Recipe Manuscript

Apple Jelly

Name: Apple Jelly
Prep time: PTPT20M
Cook time: PTPT1H
Yield: 10
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 1.5 kg tart green apples (Cox's Orange Pippin or Granny Smith); 500-700 ml water; 600-700 ml apple juice (resulting from straining, quantity approximate); 600-700 g white granulated sugar

1694

From the treasured pages of English cookery and medicine book,

Unknown Author

Renaissance (1400 - 1700)European Intermediate Dessert Snack

Original Recipe • 1694

Original Manuscript(circa Renaissance, 1400 - 1700)

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

Apple Jelly

"Take Pippens pare, and Core them, and boyle them so tender yt they'l just go thro' a Jelly Sieve, or bag, then put a pound of Sugar to a pint of Liquor, and let it boyle & scum it very clean let your Sugar be boyld almost to Sugar again before you put your Liquor to it."

Note on the Original Text

The instruction style is condensed and assumes a reader familiar with preserving techniques. Spelling such as 'Pippens' (Pippins), 'pare' (peel), 'boyle' (boil), 'yt' (that), and 'scum' (to skim impurities) reflects 17th-century English usage and lack of standardized orthography at the time. Quantities are given by ratio (a pound of sugar to a pint of liquid), emphasizing flexible adaptation to yields rather than precision, and the expectation that cooks would judge readiness and texture by experience.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

English cookery and medicine book, - Click to view recipe in book

Title

English cookery and medicine book, (1694)

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

Writer

Unknown

Era

1694

Publisher

Unknown

Background

A delightful journey through late 17th to early 18th-century kitchens, this tome features recipes, culinary wisdom, and mouthwatering secrets from an era where feasts reigned supreme and the art of cooking was celebrated with flourish.

Kindly made available by

Folger Shakespeare Library

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe hails from the late 17th to early 18th century, a time when fruit preserving was essential for households seeking to enjoy flavors year-round. Apple jelly was a prized delicacy and popular conserve, noted for its clarity and brightness, and a testament to the household's skill. Sourced from an English manuscript dating between 1677 and 1711, it showcases the practical, resourceful approach of early modern cooks and their deft handling of sugar—a luxury and an art form in preservation.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

Historically, cooks would have used a large copper or brass preserving pan to cook the apples, a simple knife for peeling and coring, and a jelly bag (often made of muslin or fine cloth) suspended from a hook to strain the juice. A long-handled wooden spoon assisted with stirring and skimming, while jam jars would have been replaced by pottery or wax-sealed glass vessels for storage. Heat was managed over an open hearth, requiring skill and attention to avoid burning the precious sugar.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

1 hr

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

3 lbs tart green apples (Cox's Orange Pippin or Granny Smith)
1-1.5 pints water
1-1.25 pints apple juice (resulting from straining, quantity approximate)
1-1.25 lbs white granulated sugar

Instructions

Peel and core about 3 lbs of tart green apples, ideally Cox's Orange Pippin or Granny Smith as a substitute for historical 'Pippens'.
Cut them into chunks and place in a large saucepan.
Add just enough water to barely cover the apples (about 1 pint to 1 1/2 pints).
Simmer gently until the apples are soft and collapsing, then strain through a jelly bag or fine sieve, without pressing, to extract a clear juice.
Measure the volume of juice—you should have roughly 1 pint to 1 1/4 pints.
For every pint of juice, add 1 lb of white granulated sugar.
In a clean pan, heat the sugar gently, stirring, until nearly molten but not colored (approaching the 'crack' stage), then add the apple juice.
Bring to a boil, skim off any scum that forms, and cook until the mixture reaches setting point (about 220°F).
Pour into sterilized jars and seal while hot.

Estimated Calories

120 per serving

Cooking Estimates

It takes about 20 minutes to prepare the apples and set up, and about an hour to cook and finish the jelly. This recipe makes around 600 ml (about 2.5 cups) of apple jelly, which is roughly 10 servings of 60 ml each. Each serving has about 120 calories because of the sugar content.

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.