Recipe Manuscript

To Preserve Pippins Green

Name: To Preserve Pippins Green
Prep time: PTPT20M
Cook time: PTPT20M
Yield: 8
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 450g firm green apples (e.g., pippins, or Granny Smiths as substitute); 570g white granulated sugar; 250ml water; Green candied lemon peel (approx. 50g, cut decoratively; or use fresh lemon peel blanched and candied at home as substitute)

1700

From the treasured pages of Receipt book

Unknown Author

Renaissance (1400 - 1700)European Intermediate Dessert Snack

Original Recipe • 1700

Original Manuscript(circa Renaissance, 1400 - 1700)

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

To Preserve Pippins Green

"Take a pound of greene Pippins about allholontide Cutt them in Quarters and boyle them in a syrrop which is made of a pound and Quarter of suger more then half boyle them very fast and when they boyle them out of the syrrop and lay them upon a silver plater untill they are allmost Cold, keep your syrrop boiling all the while before it comes to a Gellee put in the pippins and when it is pretty well boyled lay the Quarters of pippins in a glass and have ready some rine of very green preserved lemon in fashion of a lease lay it between the Quarters and soe put in syrrop"

Note on the Original Text

The recipe is written in the concise, flowing manner typical of early modern cookery books: no ingredient lists, minimal quantities, and a reliance on the cook’s intuition. The spelling reflects 17th- and early 18th-century conventions: 'boyle' for 'boil', 'syrrop' for 'syrup', 'pippins' referring to tart, green apples, and terms like 'allholontide' meaning All Hallows’ (late October to early November). The instructions are sequential, and assume familiarity with sugar boiling stages and preservation methods—testament to a hands-on, orally transmitted culinary culture.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Receipt book - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Receipt book (1700)

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

Writer

Unknown

Era

1700

Publisher

Unknown

Background

A delightful glimpse into the kitchens of the early 18th century, this historic culinary manuscript promises a feast of recipes, remedies, and perhaps a pinch of mystery. Expect both practical fare and elegant inspiration for the curious cook.

Kindly made available by

Folger Shakespeare Library

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe hails from around 1700, when preserving fruit was both a practical necessity and a culinary art. Autumn heralded the apple harvest, and recipes like this allowed households to enjoy the taste and vibrant appearance of green apples well into winter—a serious treat before the days of refrigeration. Preserving in sugar syrup was popular among the English gentry, who prized both the taste and the beautiful presentation. The use of silver platters and delicate glass jars hints at the recipe's prestigious audience, likely enjoyed at fashionable tables and perhaps presented as edible jewels during dessert courses.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

In the early 18th century, this preserve would have been made in a heavy copper or iron pot set over an open hearth or kitchen range, where a lively fire could maintain a boiling syrup. Fruit would have been handled with slotted spoons or tongs, and cooled on silver platters for both status and practicality—the cool metal drew away heat efficiently. Glass jars or ornate glass dishes held the finished preserves, sometimes sealed with parchment or bladder to keep them fresh.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

20 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

1 lb firm green apples (e.g., pippins, or Granny Smiths as substitute)
1 1/4 lbs white granulated sugar
1 cup water
Green candied lemon peel (approx. 2 oz, cut decoratively; or use fresh lemon peel blanched and candied at home as substitute)

Instructions

To recreate 'To preserve Pippins Green' in a modern kitchen, begin by taking about 1 lb of firm, tart green apples (ideally pippins, but Granny Smiths work well) in autumn, when apples are at their freshest.
Quarter and core the apples, leaving the peel on for that vibrant green color.
In a large saucepan, prepare a syrup by dissolving 1 1/4 lbs of white granulated sugar in 1 cup of water (enough to just cover the apples, but adjust as needed).
Bring the syrup to a rapid boil.
Add the apple quarters to the syrup and boil them very fast (high heat) for about 10-12 minutes, or until they are just tender but still hold their shape.
Remove the apples from the syrup with a slotted spoon and spread them on a platter to cool to just above room temperature.
Keep the syrup boiling while the apples cool.
When the syrup begins to thicken and approach a gel-like consistency (test by dripping some on a cold plate—it should wrinkle slightly), return the apple quarters to the syrup for a final brief boil of 4-5 minutes.
Next, layer the apple quarters in a sterilized glass jar or decorative glass dish.
Between the apple pieces, slip in strips of vivid green preserved lemon rind (you can use candied lemon peel, sliced into decorative leaf shapes if desired).
Pour the hot syrup over the fruit, ensuring it is well submerged.
Seal and cool completely before serving or storing.

Estimated Calories

220 per serving

Cooking Estimates

Preparing the apples, syrup, and candied peel takes about 20 minutes. Cooking the apples and syrup takes another 20 minutes. The finished preserve can be enjoyed once cooled. One batch makes about 8 servings; each serving contains around 220 calories thanks to the sugar syrup.

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.