The Stewpot Recipe Gallery

Papyns

A Boke of Kokery, Harleian Manuscript #279, about 1450
(from the facsimile in Duke Cariadoc's Cookbook)

Take fayre Mylke and Flwre, an drawe it thorw a straynore, and set it over the fyre, an let it boyle a-whyle; than take it owt an let it kele; than take yolkys of eyroun y-draw thorwe a straynour, an caste ther-to; than take sugre a gode quantyte, and caste ther-to, an a lytil salt, an sette it on the fyre tyl it be sum-what thikke, but let it nowt boyle falyche, an stere it wyl, an putte it on a dysshe alle a-brode, and serue forth rennyng. 

Creme boiled

A Boke of Kokery, Harleian Manuscript #279, about 1450
(from the facsimile in Duke Cariadoc's Cookbook)

Take mylke, and boile hit; and then take yolkes of eyren, and try hem from the white, and drawe hem thorgh a streynour, and cast hem into the mylke; and then sette hit on the fire, and hete hi hote, and lete not boyle; and stirre it wel til hit be some-what thik; and caste thereto sugar and salte; and kut then faire paynmain soppes, and caste the soppes there-on, And serue it in manner of potage. 

Another Baked Pudding

Sir Kenelme Digbie, A Closet Opened, 1669

Take a Pint and half of good Sweet-cream; set it on the fire, and let it just boil up, take a peny Manchet, not too new, cut off the crust, and slice it very thin, put it into a clean earthen pan, and pour the Cream upon it, and cover it very close an hour or there-abouts, to steep the bread; when it is steeped enough, take four New laid-eggs, yolks and whites, beat them with a spoonful of Rose-water, and two of Sack; grate into it half a Nutmeg, and put into it a quarter of a pound of good white-Sugar finely beaten, stir all this together with the Cream and Bread. Then size your dish, that you intend to bake it in, and rub the bottom of it with a little sweet-Butter; then put your pudding into it, and so put it into the oven three quarters of an hour, in which time it will be well baked. Strew on it some fine Sugar, and serve it. 

Ingredients:

Half a loaf of unsliced bread, (or several slices of regular bread)
3 cups half and half
3 eggs
1/2 cup sugar
1/2 cup raisins
1/2 teaspoon nutmeg, freshly grated
1 teaspoon cinnamon (cassia if possible)

Preparation:

Cut the crusts from the loaf and then cut the bread into cubes about an inch big and put them in the bottom of a deep dish 10" glass pie plate.  Sprinkle the raisins, nutmeg, and cinnamon on top of the bread.  Beat the eggs into the half and half and add the sugar.  Beat well.  Pour the egg mixture over the bread.  Bake at 350 degrees F for 45 minutes to an hour.  The pudding is done when a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.  The pudding will be high and puffy when you take it out of the oven, but will deflate almost immediately.  This is okay.  Let it cool at least 15 minutes before you cut it if you want to serve it warm.  It's also good an hour or so later at room temperature, or cold the next day. 

Number of Servings

None given.

Serving Size

None given.

Redaction Notes

You may need to adjust the quantity of liquid to match the size of your pan.  Just keep the proportions of egg and milk at one egg to one cup of milk, and you will do fine.

References

• A Boke of Kokery, Harleian Manuscript #279, about 1450 (from the facsimile in Duke Cariadoc's Cookbook).
• Sir Kenelme Digbie, A Closet Opened, 1669.

Date Of Redaction

None given.