Recipe Manuscript

Biscuit Ice

Name: Biscuit Ice
Prep time: PTPT20M
Cook time: PTPT10M
Yield: 8
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 8 egg yolks; 225 g sugar (for initial custard); 60 ml water; 225 ml heavy cream (whipped); 12 grains (~1/4 tsp) vanilla (or modern vanilla extract); 140 g sugar (to be sifted or passed through muslin); Crushed ice and salt (for freezing in a mould; alternatively, use a freezer)

1856

From the treasured pages of Recipe book of Charles Ellice, Colonel, 24th Regiment

Written by Charles Ellice, Colonel

Age of Gastronomy (1800 - 1900)European Intermediate Dessert

Original Recipe • 1856

Original Manuscript(circa Age of Gastronomy, 1800 - 1900)

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

Biscuit Ice

"Strongly recommended.- Take the yolks of eight eggs and 1/2 lb of Sugar - mix them well together - Beat them well with a wooden spoon - & add to them afterwards as much water as the whites of the eggs, then put the mix-ture on the fire to cook as a cream. when it is thick upon the wooden spoon, throw it into and pass it through a basin - Take a whip and whip it up as a cream. add to it 1/2 lb of cream already whipped & mix altogether 12 grains of Vanilla & 5 oz's of Sugar passed through Muslin - Put it into a Mould that shuts close cover it with Ice & Salt. the latter in abundance in 3 hours it will have taken the form of the Mould."

Note on the Original Text

The recipe is written with period spelling and grammar—‘mixture’ appears as ‘mix-ture’, and brief instructions are given for each step, assuming a cook already knows key techniques like 'cooking as a cream'. Quantities were given largely in pounds and ounces, requiring conversion to metric for modern kitchens. The guidance is direct, skipping over details such as stove settings, relying on tactile cues like the mixture being 'thick upon the wooden spoon.' Decorative phrasing such as 'throw it into and pass it through a basin' indicates straining and aerating, reflective of culinary language of the time.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Recipe book of Charles Ellice, Colonel, 24th Regiment
- Click to view recipe in book

Title

Recipe book of Charles Ellice, Colonel, 24th Regiment (1856)

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

Writer

Charles Ellice, Colonel

Era

1856

Publisher

Colonel Charles Ellice

Background

A charming manuscript cookbook chronicling the culinary escapades of Colonel Charles Ellice during his globe-trotting military career, featuring recipes from Highland butter to yeastless bread, spicy curries, and even a dash of Victorian medicine—all penned alongside evocative ink sketches and a personal index.

Kindly made available by

McGill University

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe for Biscuit Ice comes from Colonel Charles Ellice’s 19th-century manuscript cookbook, used between 1856 and 1881 during his service in India. Ellice’s collection reflects the culinary habits of a well-traveled British officer. Alongside British puddings and breads, there are recipes for curry and practical household remedies. The 'Biscuit Ice' is an early form of ice cream, popular among Victorian elites and mirrored the rise in popularity of frozen desserts thanks to advances in ice production and transport. These written recipes were prized possessions and often circulated among family and friends, serving as both record and toolkit for cooks in remote postings.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

A wooden spoon for beating eggs and mixing, a saucepan for gently cooking the custard base, and a fine sieve or muslin for straining the custard. A whisk or hand-operated whip to aerate custard and cream. For freezing, a tin or porcelain mould with a close-fitting lid was used, packed in a bucket or tub filled with alternating layers of ice and rock salt, predating the advent of kitchen freezers. Measuring was often done by weight (for sugar and cream), and by volume for liquids, though 'the whites of eggs' was used as a rough standard.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

10 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

8 egg yolks
1 cup sugar (for initial custard)
1/4 cup water
1 cup heavy cream (whipped)
12 grains (~1/4 tsp) vanilla (or modern vanilla extract)
2/3 cup sugar (to be sifted or passed through muslin)
Crushed ice and salt (for freezing in a mould; alternatively, use a freezer)

Instructions

Begin by separating 8 egg yolks and mixing them thoroughly with 1 cup of sugar.
Beat the mixture until it turns pale and creamy.
Add about 1/4 cup (4 tablespoons) of water—equal in volume to the egg whites you set aside—to the egg yolk mixture.
Cook this gently over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon, forming a light custard.
Pass the hot custard through a fine sieve into a bowl to ensure smoothness.
Allow it to cool slightly.
Whip the cooled custard with a whisk or electric mixer until slightly aerated.
Separately, whip 1 cup of cream until it forms soft peaks.
Fold the whipped cream gently into the custard base.
Add 12 grains (about 1/4 teaspoon) of vanilla, along with 2/3 cup of additional sugar that has been sifted or passed through fine muslin to remove lumps.
Mix well.
Pour the mixture into a tightly sealing mould (such as a pudding basin or loaf tin), cover, and pack in plenty of crushed ice mixed with salt to freeze.
Alternatively, use a home ice cream maker or freezer.
Leave undisturbed for at least 3 hours or until frozen firm.

Estimated Calories

350 per serving

Cooking Estimates

You will spend about 20 minutes preparing the ingredients, making the custard, and whipping the cream. Cooking the custard over the stove takes about 10 minutes. Freezing the mixture will take at least 3 hours. Each serving contains about 350 calories, and this recipe makes 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.