Recipe Manuscript

To Make Hartshorn Jelly

Name: To Make Hartshorn Jelly
Prep time: PTPT15M
Cook time: PTPT1H20M
Yield: 8
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 225 g shaved hartshorn (or 225 g powdered gelatine as a substitute); 1.7 liters water (or 3.4 liters for drinkable jelly); 110 g caster sugar; 60 ml dry sherry (to replace Sack); 60 ml dry Rhine wine; Juice of 2 lemons; 2 egg whites, well beaten; Lemon peel, thinly sliced

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 Hartshorn Jelly

"Take half a pound of raspt hartshorn, put to it three pints of water, let it boil a third part away, then strain it, press the hartshorn quite dry, when cool put it into a preserving pan with a quarter of a pound of refine Sugar, half a gill of Sack, half of Rinish, the juicer of two Lemons, the whites of two Eggs well beat, stirr these together with a bitt of the Lemon peel in it. Stirr it over a quick clear fire, keep stirring it till it boils, out quick three Minutes, then put it into Jelly bags, let it run & keep putting it back into the bags again till it is very fine, & then put it into glasses with a little bitt of Lemon peel cut very thin in each glass; this makes a stiff Jelly, & double the quantity of water, will make them fit to drink out of the glasses."

Note on the Original Text

Like many recipes of its time, this one assumes culinary knowledge and omits step-by-step timings or temperatures, relying instead on experience and common practice: 'boil a third part away', 'press quite dry', and 'stirr over a quick clear fire'. Spellings vary—'juicer' for 'juice', 'Stirr' for 'stir', and 'rinish' for 'Rhenish' (Rhine wine). The recipe also blends medicinal and culinary aims, as was typical for the era, highlighting both taste and perceived health benefits.

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 fascinating jelly recipe hails from early 18th-century England, a period when jellied dishes were both fashionable and a demonstration of culinary skill, frequently served at the tables of the well-heeled. Hartshorn jelly, made with the shavings of a stag's antler, was believed to possess medicinal properties, often touted as strengthening or restorative, especially for invalids or those recovering from illness. Such jellies were precursors to modern aspics and desserts, and, before the advent of commercial gelatine, hartshorn was a common gelling agent.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

Period kitchens would have used a large brass or copper preserving pan for boiling the hartshorn, a sieve or muslin cloth for straining, and a jelly bag (essentially a fine tightly-woven cloth hung on a frame) for clarifying the jelly. Wooden spoons or spatulas would be used for stirring. Glass bowls, molds, or even tall glasses would serve as the vessels for the finished jelly. An open hearth or a quick-burning wood or coal fire was used for heat.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

1 hr 20 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

8 oz shaved hartshorn (or 8 oz powdered gelatine as a substitute)
3 pints water (or 6 pints for drinkable jelly)
4 oz caster sugar
2 fl oz dry sherry (to replace Sack)
2 fl oz dry Rhine wine
Juice of 2 lemons
2 egg whites, well beaten
Lemon peel, thinly sliced

Instructions

Begin by taking approximately 8 ounces of shaved hartshorn (ground deer antler; substitute with 8 ounces of powdered gelatine for modern kitchens).
Place this in a large saucepan with 3 pints of water.
Bring to a boil, then simmer until the liquid is reduced by a third, leaving about 2 1/4 pints.
Strain through a fine sieve or muslin, pressing the solids well to extract as much liquid as possible.
Allow the liquid to cool slightly, then return it to a clean pan.
Add 4 ounces of caster sugar, 2 fluid ounces of dry sherry (as a stand-in for Sack, an old fortified wine), 2 fluid ounces of a dry Rhine white wine, the juice of two lemons, and the beaten whites of two eggs.
Include a piece of lemon peel as well.
Stir the mixture together and heat over a medium-high flame, stirring constantly until it reaches a boil.
Let it boil briskly for three minutes.
Remove from heat.
Strain the mixture through a jelly bag or several layers of muslin until the jelly is clear, repeating as needed.
Pour into serving glasses or molds, placing a thin sliver of lemon peel in each.
For a drinkable version, use double the amount of water during simmering.

Estimated Calories

120 per serving

Cooking Estimates

It takes about 15 minutes to prepare the ingredients and workspace. Cooking, simmering, and boiling take about 1 hour and 20 minutes. Each serving has about 120 calories, and this recipe makes 8 servings.

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.