Recipe Manuscript

To Preserve Apricocks Or Peare Plumbes

Name: To Preserve Apricocks Or Peare Plumbes
Prep time: PTPT20M
Cook time: PTPT1H
Yield: 8
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 500g fresh apricots or pear plums (or mixture); 500g granulated sugar (plus extra 50g); 250ml water (or just enough to dissolve sugar)

1675

From the treasured pages of Medicinal and cookery recipes by John King

Written by John King

Renaissance (1400 - 1700)European Intermediate Dessert Snack Other

Original Recipe • 1675

Original Manuscript(circa Renaissance, 1400 - 1700)

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

To Preserve Apricocks Or Peare Plumbes

"Take your Apricocks or peare plumbes newly gathered from the tree and take so much sugar as they weighe then put as much water to the sugar as will make a sirrupp to cover them boile your sirrupp a little while, then take it from the fire and poare it in a bason and put it into your plumbes and lett them by a whole night, on the morrow take them out and boile your sirrupp againe with a little peece of sugar more, then poure your sirrupp into a bason and put therin your plumbes againe and sett them over a pot of seething water to lett them boile leasurely untill they bee tender then take them upp and lett them coole then boile your sirrupp untill itt bee a Jelly uppon a dishe and when they are both colde pott them and keepe them ::"

Note on the Original Text

In the original, the recipe is written as a single, run-on paragraph without standardized punctuation, typical of manuscript cookbooks of the era. Spelling was highly variable ('Apricocks' for apricots, 'peare plumbes' for pear plums, 'sirrupp' for syrup, and 'bason' for basin), reflecting regional pronunciations and the absence of consistent orthography. Instructions are generalized, presuming culinary familiarity. Quantities are often implied or relative ('as much sugar as they weighe'), emphasizing proportional rather than absolute measures.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Medicinal and cookery recipes by John King - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Medicinal and cookery recipes by John King (1675)

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

Writer

John King

Era

1675

Publisher

Unknown

Background

A delightful journey into the kitchens of the 17th and early 18th centuries, this collection, attributed to John King, brims with time-honored recipes, culinary wisdom, and flavors that once graced historic tables.

Kindly made available by

Folger Shakespeare Library

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe hails from the later 17th to early 18th century, a period when sugar preservation was becoming fashionable in English households of some means. The source, likely from the manuscript of John King or his family, typifies the era’s delight in candied and preserved fruits, especially those grown in home orchards. The method mirrors the period’s careful attention to extracting maximum flavor and longevity from seasonal produce, during a time when refrigeration was unknown and preserves were prized winter treats. Using ample sugar not only created delicious confections but served as an important means of storage, allowing families to enjoy the luxury of summer fruits all year round.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

Back in the day, this recipe would have been prepared over a hearth or open fire, using cast iron or copper pans to boil and reboil the syrup. Fruit would have been placed in large stoneware or earthenware basins for soaking, and delicate transfers handled with wooden or pewter spoons. To gently cook the fruit in syrup, a pot suspended over simmering water—much like today’s bain-marie—was used for slow, even heating. Jars or small stone pots were used to store the finished preserves, sealed with parchment or wax.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

1 hr

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

1 lb fresh apricots or pear plums (or mixture)
1 lb granulated sugar (plus extra 2 oz)
1 cup water (or just enough to dissolve sugar)

Instructions

Begin by selecting fresh apricots or pear plums, freshly picked if possible.
Weigh your fruit and measure out an equal weight of granulated sugar.
For every 1 lb of fruit, use 1 lb of sugar.
Combine the sugar with just enough water to dissolve (about 1 cup per 1 lb sugar), and bring to a boil to form a syrup.
Boil the syrup briefly, then remove from heat and pour over your washed fruit in a non-reactive bowl.
Let the fruit steep overnight at room temperature.
The next day, carefully remove the fruit, bring the syrup back to a gentle boil, adding about 2 oz extra sugar.
Pour the hot syrup over the fruit again.
Set the bowl over a pot of simmering water (as a bain-marie) and allow the fruit to gently cook until tender—about 20-30 minutes for apricots or plums.
Remove the fruit and let cool separately.
Boil the syrup alone until it begins to thicken and will gel when tested on a cold dish (around 221°F).
Once both fruit and syrup are cool, combine in sterilised jars and seal.

Estimated Calories

210 per serving

Cooking Estimates

You will spend time preparing the fruit and letting it soak overnight. Cooking on the second day includes simmering the fruit and boiling the syrup until thick. Each serving contains an estimated number of calories, based on the sugar and fruit used. This recipe yields about 8 servings of preserves.

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.