To Make Cheeſs Cakōs

This cheese cake recipe hails from England, roughly dated to the early-to-mid 18th century—a time when 'cheese cakes' referred to lightly sweetened pastries made with fresh, homemade curds, not the dense cream cheese cakes of today. Fresh flavors like nutmeg and rose water show a courtly taste, while currants and sugar suggest a dish made for special occasions. The instructions assume access to a dairy farm or fresh creamery, as household cheese making was a regular chore for many women. The inclusion of fine breadcrumbs or biscuits in the filling is a nod to the frugality (and ingenuity) of historical cooks, who would not have wasted good bread.

Historically, this recipe would involve a large cauldron or pot for curdling and warming the milk, followed by pressing curds in a linen cloth with a heavy cheese press or weighted board. The curd would be rubbed through a fine sieve or muslin, and a large wooden mixing bowl would be used to combine the filling. For the pastry, cooks used simple wooden rolling pins and well-floured boards, and the baking itself would be done in a brick oven or 'beehive' oven, regulated by hand. Metal tart pans or pie dishes would serve as molds for the final bake.