Recipe Manuscript

Almond Puffs

Name: Almond Puffs
Prep time: PTPT30M
Cook time: PTPT20M
Yield: 36
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 900g superfine (icing) sugar; 900g blanched almonds; 120ml orange flower water; 0.2g musk (optional, or omit); 3g gum tragacanth (substitute for gum-Dragon); 1 egg white; 0.2g ambergris (optional, or use a drop of vanilla extract or tonka); 2 drops lemon oil (or finely grated zest of 1 lemon)

1687

From the treasured pages of Receipt book

Unknown Author

Renaissance (1400 - 1700)European Intermediate Dessert Snack

Original Recipe • 1687

Original Manuscript(circa Renaissance, 1400 - 1700)

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

Almond Puffs

"Take 2 pounds of of So: fine Sugar beaten and seared two pounds of blanched Almonds beat ye Almonds in a stone Mortar very fine then put in a quartor of a pint of Orange flower water by degrees and 3 grams of Musk grind them together till ye water is as white as milk then strain it out hard into a dish and lay gum-Dragon to ye discretion in that white water to steep all night then strain it and adding your Sugar the white of an Egg and 3 grains of Ambergreece with 2 dropps of oyl of Lemons beat it to a perfect paste then make them into knotts and bake them, they will be white as snow, & light as puffs."

Note on the Original Text

Recipes of this period were typically written as continuous prose, assuming a basic culinary fluency from the reader. Measurements are often vague ('to ye discretion') and tools or peculiar ingredients ('gum-Dragon', musk, ambergris) are named with little explanation, reflecting the manuscript's elite audience. Spelling is early modern—'ye' for 'the', 'so:' as abbreviation, and unfamiliar terms like 'seared' likely mean 'sifted'. The prose is compact, favoring economy over precision, and omits quantities for some rare aromatics, leaving it to the cook’s judgement.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Receipt book - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Receipt book (1687)

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

Writer

Unknown

Era

1687

Publisher

Unknown

Background

A charming culinary manuscript from the late 17th century, brimming with recipes that blend hearty tradition and a dash of Restoration-era flair. Perfect for those seeking a taste of historic feasts and flavorful ingenuity.

Kindly made available by

Folger Shakespeare Library

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This delicate, perfumed almond confection comes from a late 17th-century English manuscript, written sometime between 1679 and 1694, a period when sweetmeats, syrups, and spiced biscuits marked elite hospitality and festive occasions. Such recipes reflect the era's fascination with exotic flavorings—musk, ambergris, and orange flower water—that signaled both wealth and access to global trade. Almond puffs, with their airy texture and snowy whiteness, embody the aesthetic ideals of refinement and novelty popular at the Restoration court, when sugar and spice were both status symbols and culinary indulgences.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

The original cook would have used a heavy stone mortar and pestle for grinding almonds into a paste, a fine cloth or sieve for straining, perhaps a shallow dish for steeping the gum, and a spoontip or knife for mixing in rare aromatics. Baking would have taken place in a wood-fired oven on simple metal or ceramic trays, carefully monitored to keep the puffs pale. Today, a food processor, fine mesh strainer, and modern oven ease and standardize the process.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

30 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

2 lb superfine (icing) sugar
2 lb blanched almonds
4 fl oz orange flower water
1/16 tsp musk (optional, or omit)
1/8 oz gum tragacanth (substitute for gum-Dragon)
1 egg white
1/16 tsp ambergris (optional, or use a drop of vanilla extract or tonka)
2 drops lemon oil (or finely grated zest of 1 lemon)

Instructions

Begin by finely grinding 2 lb of blanched almonds in a sturdy mortar or food processor, until smooth.
Gradually incorporate about 4 fl oz of orange flower water, mixing gently.
If you wish an aromatic flourish, optionally add a small pinch (about 1/16 tsp) of ground musk (or omit if unavailable) and continue to blend.
Once the mixture is as milky as possible, strain it through a cheesecloth to extract the fragrant almond liquid into a bowl.
Soak about 1/8 oz gum tragacanth (as a substitute for 'gum-Dragon') overnight in the strained almond-orange flower water; in the morning, strain again to discard solids.
Combine this aromatic mixture with 2 lb of sieved icing sugar, the white of 1 egg, a very small pinch (about 1/16 tsp) of ambergris (or a drop of vanilla or tonka in modern times), and 2 drops of lemon oil (or lemon zest).
Knead into a smooth, cohesive paste.
Roll or shape the paste into fine knots or twists.
Arrange them on a baking sheet lined with parchment.
Bake at 285°F (140°C) for approximately 15-20 minutes, or until they remain pale, light, and puffed.
Let cool before enjoying these airy, floral delicacies.

Estimated Calories

210 per serving

Cooking Estimates

It takes about 30 minutes to prepare the ingredients, including grinding the almonds and making the almond water. Soaking the gum tragacanth takes overnight, and baking takes about 15-20 minutes. Each serving is about the size of a small marzipan knot, and most of the calories come from the almonds and sugar.

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.