Recipe Manuscript

To. Make Almond Cakes

Name: To. Make Almond Cakes
Prep time: PTPT45M
Cook time: PTPT25M
Yield: 24
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 450 grams raw almonds; 2-3 tablespoons rosewater; 2-3 tablespoons water; Pinch (0.02 grams) musk powder (optional; or substitute with a drop of vanilla or other musky flavoring); 450 grams icing (confectioners') sugar; 1 tablespoon (8 grams) all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting; 6 large eggs; 20 grams unsalted butter, for greasing pans

1698

From the treasured pages of Cookbook of Ann Smith, Reading

Written by Ann Smith

Renaissance (1400 - 1700)European Intermediate Dessert Snack

Original Recipe • 1698

Original Manuscript(circa Renaissance, 1400 - 1700)

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

To. Make Almond Cakes

"Take one Lb of Almonds lay them in water one Day & Change it often then Blanch them & Dry them in a Cloath, & pound them small & slow & then put in a spoonfull or two of Rose water & fair water mingld together, method of putting yoe. Rose water is to keep them from Oyling, when they are almost pounded take one Grain of musk mingld in a spoond. full of fair water & take one Lb of Double refind Sugar beaten very small & a Spoonfull of fine Flower twice sifted & mingld yn. Togethr & when said yt. is readye Take 6 eggs & beat them, & Take outt all the strings & beat them yn, putt yoe Flower & Sugar & beat an hourd yn, puttn yoe Almonds & stirr it well together then melt fresh Butter & with a feather Butter yoe panns or plates set them softly theron The oven not to hott & when they are baking turn them outt Immediately with yoe Knife from the plates & onto white papers till they are Dry satt the ovens mouth with the open. Side uppermost before you sett them in the oven take a littl fine Flower & as much Sugar searced on the Tops they must bol Lookt Dry by the fired."

Note on the Original Text

The recipe uses pre-modern English with a sprinkling of contractions and abbreviations. 'Lb' stands for pound (about 450 grams), 'oyling' means becoming oily or greasy, and 'flower' is an early spelling of 'flour.' Spelling varied widely, and instructions are listed as a continuous stream, without precise measurements or baking times. Recipes of this period often describe method and ingredient order together. Quantities were measured by experience, with instructions like 'not to hott,' relying on the baker's judgment. Terms like 'blanch,' 'beat,' and 'with a feather' reflect historical culinary practice and vocabulary.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Cookbook of Ann Smith, Reading - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Cookbook of Ann Smith, Reading (1698)

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

Writer

Ann Smith

Era

1698

Publisher

Unknown

Background

Step into the sumptuous kitchens of 17th-century England with Ann Smith’s culinary treasury, where traditional recipes and time-honored techniques invite you to savor the flavors of history. Each page promises a feast of inspiration and a glimpse into the artful dining of a bygone era.

Kindly made available by

Folger Shakespeare Library

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe comes from Ann Smith, dated 1698, and neatly encapsulates the luxurious tastes of late 17th-century English kitchens. Almond cakes such as these were special-occasion treats, reflecting both social status and continental influences. Rosewater, musk, and fine sugar signal the recipe's connections to courtly tastes and expanding trade networks. Almond-based pastries were especially popular among the English elite, and the use of ingredients like musk—an expensive and perfumed additive—illustrates the recipe's origins in a wealthy household. Blanching and pounding almonds by hand was labor-intensive, marking this cake as an emblem of both kitchen skill and household affluence.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

In Ann Smith's time, cooks would have used a stone mortar and pestle to pound and grind the almonds, and used linen cloths to dry and handle delicate nuts. Eggs were beaten by hand, sometimes for an hour, with whisks or bundles of twigs. Fine sugar was prepared by pounding loaf sugar and sifting it through a sieve. Metal tart pans or shallow plates were buttered with a feather or brush, and the cakes were baked in a brick oven, carefully tended to prevent scorching. The finished almond cakes would be lifted off the hot pans with a thin knife to cool and dry on paper.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

45 mins

Cook Time

25 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 pound (16 ounces) raw almonds
2-3 tablespoons rosewater
2-3 tablespoons water
Pinch (about 1/700 ounce) musk powder (optional; or substitute with a drop of vanilla or other musky flavoring)
1 pound (16 ounces) icing (confectioners') sugar
1 tablespoon (about 1/4 ounce) all-purpose flour, plus extra for dusting
6 large eggs
3/4 ounce (about 1.5 tablespoons) unsalted butter, for greasing pans

Instructions

Begin by soaking 1 pound (16 ounces) of raw almonds in cold water for a full day, changing the water several times to keep them fresh.
Drain and peel (blanch) the almonds, then dry them with a clean kitchen towel.
Finely grind the almonds in a food processor or mortar and pestle, sprinkling in 2 to 3 tablespoons each of rosewater and plain water during grinding to prevent the nuts from releasing too much oil and becoming paste-like.
When almost fully ground, dissolve a small pinch (about 1/700 ounce) of musk powder (or substitute with a drop of natural musk-like flavoring or vanilla), in 1 tablespoon of water and add this to the almonds.
Next, sift together 1 pound (16 ounces) of superfine (icing) sugar with 1 tablespoon (about 1/4 ounce) of sifted all-purpose flour.
In a separate bowl, beat 6 large eggs, removing the stringy chalazae.
Gradually add the sugar and flour mixture to the eggs, whisking continuously for about an hour (or at least 10-15 minutes with an electric mixer), then fold in the ground almond mixture and mix gently.
Melt about 3/4 ounce (0.7 ounce; about 1.5 tablespoons) of unsalted butter and, using a pastry brush, butter small tart pans or shallow baking trays.
Spoon small rounds of the almond mixture onto the pans.
Sprinkle the tops with a little more sifted icing sugar and flour.
Bake at a low temperature (about 300°F/150°C) until the cakes look dry and have set but are still pale.
As soon as they're done, loosen them with a thin knife and transfer to parchment or white paper to finish drying.
Let them cool thoroughly before serving.

Estimated Calories

110 per serving

Cooking Estimates

You need to soak the almonds overnight, but actual prep takes about 45 minutes for grinding, mixing, and shaping. Baking takes about 25 minutes. Each almond cake is a small treat with about 110 calories, and the recipe makes about 24 portions.

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.