Recipe Manuscript

To Dandy Appricokes Preserve

Name: To Dandy Appricokes Preserve
Prep time: PTPT20M
Cook time: PTPT40M
Yield: 6
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 500g fresh apricots (or substitute: firm canned apricots without syrup, drained); 450g fine white sugar; 500ml water

1672

From the treasured pages of Cookbook of Constance Hall

Written by Constance Hall

Renaissance (1400 - 1700)European Intermediate Dessert Snack

Original Recipe • 1672

Original Manuscript(circa Renaissance, 1400 - 1700)

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

To Dandy Appricokes Preserve

"ym first till they Looke clear and no Longer than take thm out and sett thm bye in ye Surrup 2 dayes then take ym out of it & drane thm then from y! Surrups put thm in a dry Glass take a pound of fine Suger and wth apint of water boyle it halfe an hower Skime it very well when it is cold put as much of it on yo! Apricoks as will Cover ym put thm in a Stove to dry put a little fire to thm Every day/"

Note on the Original Text

The recipe is written in the informal, practical vernacular of its day, without precise measurements, timings, or temperatures. Spellings are inconsistent and often phonetic ('ym' for 'them', 'ye' for 'the', 'boyle' for 'boil'). Instructions are structured as a running narrative, assuming the reader has experience in preserving and access to specialized domestic knowledge. Capitalization is irregular, and punctuation minimal, characteristic of manuscript cookbooks before standardized recipes.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Cookbook of Constance Hall - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Cookbook of Constance Hall (1672)

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

Writer

Constance Hall

Era

1672

Publisher

Unknown

Background

A spirited foray into 17th-century kitchens, this collection by Constance Hall brims with the flavors, secrets, and delicacies of Restoration-era England—perfect for cooks keen to revive a dash of history in their modern menus.

Kindly made available by

Folger Shakespeare Library

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe hails from 1672 and is attributed to Constance Hall, a woman of likely gentle birth, who would have had access to both luxury ingredients like sugar and a domestic staff. 'Dandy' (likely a dialectal or miswritten form of 'candy') refers to the sweet preserving of apricots, a practice associated with high-status kitchens in early modern England. Sugar, a costly imported good, increased the prestige of such preserves, which were both a culinary delight and a display of wealth and refinement. The recipe exemplifies the fashion for preserving fruits for enjoyment well out of season, a practical and pleasurable art in grand households of the 17th century.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

In the 17th century, this recipe would have called for large earthenware or copper pans for poaching and boiling, a slotted spoon or ladle for removing the delicate apricots, and glass jars or vessels for storing the preserves. A 'stove' referenced here was likely an enclosed warming cupboard or the low heat of a hearth embers, not an open fire. Maintaining a steady, gentle warmth was key to drying and preserving the sugared fruit.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

20 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 2 oz fresh apricots (or substitute: firm canned apricots without syrup, drained)
1 lb fine white sugar
2 cups water

Instructions

Begin by gently poaching whole apricots (fresh, ideally firm and just ripe, about 1 lb 2 oz) in enough water to cover them, cooking until they appear clear and slightly translucent.
Remove the apricots carefully and set them aside in their syrup for two days to infuse the sweet flavors.
After this resting period, take the apricots out and allow them to drain.
In a clean saucepan, prepare a syrup by boiling 1 lb of fine white sugar with 2 cups of water for 30 minutes, skimming regularly to keep the syrup clear.
Once the syrup has cooled, pour enough of it over the drained apricots to cover them in a large glass container, ensuring they are fully submerged.
Place the container in a warm, dry place (such as a low oven or an airing cupboard) for several days, lighting a gentle fire or using low heat each day to help the apricots dry and preserve in the syrup.
This simulates the drying technique of a 17th-century stove.

Estimated Calories

140 per serving

Cooking Estimates

Preparing these preserved apricots takes time mostly because they rest in syrup for two days and then dry for several more days. Actual hands-on preparation and cooking are much shorter, about an hour total. Each serving is estimated to have 140 calories, and this recipe makes about 6 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.