Recipe Manuscript

To Make A Cream Cheese

Name: To Make A Cream Cheese
Prep time: PTPT30M
Cook time: PTPT30M
Yield: 20
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 9 liters whole milk; 3 liters heavy cream; 45 ml animal rennet (or vegetarian rennet as a modern substitute); Fine salt (to taste); Optional: clean straw or fresh vine leaves for draining

1703

From the treasured pages of The Lady Cravens Receipt Book

Written by Elizabeth Craven, Baroness Craven

Culinary Enlightenment (1700 - 1800)European Intermediate Other

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

To Make A Cream Cheese

"Take 9 quarts of milk & 3 quarts of Cream, warme it so hott as to make ye rest bloodwarme, then take 3 spoonfulls of runnett & sturr it together, when it comes, take it with as little breakeing as is possible, & put it into your fatts, this quantity will make 2 cheeses lay no weight on it, but drain ye whey away from it with cloths, ye next day turne it out of your fatts on dry cloths, then salt it on both sides, after which you may lay them on broad Straw, or vine Leaves"

Note on the Original Text

This recipe is written in the plain, direct language of its time, without measured precision or detailed timing—a cook was meant to interpret 'blood-warm' by feel, and know when curds had 'come' by sight and texture. Old spellings like 'hott', 'ye' (the), and 'turne' reflect early 18th-century English orthography. The method skips modern sterilization and temperature regulation, relying on intuition, experience, and the rhythms of a busy household dairy.

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 comes from Lady Craven's receipt book, created in early 18th-century England, between 1702 and 1704. This manuscript belonged to Elizabeth, Baroness Craven—a woman of means and social connection, whose kitchen likely produced both luxurious feasts and elegant, delicate cheeses. Matching the era, recipes were often shared amongst noble households, with innovation and local tradition alike. Cheese made with cream and milk was considered a delicacy, served to guests or reserved for special occasions, and recipes moved as much through reputation and social circles as through paper.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

In Lady Craven’s day, the tools for making cheese were humble but essential: a large copper, earthenware, or wooden tub for heating the milk, a ladle or slotted spoon for lifting curds, muslin or linen cloths for draining, wooden cheese moulds (the 'fats'), and a cool dairy room. The cheeses would rest on straw mats—sometimes on vine leaves—to prevent sticking and impart a subtle aroma.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

30 mins

Cook Time

30 mins

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

2 1/3 gallons whole milk
3 1/4 quarts heavy cream
3 tablespoons animal rennet (or vegetarian rennet as a modern substitute)
Fine salt (to taste)
Optional: clean straw or fresh vine leaves for draining

Instructions

To make this 18th-century cream cheese at home, begin with 2 1/3 gallons of whole milk and 3 1/4 quarts of heavy cream.
Gently heat both together in a large pot until they reach 'blood-warm'—about 98°F.
Stir in about 3 tablespoons of natural liquid animal rennet, mixing lightly.
Once the curds form, carefully lift them out with a slotted spoon, trying not to break them up.
Place the curds into two cheese moulds lined with muslin cloth, allowing the whey to drain naturally.
Do not press or add weight.
After several hours or until well drained, turn the cheeses onto fresh dry cloths and let them drain further overnight.
The next day, take the cheeses from their moulds, lay them on new cloths, and salt both sides lightly.
For a final touch, rest the cheeses on clean straw or vine leaves to finish draining and take on subtle aromas for another day or two.

Estimated Calories

350 per serving

Cooking Estimates

Allow about 30 minutes to heat and curdle the milk, then several hours for draining. You’ll need to check and change cloths a few times, and the cheese will rest for up to 2 days before it’s ready. Hands-on time is short, but draining and resting make the full process longer.

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.