Recipe Manuscript

To Make An Oringe Pudding

Name: To Make An Oringe Pudding
Prep time: PTPT16H
Cook time: PTPT55M
Yield: 10
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 4 large oranges (peels only); 225g crisp ladyfinger biscuits, finely grated (substitute for 'napell bisket'); 950ml double cream; 8 large eggs (use 4 whole eggs plus 4 yolks); 1 whole nutmeg (small amount, freshly grated); 0.5 teaspoon salt; 225g caster sugar; 2 sheets ready-made puff pastry; 225g unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

1672

From the treasured pages of Cookbook of Constance Hall

Written by Constance Hall

Renaissance (1400 - 1700)European Intermediate Dessert

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 Make An Oringe Pudding

"Take the pels of 4 good oringes and boyl them in a good quantity of faire water on hone then poure it out and put as much as at first and Boyle it as be doe for 3 times on hone and so doe for 3 times then put them in to cold water and let them ley all night take them out and dry them in a cloth and Bete it in a stone morter very fine and half a pound of napell bisket grated and on quart of cream and :8: eggs take away halfe the whites bete the very well and strain them in to the creame grate a small nut meg and put in a littel salt & halfe a pound of good suger ster it well to gether then and take a thin sheet of pufpast and stroue the bottom of a deepe pewter dish lay on the pufpast then put the puding in halfe a pound of good fresh Butter butterr it all ouer the puding in small peces then couer it with another sheet of puf past not to thick and cut it with some fine works & on the brims of the dish on hone will take it"

Note on the Original Text

Seventeenth-century English recipes often lack the precise measurements and instructions we expect today. Ingredients are referenced by familiar household measures (e.g., 'quart', 'pound') and the process is documented as a series of steps rather than a formalized list—leaving much to the experienced intuition of the cook. Spelling was highly variable ('oringe', 'pels', 'bisket'); words like 'ster' for stir and 'ley' for lay reflect spoken language of the period. The instruction to 'boyl...for 3 times' is typical of period recipes for candied citrus. The pudding here straddles the line between a baked custard and a crusted pie—both popular formats of the time.

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 sumptuous citrus pudding hails from the 17th-century recipe collection of Constance Hall, dating to 1672. At this time, oranges were luxurious and somewhat exotic, reserved for impressive dishes among the English upper class. Recipes such as this reflect the fascination with imported ingredients and the growing use of dairy and sugar in English desserts. Dishes were often baked in pewter rather than ceramic or glass, puff pastry was lavish, and the elaborate multi-step boiling of orange peels was a standard technique to temper their strong bitterness.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

The original cook would have relied on a stone mortar and pestle to pound the boiled orange peels fine, and used a grater for the napell (sponge) biscuits. Eggs would be beaten by hand, and all mixing done in earthenware or wooden bowls. The pudding was assembled in a deep, lipped pewter dish. The lining and covering of the pudding with homemade puff pastry would be rolled out by hand, and the dish decorated with intricate patterns cut by a small knife. Baking would have taken place in a wood-fired oven or hearth, with keen attention to heat control.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

16 hrs

Cook Time

55 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

4 large oranges (peels only)
8 oz crisp ladyfinger biscuits, finely grated (substitute for 'napell bisket')
2 pints double cream
8 large eggs (use 4 whole eggs plus 4 yolks)
1 whole nutmeg (small amount, freshly grated)
0.5 teaspoon salt
8 oz caster sugar
2 sheets ready-made puff pastry
8 oz unsalted butter, cut into small pieces

Instructions

Begin by peeling 4 large oranges and remove as much white pith as possible.
Boil the peels in enough fresh water to cover them, discarding the water after each boil, and repeat this process three times to reduce bitterness.
After the final boil, soak the peels overnight in cold water.
The next day, pat them dry, then finely grind them using a food processor or mortar and pestle.
In a mixing bowl, combine the finely ground orange peels with 8 oz of grated crisp ladyfinger biscuits (as a stand-in for 'napell bisket').
In a separate bowl, beat 8 large eggs, discarding half of the whites, and mix into 2 pints of double cream.
Add a small grated nutmeg, 1/2 teaspoon salt, and 8 oz of caster sugar.
Stir everything together until well combined.
Roll out a thin sheet of puff pastry and line the bottom and sides of a deep ovenproof dish (approx.
9 inches).
Pour the orange pudding mixture on top.
Dot 8 oz of good-quality unsalted butter, cut into small pieces, over the pudding.
Cover with another sheet of thin puff pastry, sealing the edges and making decorative cuts or patterns if desired.
Bake in a preheated oven at 350°F (fan 320°F) for about 45-55 minutes, until golden brown on top and cooked through.
Serve warm from the dish.

Estimated Calories

750 per serving

Cooking Estimates

Preparing the orange peels takes extra time since you boil and soak them overnight. After mixing everything, baking takes under an hour. The recipe is very rich, so a small slice is enough per person.

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.