Recipe Manuscript

How To Preserue Stone Frute

Name: How To Preserue Stone Frute
Prep time: PTPT1H
Cook time: PTPT2H
Yield: 20
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 1 kg stone fruit (plums, apricots, peaches, or similar); 2–3 kg granulated or caster sugar; 125 ml water (for every 1.5 kg sugar, for preserves); 500 ml water (for every 1 kg sugar, for tart fillings); 1 egg white (for clarifying); Extra water for boiling and blanching fruit

1707

From the treasured pages of Mrs. Rachel Kirk Book 1707

Written by Rachel Kirk

Culinary Enlightenment (1700 - 1800)European Intermediate Dessert Snack Other

Original Recipe • 1707

Original Manuscript(circa Culinary Enlightenment, 1700 - 1800)

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

How To Preserue Stone Frute

"Set on a pan with water when it boyles put in your frute & when you se there is a skum rises take them of and pill them & set your water to Cooule then set them on a gaine & green them as you would do yong Codlins when they are green wipe them & prick them & to euery pound of green frute 2 pound of lofe suger if you would Cut them for sweetnesse 3 pound of Duble Refined suger then set on your suger but you need but take a gill of water to 3 pound of suger but if for tarts you must haue a pinte of water to 2 pound of suger Clarrefie it with white of an egg when your sirrop is eleere put in your frute & let it haue a good boyle & let it be all night in the sirrop in the morning set it ouer the fire in the sirrop & let it haue a boyle scim it werry well & take it of then set it on a gaine do so 4 or 5 times & let it be in the sirrop all night / the nex day boyle then up & put them in a pot and keep them for your Euse."

Note on the Original Text

The recipe is written as a flowing set of instructions, reflecting the oral tradition and practical knowledge assumed of cooks of the era. Spelling is phonetic and idiosyncratic ('preserue' for preserve, 'boyle' for boil, 'lof suger' for loaf sugar, 'sirrop' for syrup). Ingredient amounts are given in pounds and gills, requiring modern conversion. The method is cyclical—boil, rest, repeat—a hallmark of sugar preserves designed for both flavor and shelf life. The instructional voice is direct and assumes the reader understands basic household cookery.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Mrs. Rachel Kirk Book 1707 - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Mrs. Rachel Kirk Book 1707 (1707)

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

Writer

Rachel Kirk

Era

1707

Publisher

Unknown

Background

A remarkable collection of early 18th-century recipes, Rachel Kirk's work invites readers into the kitchens of the past where classic culinary traditions and timeless flavors come alive. Expect a charming medley of savory feasts and sweet treats reflective of the era's sophisticated palate.

Kindly made available by

Folger Shakespeare Library

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe comes from Rachel Kirk in 1707, a time when sugar preservation was a luxury and home cooks carefully guarded their preserves for both winter sustenance and festive occasions. Stone fruit, with its short growing season, was highly valued, and preserving it allowed for a taste of summer even in the depths of winter. The recipe speaks to the era's fascination with sugar work and the growing technical sophistication of English household kitchens on the cusp of the 18th century.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

Cooks of 1707 would have used heavy brass or copper pans for boiling both the fruit and the sugar syrup, wooden spoons for stirring, paring knives for peeling, and possibly prickers (long thin needles) to pierce the fruit delicately. Skimming spoons or ladles helped remove scum, while earthenware or stoneware jars provided long-term storage. Open hearths with adjustable trivets or built-in ranges managed varying levels of heat throughout the lengthy preserving process.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

1 hr

Cook Time

2 hrs

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

2.2 lb stone fruit (plums, apricots, peaches, or similar)
4.4–6.6 lb granulated or caster sugar
4.25 fl oz water (for every 3.3 lb sugar, for preserves)
17 fl oz water (for every 2.2 lb sugar, for tart fillings)
1 egg white (for clarifying)
Extra water for boiling and blanching fruit

Instructions

Begin by placing your chosen stone fruit (such as plums, apricots, or peaches) in a large saucepan with water.
Bring the water to a boil, then add the fruit.
When scum rises to the surface, remove the fruit and peel them once cool enough to handle.
Allow the cooking water to cool, then return the peeled fruit to the pan and blanch them again, similar to how you would treat young cooking apples for greening.
Gently wipe and prick the fruit.
For every 2.2 pounds of greened fruit, combine with 4.4 pounds of granulated sugar if you wish for a balanced sweetness, or up to 6.6 pounds of superfine or caster sugar for a sweeter preserve.
Use about 4.25 fluid ounces of water for every 3.3 pounds of sugar for preserves, or if making a tart filling, use 17 fluid ounces of water for every 2.2 pounds of sugar.
Clarify the syrup by whisking in egg white, letting impurities rise and skimming them off.
Place the greened fruit into the clear syrup and boil gently.
Leave the fruit in the syrup overnight, then bring it back to a boil the next morning, skimming off any further scum.
Repeat this boiling and resting process 4 or 5 times over consecutive days.
Finally, store the fruit with its syrup in a clean jar for future use.

Estimated Calories

320 per serving

Cooking Estimates

Preparing and cooking this preserve takes several days because you boil and rest the fruit in syrup multiple times. The prep time includes peeling and blanching the fruit, while cook time is the combined boiling time over all days. Each serving has a lot of sugar, so it's high in 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.