Recipe Manuscript

Ein Boudain

Name: Ein Boudain
Prep time: PTPT20M
Cook time: PTPT35M
Yield: 6
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 400 ml sour white wine (or mix white wine with a dash of vinegar); 100 g diced bread rolls (stale preferred); 6 g ground black pepper and cloves (1 tsp each); 25 g finely chopped candied lemon peel (or fresh lemon zest if unavailable); 50 g granulated sugar; 1 tsp juniper berries, lightly crushed; 30 g butter (plus more for greasing dish); 50 g raisins; 1/4 fresh nutmeg, grated (optional); A handful fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped (optional); Alternative: 250 ml whole milk (if using the economical version)

"A Pudding"

1696

From the treasured pages of Koch Puech

Unknown Author

Renaissance (1400 - 1700)European Intermediate Dessert

Original Recipe • 1696

Original Manuscript(circa Renaissance, 1400 - 1700)

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

Ein Boudain

"nimm saurt die windau, bruon klein geschnitten, schwarz & negerl, 2 loth klein geschnitten Zitroni, 4 Loth geschnitten Zucker, einibeerl, Zibeben, ein Nirthing anmaß klein geschnitten, von ein 1/2 laub wüfel die Pallot und mit butterr ein gerieben, und so alles untereinander vermischt, so ist es recht, und schmüer ein tieffel schüssel mit butterr, bindt die zusammen wie ein Bürzel, warff sie dan, sormirt sie mit ein vürtel zucker und ein bißl wasser, gieß in ein zinner schüssel, wenn der boudain gesotten ist, so schneidt Erwünschweiß oben und strew darauf die übrige würz, so ist es recht, und gib eben und mitten aufgeschnitten, und ein wenig laub artig. z. B. 2 loth wüfel, und 1/2 Pfund milch, so ist es wohlfeiler."

English Translation

"Take sourdough, small diced brown bread, cloves & nutmeg, 2 loth (old measurement) finely chopped lemon peel, 4 loth chopped sugar, juniper berries, raisins, a small amount of citron, from half a loaf dice the crust and grate it with butter, and so mix everything together, then it is right. Grease a deep bowl with butter, tie everything together like a bundle, cook it, sprinkle it with a quarter of sugar and a little water, pour it into a pewter bowl. When the pudding is cooked, cut as desired on top and sprinkle the remaining spice on top, then it is ready, and serve neatly cut in the middle, and a little leaf garnish. For example: 2 loth diced bread, and 1/2 pound milk, then it is cheaper."

Note on the Original Text

The recipe is concise, written for skilled cooks who understood the implied steps and proportions — measurements like 'Loth' (about 15–16 g) and 'Laub' (loaf) required local knowledge and adaptation. Ingredient names are often abbreviated or spelled phonetically, with influences from regional dialects ('Zitroni' for lemon peel, 'Zibeben' for raisins). The instructions assume the reader will recognize cooking processes like binding ('bindt die zusammen'), baking ('gieb in ein zinner schüssel'), and finishing with decorative cuts and toppings. The language is playful and flexible, allowing for substitutions and adjustments based on resources and taste.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Koch Puech - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Koch Puech (1696)

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

Writer

Unknown

Era

1696

Publisher

Unknown

Background

A sumptuous journey for the adventurous palate, this splendid 17th-century cookbook boasts over 1,350 rare and prized recipes—ranging from hearty pies and luscious cakes to savory aspics, exquisite soups, and creative fish dishes. A true treasure trove for any culinary enthusiast seeking both variety and sophistication.

Kindly made available by

Wien Bibliothek

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe comes from an anonymous German-language manuscript cookbook from 1696, 'Ein Vortrefflich und Gerechtes Koch Puech', which collected over 1350 notable and rare recipes to reflect the culinary fashions of prosperous central Europe at the close of the seventeenth century. Cooks at the time took inspiration from both late medieval and Baroque tastes, fusing savory and sweet, and frequently using ingredients like candied peel, wine, sugar, and pungent spices. The term 'Boudain' refers to a kind of pudding or loaf, here vegetarian (though more often meaty in France), meant to be both a celebration and a curiosity on the table, combining luxury and comfort ingredients.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

In the late seventeenth century, this dish would have been made with a large mixing bowl, sturdy wooden spoons, and a heavy tin or ceramic baking dish. The bread would be cut with a sharp knife, and spices ground in a mortar and pestle. Cooking was likely done in a hearth oven, and the butter for greasing the dish would have come from the churn. Baking or poaching could be done either in a standing oven or a lidded cooking pan placed amidst glowing coals.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

35 mins

Servings

Ingredients

1 2/3 cups sour white wine (or mix white wine with a dash of vinegar)
3.5 oz diced bread rolls (stale preferred)
1/4 oz ground black pepper and cloves (1 tsp each)
1 oz finely chopped candied lemon peel (or fresh lemon zest if unavailable)
1 3/4 oz granulated sugar
1 tsp juniper berries, lightly crushed
1 oz butter (plus more for greasing dish)
1 3/4 oz raisins
1/4 fresh nutmeg, grated (optional)
A handful fresh flat-leaf parsley, chopped (optional)
Alternative: 1 cup whole milk (if using the economical version)

Instructions

To make 'Ein Boudain', start by taking about 1 2/3 cups of sour wine (white wine, slightly acidic) and add to it 3.5 oz of small diced bread rolls.
Mix in about 1/4 oz ground black pepper and cloves, 1 oz finely chopped candied lemon peel, 1 3/4 oz chopped sugar (or regular granulated sugar), a small spoon of juniper berries (lightly crushed), and a handful of raisins.
Optionally, add a little freshly grated nutmeg and chopped parsley if you wish, as the phrase 'ein Nirthing anmaß klein geschnitten' is obscure but suggests the inclusion of a small aromatic element finely chopped – perhaps nutmeg or a related spice.
Take about 5 1/4 oz of bread cubes (from half a small loaf), rub them generously with about 1 oz butter.
Combine everything thoroughly.
Then, grease a deep baking dish with more butter, and bind the mixture together — shape it like a 'Bürzel' (a sort of log, like a poultry rump or roulade).
Form the mixture and place in the dish.
Top with 7/8 oz of sugar mixed with a little water, and bake or gently poach in a tin dish until set.
When cooked, cut an attractive pattern on top and sprinkle over the remaining spices.
Serve sliced, with the cut side facing up, and garnish attractively with a little fresh herb (like parsley).
If you prefer a more economical version, use 1 3/4 oz additional bread cubes and 1 cup whole milk instead of some of the wine.

Estimated Calories

270 per serving

Cooking Estimates

It takes about 20 minutes to prepare the ingredients and form the mixture. Baking or poaching the mixture takes about 35 minutes. Each serving contains roughly 270 calories. This recipe makes 6 servings.