Russian Tea Cake (Paperback)

High Quality Content by WIKIPEDIA articles! A Russian tea cake is a kind of pastry, commonly eaten around Christmas in both Russia and the United States. It is a form of jumble, a pastry common in Middle Ages England. They are also known as Mexican wedding cakes (or cookies) and butterballs. Russian tea cakes have a relatively simple recipe, generally comprised entirely of ground nuts, flour and water or, more commonly, butter. After baking, they are coated in powdered sugar while still hot, then again once the cookie has cooled. Russian tea cakes appeared in Russia in the 18th century, literally as a confection used in a tea-sharing ceremony. By the 20th century, they were a part of wedding and Christmas traditions in the U.S., by their popular "Russian tea" nomenclature. The term "Mexican wedding cake" seems to have emerged in the U.S. in the 1950s, possibly a result of strained relations with the Soviet Union.