Recipe Manuscript

To Make Almond Cream

Name: To Make Almond Cream
Prep time: PTPT20M
Cook time: PTPT15M
Yield: 12
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 110 grams blanched almonds (about 1/4 pound); 2.8 liters fresh cream (about 3 quarts; double or heavy cream as modern substitute); 15–30 mL rosewater or orange flower water (1–2 tablespoons); 100 grams granulated sugar (to taste)

1680

From the treasured pages of Manuscript cookery book

Unknown Author

Renaissance (1400 - 1700)European Beginner Dessert

Original Recipe • 1680

Original Manuscript(circa Renaissance, 1400 - 1700)

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

To Make Almond Cream

"Take a quarter of a pound of blanched Almonds or lesse, beat them in a stone mortar with rosewater or orangeflower water & strain them with three quarts of cream. sweeten it with sugar and boyle it, put it into dishes till it be cold."

Note on the Original Text

The recipe is written in brisk imperative style, common in early modern English cookery manuscripts, with little punctuation and compact phrasing. Quantities and times are often vague, as cooks were expected to rely on experience and judgment rather than precise measurements. Spellings like 'boyle' for 'boil', 'lesse' for 'less,' and the run-on directions reflect the orthography and syntax of the era, before English spelling was standardized.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Manuscript cookery book - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Manuscript cookery book (1680)

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

Writer

Unknown

Era

1680

Publisher

Unknown

Background

A tantalizing window into the kitchens of yesteryear, this late-17th century collection presents recipes and culinary wisdom meant to delight and surprise even the most discerning of historical gourmands.

Kindly made available by

Folger Shakespeare Library

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe originates from a late 17th-century English manuscript, dating roughly between 1675 and 1686. During this period, English kitchens were beginning to experiment with imported ingredients such as almonds and fragrant waters, which showcased influences from continental Europe and the Islamic world. The combination of rich dairy, fragrant floral waters, and ground nuts was highly fashionable among the elite, reflective of both wealth and a growing culinary cosmopolitanism. Almond creams like this would have been served chilled as delicate desserts at sumptuous banquets, offering a luxurious close to a meal.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

In the late 1600s, cooks would use a stone mortar and pestle to grind the almonds into a paste, achieving a fine texture. A coarse linen cloth or fine sieve was used to strain the almond cream, and all boiling occurred over an open hearth with heavy-bottomed pots and pans. Cream would be stored in ceramic or pewter dishes to cool, as refrigeration did not exist and cooling was achieved simply by letting dishes sit in a cool part of the kitchen or cellar.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

15 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

4 ounces blanched almonds (about 1/4 pound)
3 quarts fresh cream (double or heavy cream as modern substitute)
1–2 tablespoons rosewater or orange flower water (15–30 mL)
1/2 cup granulated sugar (to taste)

Instructions

Begin by taking 4 ounces of blanched almonds and grind them finely using a mortar and pestle, moistening them occasionally with a splash of rosewater or orange flower water (about 1–2 tablespoons in total).
Once you have a fine almond paste, stir it into 3 quarts of fresh cream (you may use double or heavy cream for richness).
Strain this mixture through a fine seive or cheesecloth to extract as much almond flavor as possible, discarding the solids.
Sweeten the infused cream with sugar to taste, approximately 1/2 cup, and slowly bring to a gentle boil on the stove, stirring constantly to prevent scorching.
Once heated and slightly thickened, poor into serving dishes and cool completely before serving.

Estimated Calories

440 per serving

Cooking Estimates

Preparing and grinding the almonds takes about 20 minutes. Cooking and infusing the cream with the almond flavor takes another 15 minutes. The recipe makes about 12 servings, and each contains about 440 calories.

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.