Recipe Manuscript

Lady Bridgmans To Preserve Almonds

Name: Lady Bridgmans To Preserve Almonds
Prep time: PTPT20M
Cook time: PTPT2H
Yield: 8
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 250g young green almonds (if unavailable, use 250g whole blanched almonds); 500g granulated sugar; 500ml water; Optional: 1-2 drops natural green food coloring (if replicating the visual effect with mature almonds)

1703

From the treasured pages of The Lady Cravens Receipt Book

Written by Elizabeth Craven, Baroness Craven

Culinary Enlightenment (1700 - 1800)European Intermediate Dessert Snack

Original Recipe • 1703

Original Manuscript(circa Culinary Enlightenment, 1700 - 1800)

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

Lady Bridgmans To Preserve Almonds

"Take your almonds when ye kernells are tender & boyle them in watter, then peel them & put them into warme watter again & set them over a fire to green, & when they are as green as you would have them then put them into a good thick syrrup, & lett them boyle a little then lett them stand till next day, then boyle them a gain adding more Sugar to ye syrrup so do them once a day till they are enough, you must once a fortnight or as often as they soth boyle them again."

Note on the Original Text

The recipe is written as a set of instructions rather than a list of numbered steps, reflecting the oral tradition of early modern cookery. Spelling and terminology vary ('boyle' for 'boil', 'syrrup' for 'syrup', 'kernells' for 'kernels'), and timeframes like 'as green as you would have them' and 'once a fortnight' rely on the cook's intuition and practice, not precise measurements or timings. The process of repeated simmering and resting was central to old-fashioned preserving, helping the syrup penetrate and preserve the almonds for long storage. The recipe assumes a certain level of familiarity with kitchen techniques, as was common in upper-class households where experienced cooks managed the kitchens.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

The Lady Cravens Receipt Book - Click to view recipe in book

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

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe hails from the early 18th-century English aristocracy, written in the manuscript 'Lady Craven's receipt-booke.' Preserving nuts and fruits in this era was both a culinary art and a means of displaying wealth, as sugar was an expensive import. Recipes were often attributed to notable ladies of the court, reflecting a culture where culinary expertise and social connection intermingled. Lady Bridgman's recipe represents an upper-class fascination with delicate sweetmeats, a treat reserved for tables of the privileged. Preserving almonds in syrup was popular in England as an imported Continental delicacy, often enjoyed as part of elaborate desserts or as gifts among the gentry.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

In the early 1700s, the recipe would have been prepared over an open hearth or a wood-fired stove. Cookware would include heavy copper or earthenware pots for boiling and simmering the almonds and syrup. Wooden spoons were standard for stirring, and brass or pewter ladles were often used to manage hot liquids. A fine sieve or cloth might be used to drain the almonds before preserving. Water would be fetched from a well or pump, and sugar carefully measured from treasured stores kept locked away.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

2 hrs

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

9 oz young green almonds (if unavailable, use 9 oz whole blanched almonds)
1 lb 2 oz granulated sugar
2 1/8 cups water
Optional: 1-2 drops natural green food coloring (if replicating the visual effect with mature almonds)

Instructions

Begin by selecting fresh, tender almonds—ideally young green almonds if you can find them, or blanched whole almonds as a substitute.
Place the almonds in a saucepan and cover with water.
Bring to a gentle boil for several minutes until the skins loosen, then drain and peel the almonds.
Once peeled, place the almonds back into warm water, and very gently heat them over a low flame to encourage a soft green tint—if using blanched almonds, add a drop or two of green food coloring to mimic the historic shade.
In a separate pot, prepare a thick sugar syrup by dissolving sugar in water (see ingredients).
Add the greened almonds to this syrup and simmer gently for several minutes, just until the almonds take on the syrup's sweetness.
Remove from heat and let the almonds sit in the syrup overnight.
Repeat this process each day for several days, each time simmering gently and adding a little more sugar to reinforce the syrup's strength.
Continue this until the almonds are tender, translucent, and deeply infused with syrup—about 3–5 days.
Once or twice a month (if storing long-term), bring them back to a gentle boil in the syrup to ensure preservation.
Serve the preserved almonds as a sweetmeat or delight in desserts.

Estimated Calories

100 per serving

Cooking Estimates

You will spend about 20 minutes getting the almonds ready, peeling them, and starting the syrup. Actual cooking (heating/simmering) is about 30 minutes each day for 3–5 days, but most of the time is just letting the almonds soak. Each serving is about 100 calories if dividing the finished almonds and syrup into 8 servings.

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.