To Make Marron Pastyes
From the treasured pages of Various Cookeries
Unknown Author
To Make Marron Pastyes
"Take a good handfull of Raisins of the Sun, – stone them & shred them small, then take Marrow cut in bigness of Dice and the yolks of two hard Eggs shred small with Cinamon Sugr Rosewater and the Yolks of two Raw Eggs, stirr them all together, make the past with two Raw Eggs Yolks Cold water Rose water and Sugar mak’em into little pastyes and fry ‘em in – Butter, serve them upon a Pye=Plate with scraped Sugar over ‘em."
Note on the Original Text
The original recipe, like many from the period, is written in a continuous, conversational style, with minimal punctuation and more focus on process than precise measurement. Spelling—such as 'mak’em' for 'make them', 'pastyes' for 'pasties', and 'Cinamon Sugr Rosewater' instead of listing each separately—is idiosyncratic and reflects phonetic or regional spelling of the time. Measurements are often ambiguous ('a good handfull'), so modern interpretations require some thoughtful guesswork. The use of marrow and rosewater signals the recipe's medieval roots, and the pasty format reflects the era’s love of individually portioned hand-foods, perfect for parties and displays.
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 recipe, 'To make Marron Pastyes', comes from an English manuscript cookbook dating to the late 1600s, a time when lavishly sweet and aromatic pastries were a hallmark of elite and festive British tables. Marrow (the fatty tissue from the inside of bones) was prized for its richness, and the combination of sweet spices, rosewater, and sugar shows the lingering medieval taste for complex, perfumed desserts and pastries. These little pasties were likely served at special banquets or gatherings rather than as everyday fare. The presence of costly ingredients like rosewater and sugar, alongside the care involved in preparing marrow and making the pastry, points to a genteel household context—where cookery was both an art and a show of status.
In the 17th century, the kitchen would have featured a robust mortar and pestle for grinding spices, and a sturdy wooden board and knife for chopping ingredients. The dough would be mixed by hand in a large bowl. Shaping pasties required nimble fingers, while a heavy frying pan (possibly cast iron or even copper) over an open hearth fire would be used for cooking. Butter was ladled in to ensure sizzling, golden frying. The sugar for dusting could be grated from a sugar loaf, using a sugar nipper or grater, and the final pastries would be served on a simple ceramic or pewter plate.
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
20 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
- 2.5 oz raisins (seedless or manually destoned)
- 1.75 oz fresh bone marrow (or substitute with unsalted butter if marrow is unavailable)
- 2 egg yolks, hard-boiled and chopped
- 2 egg yolks, raw (for filling)
- 1 tsp ground cinnamon
- 2 tbsp caster sugar (plus extra for dusting)
- 2 tbsp rosewater (divided)
- 2 egg yolks, raw (for pastry)
- 1–2 tbsp cold water
- 4.5 oz plain flour
- Butter, for frying
Instructions
- Start by taking about 2.5 ounces of raisins (Raisins of the Sun), de-seed if needed, and chop them finely.
- Next, prepare 1.75 ounces of fresh beef or veal bone marrow—remove from the bone, and cut into small pieces about the size of a 3/8 inch die.
- Hard-boil two eggs, peel them, and chop the yolks finely.
- In a bowl, mix the chopped raisins, marrow cubes, hard-boiled yolks, 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon, 1 tablespoon caster sugar, 1 tablespoon rosewater, and the yolks of two raw eggs.
- Stir until evenly combined.
- For the pastry, in a separate bowl, mix the yolks of two raw eggs, about 1–2 tablespoons cold water, 1 tablespoon rosewater, and 1 tablespoon caster sugar.
- Gradually add 4.5 ounces plain flour until you have a soft, pliable dough.
- Roll the pastry out thin and cut into rounds (about 3–4 inches diameter, to make small pasties).
- Place a spoonful of the filling onto each round, fold over, and crimp the edges shut.
- Fry the pasties in butter over medium heat until golden on both sides.
- Serve warm, dusted generously with extra caster sugar.
Estimated Calories
265 per serving
Cooking Estimates
It takes about 20 minutes to get everything ready, like chopping raisins and making the dough. Cooking each batch of pasties in the frying pan for about 20 minutes makes them golden and warm. Each serving gives you around 265 calories. This recipe makes 6 small pasties, and each one is a serving.
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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