To Make Jely Of Pippins
From the treasured pages of Culinary and medicinal recipe book of Mary Smith
Written by Mary Smith
To Make Jely Of Pippins
"take some of the greenest pippins pare them & cut them in eight quarters put them in store of cold water & let them boyle till the water begins to be thicke & is just gone from ye apple ye let it runne through a flanel strayner not forst take to a pinte of this lyquor a pound of double refined suger ye take some more pippins pare them & slice them ye round way as thin as you can possible put them in cold water as you slice them set on ye jely with ye suger let it boyle & skime it cleane then put in ye sliced pippins & Let it boyle till it jely when it is just boyled put halfe ye juce of a faire lemmon to halfe a pound of suger let it boyle till scald in ye pare an orring as thin as you can possible & boyle it in two or three waters till it be very tender ye cut it in long slices as smale as a browne thred put in the peele iust as you take it from ye fire take forth the sliced pippins & spread them at the bottom of the glasses with some of the oring peele betweeme when the jely hath stood a litle then fill your glasses when it is cold ley a paper upon it cut no holes in the paper."
Note on the Original Text
This recipe is written in the orthography of mid-17th-century English, before standardized spelling and punctuation. For example, 'boyle' becomes 'boil', 'suger' is 'sugar', and 'oring' is 'orange.' Directions are linear, assuming a practiced cook who can infer details. Quantities can be vague ('store of cold water'), reflecting intuitive, experience-based cooking. Recipes also often describe preservation steps, like covering with paper, highlighting the importance of keeping food safe in the pre-refrigeration era.
Title
Culinary and medicinal recipe book of Mary Smith (1662)
You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome
Writer
Mary Smith
Era
1662
Publisher
Unknown
Background
A delightful window into 17th-century kitchens, this cookbook serves up recipes and culinary wisdom from a bygone era, inviting readers to savor the flavors and traditions of the past.
Kindly made available by
Folger Shakespeare Library
The recipe comes from Mary Smith's manuscript of circa 1662, representing English household cookery in the Restoration period. Such recipes were often handwritten by women in the gentry or merchant classes, sharing culinary knowledge through family generations. Apple jellies were prized for their elegance and keeping qualities—a treat for special occasions, giving a glimpse of autumn’s bounty preserved for the winter table. The inclusion of refined sugar and citrus peels reflects the influence of European trade and status items in English kitchens of the day. Oranges and lemons were luxury imports, signifying wealth and cosmopolitan tastes in recipes like this.
Back in the 17th century, this recipe would be made in a heavy-bottomed iron or brass cauldron, set over an open hearth or wood-fired range. The apples would be peeled with a small, sharp knife and sliced by hand. Straining was done through a flannel cloth, often suspended over a bowl or jug. Skimming sugar froth required a shallow spoon or skimmer, and preserving was managed in glass jars or shallow dishes, with oiled parchment laid atop to keep out air.
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
1 hr
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
- 2.2 pounds green, tart apples (e.g., Granny Smith)
- 6 1/3 cups cold water (plus extra for slicing and blanching)
- 1 pound caster sugar (double-refined sugar)
- 2 additional apples, peeled and very thinly sliced
- Juice of 1/2 lemon (about 2 tbsp)
- Peel of 1 orange, peeled very thinly
Instructions
- To make apple jelly in the spirit of Mary Smith's 1662 recipe, begin by peeling and coring 2.2 pounds of the greenest apples you can find (Granny Smiths are ideal).
- Slice them into eighths and place in a large pot with enough cold water to just cover them—about 6 1/3 cups.
- Bring to a boil, then simmer until the apples have surrendered their structure and the liquid is thickened, about 30-40 minutes.
- Strain the mixture through a clean cloth or fine sieve, without pressing, to obtain a clear juice.
- Measure 2 cups of this apple juice, and return it to a clean saucepan.
- To this, add 1 pound of double-refined (caster) sugar.
- Take two more apples, peel and slice them across the core into the thinnest rounds possible, adding them to a bowl of cold water as you go.
- Bring your apple-sugar syrup to a gentle boil, skimming any froth.
- Add the thin apple slices and cook until the mixture is visibly thickening and the slices are almost translucent.
- Squeeze in the juice of half a lemon for every 8 ounces of sugar (about 2 tablespoons).
- For a finishing touch, peel an orange as thinly as you can, blanch the peel in two or three changes of boiling water until tender, and then cut it into extremely fine slivers.
- Scatter the warm apple slices and orange peel in the bottom of clean glasses or jars, pour over the jelly, and let cool.
- When set, place a paper (or baking parchment) directly on top for preservation.
Estimated Calories
180 per serving
Cooking Estimates
You will spend about 20 minutes preparing the apples, orange peel, and lemon. Cooking and simmering takes about 1 hour. The recipe makes about 6 servings, and each serving has around 180 calories.
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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