Eyeren Op Zyn Florentyns
"Eggs In The Florentine Style"
From the treasured pages of Het Hollands, of Neederlands kook-boek
Unknown Author
Eyeren Op Zyn Florentyns
"Neem Doyeren van Eyeren, laat se d’een na d’ander hard worden in een Syroop, van Suiker en Water gemaakt; nu hard zynde, soo legt se in een Schotel; neem dan een glas Spaanse Wyn, of gemeene Wyn met Suiker, doe’er gestampte Marssepain by, met geconfyte en klein gehakte Citroen-schil: meng het alles wel onder een, laat het een Walmpje of twee opkooken, giet het dan over je Eyeren, en regt se aan."
English Translation
"Take yolks of eggs, let them set one by one in a syrup made of sugar and water; once they are set, place them on a dish. Then take a glass of Spanish wine, or ordinary wine with sugar, add some crushed marzipan, with candied and finely chopped lemon peel: mix everything together well, let it come to a boil once or twice, then pour it over your eggs and arrange them."
Note on the Original Text
The recipe is concise and expects a degree of kitchen know-how: it presumes the reader understands how to make a syrup and recognizes the right texture for simmered eggs without explicit timings. Measures are based on ingredients 'to taste,' reflecting both the flexibility and minimalism typical of cookbooks before the 19th century. Spelling is archaic ('Doyeren van Eyeren' = 'Dooiers van eieren', meaning egg yolks, though the context suggests whole eggs; 'geconfyte' for candied, 'Walmpje' meaning a brief upward boil). The style is casual yet economical, with little wasted ink—an invitation rather than a strict protocol.
Title
Het Hollands, of Neederlands kook-boek (1725)
You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome
Writer
Unknown
Era
1725
Publisher
J. du Vivie
Background
A delectable journey into 18th-century Dutch cuisine, this cookbook serves up traditional recipes, culinary wisdom, and a flavorful glimpse of the Netherlands’ rich gastronomic heritage.
Kindly made available by
Internet Archive
This recipe hails from 'Het Hollands, of Neederlands kook-boek' published in Leyden in 1725, a time when Dutch cuisine blended opulent European flavors with local tastes. The use of exotic ingredients like Spanish wine, marzipan, and candied citrus was a hallmark of festive and affluent tables, reflecting the cosmopolitan nature of the Dutch Golden Age. Eggs prepared 'Florentine style' in this context do not refer to spinach, as is common in later recipes, but instead to a lavish sweet-savoury treatment popular in early modern Europe—a testament to how culinary labels and expectations shift over centuries.
Cooks in the 18th century would have used a sturdy iron or brass saucepan for making syrups and simmering liquids, a slotted spoon for handling eggs, and possibly a mortar and pestle to crumble and blend the marzipan. Serving would be done in simple ceramic or earthenware shallow dishes, with perhaps a tin or pewter ladle for pouring sauces. No modern timers or thermometers: everything hinged on the cook's practiced sense of touch and observation.
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
10 mins
Servings
6
We've done our best to adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, but some details may still need refinement. We warmly welcome feedback from fellow cooks and culinary historians — your insights support the entire community!
Ingredients
- 6 large eggs
- 7 fl oz water
- 1/2 cup (3.5 oz) granulated sugar
- 3.5 fl oz sweet sherry (or dry white wine with extra sugar as substitute)
- 2 tablespoons (1 oz) granulated sugar (for wine mixture)
- 1.75 oz marzipan, crumbled
- 1 tablespoon (0.35 oz) candied lemon peel, finely chopped
Instructions
- Start by peeling several hard-boiled eggs (about 6), making sure they remain whole.
- Prepare a syrup by combining 7 fl oz water with 1/2 cup (3.5 oz) sugar in a saucepan; bring to a simmer until the sugar dissolves.
- Carefully add the whole eggs one at a time to the syrup and gently simmer until slightly firmed and glossy—about 5 minutes.
- Remove the eggs and arrange them in a shallow serving dish.
- In a clean saucepan, pour in 3.5 fl oz sweet sherry or white wine.
- Add in 2 tablespoons (about 1 oz) sugar, 1.75 oz finely crumbled marzipan, and about 1 tablespoon (0.35 oz) finely chopped candied lemon peel.
- Stir well and bring just to a simmer for a minute or two, dissolving the marzipan into the mixture.
- Pour the hot, perfumed sauce over the hard-boiled eggs and serve warm or at room temperature.
Estimated Calories
275 per serving
Cooking Estimates
You will spend some time peeling the eggs and preparing the syrup and sauce. Cooking is quick, just letting the eggs simmer and then warming the wine sauce. Each serving has about as many calories as a decorated hard-boiled egg with sweet sauce.
As noted above, we have made our best effort to translate and adapt this historical recipe for modern kitchens, taking into account ingredients nowadays, cooking techniques, measurements, and so on. However, historical recipes often contain assumptions that require interpretation.
We'd love for anyone to help improve these adaptations. Community contributions are highly welcome. If you have suggestions, corrections, or cooking tips based on your experience with this recipe, please share them below.
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