Recipe Manuscript

Almond Flumery

Name: Almond Flumery
Prep time: PTPT20M
Cook time: PTPT15M
Yield: 4
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 14 grams isinglass (or 2 sheets gelatin as substitute); 475 ml double cream; 115 grams sweet almonds (blanched); 3-4 bitter almonds (or 1/2 teaspoon almond extract); 115 grams white sugar; 1 strip lemon peel; pinch of mace or nutmeg (freshly grated); 1 teaspoon orange flower water or rose water

1720

From the treasured pages of Cookbook of 1720

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

Almond Flumery

"Take half an ounce of Isinglass pull it to peices or let it lie in water all night, then take a pint of cream, a quarter of a pound of sweet almonds with a few bitter ones blanch'd, or pounded in a marble morter, a quarter of a pound of loaf sugar a little lemon pill, mace or nutmeg, a little orange flower or rose water, boil them all together a qtr of an hour then strain it of, or put it into your cups, infuse your Isinglass in as little water as possible, or put it by ye fire side"

Note on the Original Text

Written in the unadorned, instructional style of early 18th-century English cookery, the recipe delivers guidance through a sequence of actions: steeping, pounding, boiling, and straining. Spelling variants—'Isinglass', 'pill' for 'peel', 'morter' for 'mortar'—reflect the pre-standardized, phonetic approach to English. Handy details ('a little orange flower') would have been interpreted by experienced cooks used to measuring by eye and instinct, not precise scales.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Cookbook of 1720 - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Cookbook of 1720 (1720)

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

Writer

Unknown

Era

1720

Publisher

Unknown

Background

Step back to the early 18th century and discover a delightful treasury of recipes and culinary secrets, where traditional flavors meet timeless technique—a feast for curious cooks and history lovers alike.

Kindly made available by

Folger Shakespeare Library

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe for Almond Flumery dates to around 1720, a time when jellied and set creams gained popularity among the English gentry. Flumery, originating from a traditional oat dish, transformed over time into an elegant, creamy, almond-based dessert, served at banquets and special gatherings. The use of isinglass, a natural gelatin from fish bladders, reflects the ingenuity of pre-commercial gelatine cooks. Almonds—including both sweet and the rarely available bitter variety—showcase luxury and continental influences in early 18th-century British kitchens.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

The recipe would have come together in a large copper or tin-lined saucepan, with the almonds crushed in a hefty marble mortar and pestle. After simmering, a fine cloth or muslin bag served as a strainer to remove almond solids. The flumery would be set in small cups or delicate porcelain dishes, cooled in a cool larder or near the hearth—long before the convenience of refrigeration.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

15 mins

Servings

Ingredients

1/2 ounce isinglass (or 2 sheets gelatin as substitute)
1 pint (2 cups) double cream
4 ounces sweet almonds (blanched)
3-4 bitter almonds (or 1/2 teaspoon almond extract)
4 ounces white sugar
1 strip lemon peel
pinch of mace or nutmeg (freshly grated)
1 teaspoon orange flower water or rose water

Instructions

Begin by soaking 1/2 ounce of isinglass (or substitute with 2 sheets of good quality leaf gelatin if isinglass is unavailable) in cold water overnight, or tear it up and cover it with just enough cold water to soften.
In a saucepan, combine 1 pint (2 cups) of double cream, 4 ounces of blanched sweet almonds, and 3 or 4 bitter almonds (or a dash of almond extract as a bitter almond substitute).
Crush or grind the almonds with a mortar and pestle until they form a paste.
Add 4 ounces of white sugar, a strip of lemon peel, and a pinch of either grated mace or nutmeg.
Include a splash (about 1 teaspoon) of orange flower water or rose water for fragrance.
Bring all to a gentle simmer and cook on low heat for about 15 minutes, stirring occasionally.
Strain the hot mixture through a fine sieve or muslin into a clean bowl or jug.
Heat the softened isinglass or gelatin gently with its soaking water, stirring to dissolve, and add to the hot, strained cream mixture.
Stir well to combine.
Pour into small cups or molds and allow to cool and set in the refrigerator until firm.

Estimated Calories

300 per serving

Cooking Estimates

It takes about 15 minutes to cook the mixture, and around 20 minutes to prepare and grind the almonds, soften the gelatin, and mix everything. Each serving has about 300 calories. The recipe makes 4 servings.