Recipe Manuscript

To Make Almond Pies

Name: To Make Almond Pies
Prep time: PTPT40M
Cook time: PTPT40M
Yield: 10
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 450g fresh beef suet (or vegetarian suet); 450g tart apples (such as Granny Smith), peeled and finely chopped; 225g blanched almonds, ground; 340g dried currants; 240ml brandy (or medium/dry sherry as a substitute for sack); Caster sugar, to taste (suggest 100g–150g); Mixed spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, clove), to taste (suggest ~2 tsp total); 75g candied citron, chopped (or extra candied orange/lemon peel if unavailable); 75g candied orange peel, chopped; Shortcrust pastry for lining pie tin and covering

1720

From the treasured pages of Cookbook of 1720 approximately

Unknown Author

Culinary Enlightenment (1700 - 1800)European Intermediate Dessert

Original Recipe • 1720

Original Manuscript(circa Culinary Enlightenment, 1700 - 1800)

As inscribed by the original author's hand, transcribed with care by Lost Kitchen Scrolls

To Make Almond Pies

"Take a pound of the finest fresh suet the same quaintyty of Apples shred them together as fine as you can then add half a pound of Almonds blanched & beat fine; three quarters of a pound of Corrants clean washed & dried half a pint of brandy or sack put in sugar & spice to your taste & as much candid Citron & orange as you like. +"

Note on the Original Text

The recipe is characteristically brief and expects the reader to possess a fair amount of kitchen intuition. Quantities for most ingredients are given by weight (pounds) or by simple containers ('half a pint'), but seasoning and sugar are left to taste, showing trust in the cook's palate. Spellings and terminology ('quaintyty', 'candid citron', 'corrants', 'sack') reflect the fluid orthography of the period and older names for ingredients and fortified wines.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Cookbook of 1720 approximately - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Cookbook of 1720 approximately (1720)

You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome

Writer

Unknown

Era

1720

Publisher

Unknown

Background

A delightful window into early 18th-century kitchens, this historical culinary tome brims with recipes, culinary wisdom, and the flavors of a bygone era—offering food enthusiasts a taste of both tradition and intrigue.

Kindly made available by

Folger Shakespeare Library

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe hails from around 1720, a period when English kitchens were brimming with elaborate pastries and sweetmeats for special occasions. Almond pies like this often graced tables at festive times, particularly for Christmas or Twelfth Night, providing a rich, luxurious treat. The inclusion of suet and currants places it firmly in the tradition that would later birth mincemeat pies, blurring the lines between sweet and savory. It originally appeared in an early 18th-century handwritten recipe collection, reflecting both the international trade in dried fruits and spirits, and the continuing popularity of almond-based desserts in upper-class English households.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

Back in 1720, cooks would have relied on large chopping knives for mincing the suet and apples, a mortar and pestle for grinding almonds and spices, and wooden bowls for combining the mixture. Pastry was rolled out with simple wooden pins, and pies were baked in brick ovens, likely in round or oval tin or ceramic pie moulds. Measuring was imprecise, relying on weights for dry goods and judgement for spices and sugar.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

40 mins

Cook Time

40 mins

Servings

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

1 lb fresh beef suet (or vegetarian suet)
1 lb tart apples (such as Granny Smith), peeled and finely chopped
8 oz blanched almonds, ground
12 oz dried currants
1 cup brandy (or medium/dry sherry as a substitute for sack)
Caster sugar, to taste (suggest 1/2–3/4 cup)
Mixed spices (cinnamon, nutmeg, clove), to taste (suggest ~2 tsp total)
2.5 oz candied citron, chopped (or extra candied orange/lemon peel if unavailable)
2.5 oz candied orange peel, chopped
Shortcrust pastry for lining pie tin and covering

Instructions

To recreate this delightful Almond Pie for modern kitchens, begin by finely chopping 1 lb of the freshest beef suet and an equal amount (1 lb) of tart apples—Granny Smiths work well here.
Mix these together, aiming for a fine, even texture.
Next, add 8 oz of blanched almonds, crushed or ground until quite fine.
Mix in 12 oz of cleaned and dried currants.
Pour in 1 cup of brandy—or, if you prefer, a dessert sherry as a stand-in for historical sack.
Stir in caster sugar and your preferred warming spices (think cinnamon, nutmeg, and maybe a touch of clove) to taste.
If available, fold in a generous handful (about 2.5 oz) of chopped candied citron and orange peel.
Once well combined, mound the mixture into pastry shells and bake at 350°F (180°C) until golden, about 30–40 minutes.

Estimated Calories

550 per serving

Cooking Estimates

It takes about 30–40 minutes to bake the pie until it turns golden. Preparing and mixing the ingredients will take about 40 minutes. The whole recipe makes 10 servings, each with about 550 calories.

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.