Recipe Manuscript

A Sack Posset

Name: A Sack Posset
Prep time: PTPT10M
Cook time: PTPT15M
Yield: 8
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 1.7 liters heavy cream; 8 large eggs; 300 ml sweet sherry (or sack wine, if available); 1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg; 50 grams granulated sugar (or to taste)

1626

From the treasured pages of Medicinal and cookery recipes of Mary Baumfylde

Written by Mary Baumfylde

Renaissance (1400 - 1700)European Intermediate Drink Dessert

Original Recipe • 1626

Original Manuscript(circa Renaissance, 1400 - 1700)

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

A Sack Posset

"Take 3 pints of indifferent thick creame boyle it to make take it off the fire then take 8 Eggs beat them in half apint of sack nutmeg & sugyr put over coles till its scalding hot then pour in the cream stirr it, & then Cover it a quar of an hour"

Note on the Original Text

The original recipe is written in a style typical of seventeenth-century English household manuscripts: brief, assuming prior knowledge, and freely spelling words like 'boyle' (boil), 'sugyr' (sugar), and 'colles' (coals). Instructions are often implicit—the reader is expected to know how to 'stirr it' or recognize when something is 'scalding hot.' There are no precise temperatures, no stepwise timings beyond a 'quart of an hour,' and quantities are based on pints and quarts. This charming vagueness meant that every cook made the recipe their own, adding a pinch of this or whisk of that as they saw fit!

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Medicinal and cookery recipes of Mary Baumfylde - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Medicinal and cookery recipes of Mary Baumfylde (1626)

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

Writer

Mary Baumfylde

Era

1626

Publisher

Unknown

Background

A sumptuous journey into early 17th-century English cookery, this delightful volume offers a tantalizing glimpse into the recipes, flavors, and culinary secrets that once graced aristocratic tables. Prepare for a taste of history, presented with wit and wisdom!

Kindly made available by

Folger Shakespeare Library

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This Sack Posset hails from early modern England, a time when hot possets were both fashionable and restorative—beloved as a warming drink, a celebratory punch, or even a gentle tonic for the unwell. Mary Baumfylde, active in the mid-1600s, included this recipe in her personal collection, reflecting the then-popular use of sack (a type of fortified wine imported from Spain) and the richness that only the upper classes could afford. This luxurious blend of cream, eggs, spice, and wine was a culinary symbol of both hospitality and status. The recipe’s journey from its origin to the later eighteenth century (1702–1758) shows the enduring appeal of comforting, festive beverages in English households.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

This posset would have been prepared over a hearth with glowing coals, using sturdy earthenware or copper pots for heating the cream and egg-wine mixture. Whisks or branches would have beaten the eggs. To serve, posset pots—distinctive lidded vessels with spouts for sipping the whey—were common in wealthier homes. Lacking such, any deep bowl or jug would have been pressed into service. Covering the pot to let the curds form was often done with a cloth or a dedicated wooden lid.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

10 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

7 cups heavy cream
8 large eggs
1 1/4 cups sweet sherry (or sack wine, if available)
1/2 teaspoon grated nutmeg
1/4 cup granulated sugar (or to taste)

Instructions

To make a Sack Posset in a modern kitchen, start with 7 cups (about 1.7 quarts) of heavy cream and gently bring it to a simmer in a pot, careful not to let it boil over.
In a separate bowl, beat 8 eggs thoroughly with 1 1/4 cups (about 10 fluid ounces) of sweet sherry (substituting for sack wine), adding grated nutmeg and sugar to taste—start with 1/2 teaspoon nutmeg and 1/4 cup (about 1.75 ounces) sugar.
Warm this egg and sherry mixture gently over low heat, stirring constantly, until it is just hot to the touch but not scrambled.
Remove both mixtures from heat.
Pour the hot cream in a steady stream into the egg-sherry mix, stirring all the while.
Cover the mixture and let it rest for 15 minutes, so the curds and whey separate.
Serve warm, offering both thick, custardy curds and the delicate, boozy whey beneath.

Estimated Calories

440 per serving

Cooking Estimates

You’ll spend about 10 minutes prepping the ingredients, then about 15 minutes cooking and heating everything together. This recipe makes 8 servings, and each serving contains around 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.