Allan Good, personal communication.
Allan studied at the University of Tasmania, Australia, in 1946-9, and was often fed Neenish cakes by a friend's mother. In Allan's words:
She was a 1st World War Bride coming out from the London East End to marry an Australian Serviceman. They set up a bakery in Tasmania in the early twenties and two of her specialities were Maids of Honour and Neenish cakes. I was so keen on them that I prized her recipe for years and often make them now. I am sure the recipe must predate 1929 as it is quite different from the more recent ones . I do not think she could have made it up and feel sure it must have come out from England with her. She always referred to the pastry as "Mamma's German Pastry" so it does seem to have a German connection.
| Flour (1/2 SR and 1/2 plain) | 12 ozs |
| Butter | 8 ozs |
| Icing Sugar | 4 ozs |
| Egg | 1 |
Lightly blend the flour, sugar and butter, add egg, put in fridge for a while. Make pastry cases by pressing small balls of the pastry into patty pans. Prick with a fork and cook until crisp and slightly coloured. Whip 3/4 cup of cream and add two to three teaspoons of rum. Fill the cases with the whipped cream , cover one side with melted chocolate (I find a high quality Belgian cooking chocolate best, although I don't know what she used) and the other with white icing with a touch of vanilla.