To Make Calfes Foot Gelly
From the treasured pages of Receipt book
Unknown Author
To Make Calfes Foot Gelly
"Take of Calfes foot Gelly one pint & as much Sack and half a pound of fine Sugar and then let it boyle a little while altogether ye take ye whites of 4 Eggs beat them to a froth & put them into ye Gelly ye let it Boyle tell ye whites of Eggs are like threads in it and then lett it run through a Gelly bag"
Note on the Original Text
Like many early modern recipes, this one is brief and assumes a certain level of kitchen savvy. Proportions are given in familiar household measures (pints and pounds), spelling follows the fluid conventions of its era (e.g., 'boyle' for boil, 'ye' for 'the'), and instructions are succinct, leaving technique implicit. Such recipes were more guides than precise formulas, reflecting both the oral tradition of cookery and the limited availability of standardized kitchen tools.
Title
Receipt book (1700)
You can also click the book image above to peruse the original tome
Writer
Unknown
Era
1700
Publisher
Unknown
Background
Step back into the bustling kitchens of the 18th century, where this delightful collection offers a taste of bygone feasts, whimsical recipes, and the art of refined entertaining.
Kindly made available by
Folger Shakespeare Library
This recipe hails from England's early 18th century, a time when elegant molded jellies were the height of culinary fashion in grand households. Calf’s foot jelly was more than a dessert—it was seen as wholesome and nourishing. The 'sack' referenced here is an old term for a fortified white wine, much like Spanish sherry. Such jellies were enjoyed at banquets and sickrooms alike, celebrated both for their delicate flavor and their gentle restorative qualities.
Cooks of the time would have used a large, heavy-bottomed pot for simmering and clarifying the jelly, along with a metal whisk or a bundle of twigs to beat the egg whites. A jelly bag—typically conical and made from tightly woven linen or muslin—was essential for straining the mixture, suspended with a string or in a wooden frame to allow the clarified jelly to drip into a bowl below.
Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Servings
6
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 pint (20 fl oz) clarified calf's foot jelly (or substitute with prepared unflavored gelatin)
- 1 pint (20 fl oz) dry sherry (to replace 'sack')
- 8 oz fine white sugar
- 4 egg whites (about 4 oz)
Instructions
- Begin by preparing calf's foot jelly: you will need 1 pint (20 fl oz) of prepared calf's foot jelly, ideally clarified.
- Measure 1 pint of this jelly and combine it with 1 pint (20 fl oz) of dry sherry (as a substitute for historical sack wine) and 8 oz of fine white sugar in a saucepan.
- Bring the mixture just to a gentle boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar fully.
- Meanwhile, separate 4 egg whites (about 4 oz).
- Beat them until they are frothy.
- Add the beaten whites into the hot jelly mixture.
- Continue heating until the egg whites become stringy, resembling fine threads—this helps clarify the jelly.
- Strain the hot mixture through a jelly bag, muslin cloth, or fine sieve into a clean bowl, discarding the solids.
- Allow the jelly to cool and set before serving.
Estimated Calories
190 per serving
Cooking Estimates
Preparing this jelly takes about 15 minutes to measure and mix the ingredients, then an additional 20 minutes to cook and clarify. Each serving has about 190 calories, and this recipe makes 6 servings. Let the jelly fully set before eating.
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.
Join the Discussion
Rate This Recipe
Dietary Preference
Main Ingredients
Culinary Technique
Occasions
Den Bockfisch In Einer Fleisch Suppen Zu Kochen
This recipe hails from a German manuscript cookbook compiled in 1696, a time whe...
Die Grieß Nudlen Zumachen
This recipe comes from a rather mysterious manuscript cookbook, penned anonymous...
Ein Boudain
This recipe comes from an anonymous German-language manuscript cookbook from 169...
Ein Gesaltzen Citroni
This recipe, dating from 1696, comes from an extensive anonymous German cookbook...
Browse our complete collection of time-honored recipes