and Robin Jones translate this as:

“Emeles [almond cakes]. Here is a fritter which is called emeles. Take sugar, salt, almonds, and white bread, and grind them together; then add eggs; then grease or oil or butter, and take a spoon and brush them [i.e., the emeles, while they are frying] and then remove them and sprinkle them with dry sugar, etc.”

A nearly identical recipe appears in the 14th century Diuersa Cibaria:

“A fritur þat hatte emeles

Nym sucre, salt, & alemauns & bred, & grind am togedre; & soþþen do of ayren. & soþþen nim grece oþur botere oþur oyle, and soþþen nim a dihs, & smeore heom; & soþþen nym bliue, & cose wiþ sucre drue: & þis beoþ þin cyueles in leynten ase in oþur time

Translation:

A fritter that has Almonds

Take sugar, salt, and almonds and bread, and grind them together, and then do of egg and then take grease or butter or oil, and then take a dish and smear them and then take quickly and sprinkle with dry sugar: and this be thin cakes in Lent as in other time.

And again, in the 15th Century Laud MS. 553, although by then the word had been corrupted to ‘cyuele’:

“Nym almandes, Sugur & salt, & payn de mayn, & bray hem in a morter / do therto eyren, frie hit in oylle or in grese, cast theron sugur, & ȝif hit forth."

Modern Redaction

A fritur þat hatte emeles
Diuersa Cibaria (14th century)

Take sugar, salt, and almonds and bread, and grind them together, and then do of egg and then take grease or butter or oil, and then take a dish and smear them and then take quickly and sprinkle with dry sugar: and this be thin cakes in Lent as in other time. (smear means to rub with oil or grease)

1/2 cup sugar
1⁄4 salt
1 cup ground almonds
1 cup fine bread crumbs
4 eggs
Cooking oil
Extra sugar to sprinkle on top

Combine sugar, salt, ground almonds and fine bread crumbs. Beat eggs together and add to dry mixture.
Deep fry in oil until golden brown. Drain on paper towels. Put on plate and sprinkle with sugar.