Apple Pudding
From the treasured pages of Various Cookeries
Unknown Author
Apple Pudding
"Take some apples stew them in water with a little Cinnomon and sugar and let them ly till Cold, then mix some Cream Egg sack & sugar and mix all these together with all sorts of sweet meats and bake it in what you please."
Note on the Original Text
Recipes of this period assume the cook's knowledge and rarely specify precise amounts or methods. Ingredients like 'egg' and 'sack' are named with little instruction, reflecting a culture of communal kitchen practice rather than individual precision. The spellings, such as 'ly' for 'lie', and the vague timings and quantities, show the flexible, oral nature of 17th-century cookery instructions.
Title
Various Cookeries (1690)
You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome
Writer
Unknown
Era
1690
Publisher
Unknown
Background
A delightful glimpse into late 17th-century kitchens, this book brims with recipes, methods, and culinary wisdom passed down through generations, capturing the essence of historical gastronomy.
Kindly made available by
Folger Shakespeare Library
This apple pudding recipe hails from the late 1600s in England—a time when puddings were transforming from their medieval, savory, and often meat-based ancestors, to sweeter, custard-influenced confections. Ingredients like 'sack' (a type of fortified wine) and candied fruits reflect the global trade of the period and growing tastes for luxury. People would prepare such dishes for feast tables and gatherings, marking a shift from the old boiled puddings to more refined baked goods as home ovens became more common among the well-off.
Cooks in the late 17th century would have used a wide shallow pan for stewing the apples, a large wooden or pewter bowl for mixing, and a well-buttered pudding dish or deep pie plate to bake. The oven would be part of a hearth with variable heat, requiring skill to judge when the pudding was set. A wooden spoon, a small knife, and strong arms for mixing would do the trick!
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
55 mins
Servings
6
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 5 oz apples (peeled, cored, sliced)
- 3/4 cup water
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- 1/4 cup caster sugar (for stewing)
- 3/4 cup double cream
- 2 large eggs
- 2 tablespoons sweet sherry (substitute for sack)
- 3 tablespoons caster sugar (for custard mixture)
- 1 3/4 oz assorted candied fruit or dried fruit (optional, substitute for historical 'sweetmeats')
Instructions
- Begin by peeling, coring, and slicing roughly 4-5 medium apples (about 1 lb 5 oz).
- Place them in a saucepan with 3/4 cup water, 1/4 cup caster sugar, and 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon.
- Gently stew the apples over low heat until soft, about 15 minutes, then allow to cool completely.
- In a bowl, combine 3/4 cup double cream, 2 large eggs, 2 tablespoons sweet sherry (as a substitute for 'sack'), and 3 tablespoons sugar.
- Mix well.
- Fold the cooled stewed apples into the cream and egg mixture.
- If you wish, add assorted preserved fruits (sweetmeats) like candied orange peel, cherries, or dried fruits, about 1 3/4 oz.
- Pour the mixture into a buttered baking dish or individual ramekins and bake at 350°F (325°F fan) for 30–40 minutes, until set and just golden.
- Serve warm or cold.
Estimated Calories
300 per serving
Cooking Estimates
Preparing this recipe usually takes about 20 minutes, which includes peeling and slicing apples and mixing the other ingredients. Cooking time includes stewing the apples and baking the mixture, which takes about 55 minutes total. Each serving has about 300 calories, and the whole recipe serves 6 people.
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.
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