Austen Variations 2025 Advent Calendar

Welcome to the 2025 Austen Variations Advent Calendar, where our amazing authors will bring you a new gift every day from now until December 24th.

Happy Friday, Janeites. There is nothing as pleasant as the festive season. For today’s Advent calendar, come with me on a most delightful ‘journey’ through the treats (not streets) of Regency England.

As we prepare for an evening in Bath, we most certainly stop in to have one of Sally Lunn’s Buns. These pillowy bites of goodness are indescribable, and now we too can experience the joy of not only nibbling on one but making them ourselves!

After carbing-up for our all-night ball at the Assembly Rooms, we will need to refresh ourselves with a bowl of ice cream…but not just ANY ice-cream. No, my dears…parmesan ice cream from Frederick Nutt’s 1789 recipe! Although it sounds a little ‘unsavory,’ I assure you the flavor is sweet and satisfying!

When we have danced our last Mr. Bedivere’s Maggot and retire for the evening, Cook will prepare for our expected visitors in the morning. Because, what good is going to a ball if we cannot gossip about it the next day?  Make sure you serve them my dear friend Alice Taylor’s Lavender Butter Cookies. Even Lady Catherine de Bourgh would ask for the recipe!

Have you made any of these before?  Which of the recipes strikes your fancy?  Leave a comment below and have a wonderful holiday season!

Sally Lunn’s Buns:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup  milk, whole preferred
• 6 Tablespoons butter
• 1/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/8 teaspoon lemon oil, 1 tablespoon lemon zest, or 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
• 1 1/2 teaspoons table salt
• 3 1/2 cups
• 2 large eggs
• 1 tablespoon instant yeast

1. Combine the milk, butter, and sugar in a microwave-safe measuring cup or bowl, or in a saucepan. Heat to lukewarm, stirring to soften/melt the butter. Pour the mixture into a mixing bowl and let it cool until it’s below 120°F, about 15 minutes.
2. Weigh your flour; or measure it by gently spooning it into a cup, then sweeping off any excess. Add the lemon or vanilla, salt, 2 cups of the flour, the eggs, and yeast.
3. Beat the mixture on medium speed for about 3 minutes; if you’re using a bread machine, program the machine for dough or manual, and mix for several minutes, until everything is well combined.
4. Add the remaining flour to the mixture and beat for about 3 minutes, until it becomes a soft, cohesive dough. Note: This is a very sticky, wet dough; it’s too sticky to knead, so has to be beaten to develop its gluten.
5. Cover the dough and allow it to rise for 45 to 60 minutes, or until almost doubled in bulk. If you’re using the dough cycle of a bread machine, simply let the machine complete its cycle.
6. Lightly grease the cups of two standard muffin pans (24 cups total). If you don’t have two muffin pans (or want to make a loaf, in addition to rolls), lightly grease one muffin pan, plus a 6″ soufflé dish or other round, bakeable dish or small loaf pan.
7. Divide the dough among 18 cups of the muffin pans, filling each a bit more than half full. If you’re using one muffin pan, add dough to each cup then shape the remainder into a loaf, and place it in the small pan of your choice.
8. Cover the pans, and let the rolls rise for 45 to 60 minutes, until they’re noticeably puffy. Towards the end of the rising time, preheat the oven to 350°F.
9. Bake the rolls until they’re golden brown and a digital thermometer inserted into the center of one reads at least 190°F, about 15 minutes. If you’re making a loaf as well as rolls, bake the loaf for about 25 to 30 minutes, tenting it with aluminum foil after 15 minutes to prevent over-browning.
10. Remove the rolls from the oven, and turn them out of the pan onto a rack. Brush with melted butter, if desired. Wrap completely cooled rolls airtight, and store at room temperature for several days; freeze for longer storage.
11. Serve rolls with butter and jam, at breakfast or brunch; or as part of an afternoon “high tea.”

Parmesan Ice-Cream:

Ingredients:

• 6 medium eggs at room temperature
• 1 cup simple syrup (heat equal parts sugar and water until it dissolves)
• 2 cups heavy cream
• 3 ounces freshly grated parmesan
• One Ice-Cream maker

Instructions:

1. Whisk the room temperature eggs in a medium saucepan until they’re smooth, then whisk in the cream and syrup.
2. Set it over low heat on the stove and stir constantly. Make sure to watch for it to thicken, because your eggs will scramble if left too long.
3. Take the custard off the heat and add the parmesan cheese. Whisk until it’s all melted.
4. Pour the mixture through a sieve into a bowl. Cover and let it cool to room temperature or colder.
5. Pour the cooled custard into your ice cream maker of choice and follow the manufacturer’s instructions.
6. For soft serve ice cream, serve right away. For harder ice cream, freeze it for a few hours. Enjoy!

Alice’s Lavender Butter Cookies:

Ingredients:

• 1 cup (2 sticks) butter, softened
• ¼ cup granulated sugar
• 5 Tablespoons powdered sugar
• ¼ tsp. salt
• 2 cups all purpose flour
• ½ tsp. dried culinary lavender, ground fine.

For Egg Wash:

• 1 egg mixed with 1 tablespoon cold water
• ¼ cup granulated sugar.

Preheat oven to 350*.

1. In a large bowl, beat butter until pale yellow and fluffy.
2. Gradually add the sugars and beat well.
3. In a small bowl, stir together the flour, lavender and salt.
4. Add to the butter mixture and beat until thoroughly combined.
5. Roll dough into logs about 1 ½ inches in diameter and about 12 inches in length.
6. Wrap logs in plastic wrap and chill for at least 1 hour.
7. Line baking sheets with parchment paper.
8. Unwrap chilled dough and brush with egg wash mixture.
9. Roll logs in sugar.
10. Slice dough into ¾ inch thick cookies and place one inch apart on baking sheets.
11. Bake until lightly golden around the edges, about 10-12 minutes. Cool completely.
12. Makes 3 dozen.

Check back tomorrow for your next gift. 

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