How To Make Custard
From the treasured pages of The Lady Cravens Receipt Book
Written by Elizabeth Craven, Baroness Craven
How To Make Custard
"Lord Craven Take Some Creame and boyle in it whole Sinamond Nutmegg and Mace and thicken it with yolks of Eggs well beaten an sweetned with Sugar then Straining it through a Streyner and sett it stand while it is cold then make your Coffin and harden it in the oven and then fill it upp with the sd Custard meat as it is prepared"
Note on the Original Text
The recipe uses direct, almost conversational instructions, as was the style in early modern English cookery books. Quantities and times are rarely specified, relying on the cook’s experience or intuition. Instructions like 'boyle in it whole Sinamond Nutmegg and Mace' and 'thicken it with yolks of Eggs well beaten' signal expected familiarity with core techniques. Spelling reflects early 18th-century conventions: 'creame', 'boyle', 'Streyner'. The term ‘coffin’ is a charming old word for a pastry case, now obsolete except in historical circles. The recipe is brief and assumes knowledge of both the ingredients and tools, highlighting the skills of well-trained household cooks of the period.
Title
The Lady Cravens Receipt Book (1703)
You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome
Writer
Elizabeth Craven, Baroness Craven
Era
1703
Publisher
Coome Abbey
Background
A delectable manuscript brimming with 18th-century English delights, Lady Craven's receipt book whisks readers from luscious cakes and puddings to savory feasts and creamy cheeses. Elegantly organized and sprinkled with recipes from an illustrious social circle, this culinary collection offers a sumptuous taste of aristocratic home economics.
Kindly made available by
Penn State University
This recipe hails from the early 18th century and is found in Lady Craven’s receipt book, dated between 1702 and 1704. Lady Craven and her social circle collected both sweet and savory recipes, often attributing them to notable individuals as a sign of respect and social connection—here, 'Lord Craven.' At this time, custards were a sophisticated treat, enjoyed by the English gentry and often served in elaborate pastry ‘coffins’ at banquets or afternoon gatherings. The recipe’s method, ingredients, and presentation reflect both culinary fashions and the availability of exotic spices such as cinnamon, mace, and nutmeg, which were prized and expensive.
In the early 1700s, custards like this would have been made using sturdy copper or earthenware pots set over a hearth or stove, with heat controlled as best as possible. Ingredients were strained through fine linen or a wire sieve—a ‘streyner’—to ensure smoothness. Eggs were beaten with wooden spoons or whisks, while the pastry coffin was shaped and pre-baked in simple metal or ceramic tart pans. The finished custard would be set in a cooling pantry before being brought to table.
Prep Time
20 mins
Cook Time
45 mins
Servings
8
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 cups double cream (heavy cream)
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 0.5 whole nutmeg (grated)
- 1–2 blades of mace (or substitute with a pinch of ground mace or extra nutmeg if unavailable)
- 5 large egg yolks
- 1/3 cup caster sugar
- 1 sheet of shortcrust pastry (for the shell, homemade or store-bought)
Instructions
- Begin by gently heating 2 cups of double cream (heavy cream) in a saucepan.
- Add one small cinnamon stick, half a nutmeg (freshly grated if possible), and 1–2 whole mace blades.
- Let the cream and aromatics simmer for about 5–10 minutes to infuse.
- In a separate bowl, beat 5 large egg yolks with 1/3 cup of caster sugar until smooth and pale.
- Strain the hot cream to remove the spices and slowly pour it into the yolk mixture, whisking constantly to avoid scrambling.
- Pass the custard mixture through a fine sieve for extra smoothness.
- Allow the mixture to cool until just warm, then prepare your ‘coffin’—an old English term for a pastry shell.
- Line a tart tin with shortcrust pastry and blind bake it until set but not overly browned.
- Once the pastry ‘coffin’ is ready, fill it with the custard mixture and bake at 300°F until just firm but still wobbly in the center, about 30–40 minutes.
- Let it cool before serving.
Estimated Calories
340 per serving
Cooking Estimates
Preparing and baking this custard tart takes just over an hour. You’ll spend about 20 minutes getting everything ready, and around 45 minutes cooking and baking. Each slice is a delicious treat, and the recipe makes 8 servings with about 340 calories per slice.
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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