Recipe Manuscript

How To Harden Ye Whites Of Eggs Into An Artifical Gum Fit For Many Uses

Name: How To Harden Ye Whites Of Eggs Into An Artifical Gum Fit For Many Uses
Prep time: PTPT10M
Cook time: PTP0D
Yield: 1
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 3–4 egg whites (about 120 ml, from medium eggs); No modern substitute is needed for egg whites; Optional: food-grade silicone pouches or sturdy freezer bags (as substitutes for animal bladders)

1688

From the treasured pages of Miscellaneous collection of receipts

Unknown Author

Renaissance (1400 - 1700)European Beginner Other

How To Harden Ye Whites Of Eggs Into An Artifical Gum Fit For Many Uses

Original Recipe • 1688

Original Manuscript(circa Renaissance, 1400 - 1700)

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

How To Harden Ye Whites Of Eggs Into An Artifical Gum Fit For Many Uses

"Separate ye whites of Eggs clean from ye yolks And Beat ye whites very well into a cleare oyle or water and when it is So Skim off ye froth then put ye Same into Bladders and hang them in a chimney corner where fire is usualy kept to dry and in a few days ye same will become as hard as Gum Arabick in hot weather you may hang your Bladders in ye Sun to dry this Gum may be used instead of other Gums and with it you may Varnish Prints or other things that are Washed in Coloures"

Note on the Original Text

Seventeenth-century recipes were brief and practical, assuming a reader with some household knowledge. Spellings such as 'ye' for 'the' and 'cleare oyle' for 'clear oil' appear, reflecting Early Modern English orthography and habits. Quantities were rarely exact, with most details inferred from context. The description is plain but expects the cook to make judgments about when the mixture is 'very well' beaten, or when it is 'as hard as Gum Arabick'. Reading between the lines, one sees a recipe serving multiple crafts, elegantly repurposing a humble ingredient in place of pricier imports.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Miscellaneous collection of receipts - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Miscellaneous collection of receipts (1688)

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

Writer

Unknown

Era

1688

Publisher

Unknown

Background

Step back into the sumptuous kitchens of the late 17th century with this historical culinary treasure, filled with tantalizing recipes and refined techniques perfect for impressing the nobility—or your most discerning dinner guests.

Kindly made available by

Folger Shakespeare Library

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe hails from an English manuscript of the late seventeenth century, most likely around 1688, as catalogued in 'Bd.w. A1767'. During this period, natural gums such as gum arabic were essential for bookbinding, painting, and even as craft adhesives, but may not have always been easy to procure. This creative solution, using common kitchen eggs, provided a homegrown alternative for artists and printers. The recipe also hints at the wider domestic know-how of the early modern home, where women and men both adapted household materials for artistic and practical tasks.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

In the seventeenth century, cooks would have used a simple earthenware bowl and a wooden whisk to beat the egg whites, and a spoon to skim off the froth. For containing the liquid whites, small prepared animal bladders were commonly used—bladders were cleaned, tied, and repurposed as bags or casings for food and household tasks. The drying was done by suspending the filled bladders near a fireplace or sunlit window—both reliable sources of gentle warmth in the home.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

10 mins

Cook Time

P0D

Servings

Ingredients

3–4 egg whites (about 1/2 cup, from medium eggs)
No modern substitute is needed for egg whites
Optional: food-grade silicone pouches or sturdy freezer bags (as substitutes for animal bladders)

Instructions

Begin by separating the whites from the yolks of fresh chicken eggs.
You’ll need about 3–4 egg whites (roughly 1/2 cup).
Beat the egg whites thoroughly until they turn clear and slightly foamy, emulating the appearance of oil or water; avoid whipping into peaks.
Allow the mixture to rest, then skim off any foam or froth from the surface.
Carefully spoon or pour the liquid egg whites into small food-safe bags, such as silicone pouches (as a modern substitute for animal bladders).
Suspend the pouches in a warm, dry place, such as near a radiator or in a sunlit window, ensuring good air circulation.
After several days—usually 2–5 depending on heat and humidity—the contents will harden into a translucent, gummy mass.
This can be broken up and used as a glue, a varnish for prints, or as a binder for colors, just as you would use gum arabic.

Estimated Calories

18 per serving

Cooking Estimates

Preparing and beating the egg whites takes only a few minutes. Most of the time is spent waiting for the egg whites to dry and harden in a warm place, which can take a few days. This recipe yields a small batch of hardened egg white glue, about 1–2 tablespoons, and each serving contains minimal calories since only the egg white solids remain.