Recipe Manuscript

To Preserve Goosberry White

Name: To Preserve Goosberry White
Prep time: PTPT45M
Cook time: PTPT1H
Yield: 10
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 500 g white or pale green gooseberries (Christal gooseberries), fresh; 750 g white granulated sugar; 1 medium egg white; 170 g tart green apples (e.g., Granny Smith) for jelly, or 100 mL commercial apple pectin as substitute; 150 mL water (for syrup); Additional water as needed for boiling and apple jelly

1703

From the treasured pages of The Lady Cravens Receipt Book

Written by Elizabeth Craven, Baroness Craven

Culinary Enlightenment (1700 - 1800)European Advanced Dessert Snack 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 Preserve Goosberry White

"Take ye best & largest Christiall Goosberrys, pare & Stone them into faire watter, then put them into boyling watter, & let them boyle very quick till a pin will easely pass through them, then take them up with a scimmer, & put them into your Sugar (prepared thus) to one pound of goosberrys, take a pound & a half of Sugar, clarify it with a small part of ye white of an Egg beat up in a part of watter, & mixt with ye Sugar, boyle & scume it & then put in ye goosberry cover them close & let them bye, ye next day boyle your syrrup, & put in your goosberrys again, so doe for 3 days successively, when Codlings are ready make a Jelly of Codlings by pareing then into faire watter, as much as will cover them boyle them very well, put them on a sive & press them, take of ye Jelly one part an other of your goosberry syrrup & a third of sugar clarified as before, boyle first your Sugar till it blows in little bladers through your scimmer, then put in your Syrrup & give it a boyle together, then put in your Jelly & lett it boyle till it flake from your scimmer, then put in your Goosberrys, give them a little boyle & scum them & put them into your glasses"

Note on the Original Text

The recipe is written in the instructive style common to early 18th-century manuscripts: a continuous narrative with imperative verbs and assumed background knowledge. Instructions are concise and expect the cook to be familiar with boiling points (e.g., 'till it blows in little bladers'), clarification techniques, and the art of repeated boiling for fineness. Historical spelling and terminology—for example, 'syrrup,' 'boyle,' and 'faire watter'—reflect phonetic spelling practices of the day. 'Codlings' refers to underripe apples, a favored natural source of pectin before commercial gelatin. Quantities are largely proportional, fitting the period's reliance on weight rather than volume, and recipes often recommend multiple days of infusing fruit for the clearest, brightest preserves.

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 was penned by Elizabeth, Baroness Craven, in the early eighteenth century—a time when preserving fruit was both a necessity and a fashionable pastime among the gentry. Her manuscript contains recipes attributed to various members of her social circle, reflecting shared culinary knowledge and innovation. Preserved fruits like gooseberries decorated the dessert courses of elaborate meals, showcasing both the household's skill and its access to rare or seasonal produce. By using apple (codling) jelly, Lady Craven ensures a clear, set syrup, as apples are rich in natural pectin, which helps preserve the shape and sheen of the fruit.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

The preservation process would have called for a large hearth or open fire, with sturdy copper or brass preserving pans to withstand high heat. Lady Craven's cook would have used a skimmer to remove froth or scum, a sieve or muslin cloth to clarify syrups and jellies, and glass jars or glasses to showcase the brilliant, jewel-like preserves. Knives were used to trim and stone gooseberries, wooden spoons or spatulas for stirring syrup, and smaller utensils like pins or fine skewers to check fruit tenderness—a practical and precise approach.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

45 mins

Cook Time

1 hr

Servings

Ingredients

1 pound white or pale green gooseberries (Christal gooseberries), fresh
1 1/2 pounds white granulated sugar
1 medium egg white
6 ounces tart green apples (e.g., Granny Smith) for jelly, or 3 1/2 fluid ounces (about 1/3 cup + 1 tablespoon) commercial apple pectin as substitute
2/3 cup water (for syrup)
Additional water as needed for boiling and apple jelly

Instructions

Begin by selecting the best, largest white (or pale green) gooseberries—sometimes known historically as 'Christiall Goosberrys.' Carefully top and tail them, then remove any seeds or tough centers.
Place the prepped berries in a bowl of clean water to prevent them browning.
Bring a large saucepan of water to a rolling boil, then quickly add the gooseberries and boil just until a skewer or thin knife can easily pierce them (about 2–3 minutes).
Remove with a slotted spoon and set aside.
Next, make a syrup: for every 1 pound of fruit, combine 1 1/2 pounds of white granulated sugar with around 2 tablespoons of egg white mixed into a little water—this helps clarify the syrup, drawing impurities to the surface for skimming.
In a clean pot, combine the sugar, egg white mixture, and about 2/3 cup water.
Bring gently to a boil, skimming off any froth that rises.
Once clear, remove from heat and add the parboiled gooseberries.
Cover and let stand overnight.
Over the next two days, repeat this process: remove gooseberries, reboil syrup, return berries, then stand.
On the third day, prepare apple jelly (codlings are young apples: use tart apples such as Granny Smith).
Peel, quarter, and core 1 pound of apples, just cover with water in a saucepan, and simmer until very soft.
Strain through a fine sieve or muslin, pressing gently to extract juice.
To finish, measure equal parts apple jelly, reserved gooseberry syrup, and clarified sugar (again clarified with egg white).
Boil the sugar until it forms a light thread (about 223–230°F), then add jelly and syrup, boiling until it flakes from the spoon or forms a soft ball (about 235–240°F).
Gently add gooseberries, simmer briefly, skim, then transfer to sterilised glass jars.
Seal while hot and let cool.

Estimated Calories

180 per serving

Cooking Estimates

You'll need time to prepare the gooseberries and apples, including topping, tailing, and parboiling the fruit. Most time is spent resting the fruit in syrup over two days. Actual hands-on prep is about 45 minutes, and cooking (across several steps) takes around 1 hour. Each serving is about 180 calories, and the recipe makes 10 servings.