Recipe Manuscript

White Bisket

Name: White Bisket
Prep time: PTPT1H15M
Cook time: PTPT12M
Yield: 24
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 450g white sugar, finely sifted; 6 large eggs; 1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon; 1 tablespoon rosewater; 25g plain wheat flour (more if needed for kneading; substitute with fine cake flour if desired)

1670

From the treasured pages of Receipt book

Unknown Author

Renaissance (1400 - 1700)European Intermediate Dessert Snack

Original Recipe • 1670

Original Manuscript(circa Renaissance, 1400 - 1700)

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

White Bisket

"Take to your pound of sugar sie eggs, soarth your sugar very fine, & mix it with your eggs, boat them well for an hour, then beat a little cinamom, and mix with a spoonfull of rosewater & a little flower, and knead and frame them; then set them on sloan paper to bake."

Note on the Original Text

Recipes of this period were written as sets of instructions for those already familiar with kitchen practice; precise measurements and times were rare. Note the spelling: 'sie' for sieve, 'soarth' for sift, 'boat' for beat, 'flower' for flour, and 'sloan paper' for slow, meaning thick or slightly oiled baking paper used to prevent sticking. The method expects a vigorous hour of whisking—much longer than today—showing how much labor was invested. The absence of quantities for some ingredients assumes the cook's judgment and familiarity.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Receipt book - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Receipt book (1670)

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

Writer

Unknown

Era

1670

Publisher

Unknown

Background

A delightful voyage through 17th-century kitchens, this manuscript tempts the senses with timeless recipes, forgotten flavors, and the intrigue of historical culinary craft. Savory secrets and sweet indulgences await within its well-worn pages.

Kindly made available by

Folger Shakespeare Library

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe hails from late seventeenth-century England, a time when sugar was an expensive luxury and baking was both an art and a communal activity. Recipes like this showcased one's household prosperity and skill, using refined sugar, imported spices, and exotic rosewater. The word 'bisket' is an old variant of 'biscuit', referring to early baked confections that were crisp and often twice-baked. This was an era before chemical leaveners, so recipes relied on eggs for lift and structure.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

In the 1660s-1680s, a recipe like this would be made with a large wooden bowl and a whisk or birch rods for vigorous beating. Spices would be ground in a mortar and pestle. Ingredients were measured by weight with simple balances. The dough might be kneaded on a wooden board and shaped by hand. Baking would be done on 'slone' (slow) paper—an unglazed, parchment-like sheet—set atop hearthstones or in a wood-fired oven. Temperature control was by feel and experience rather than thermometers.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

1 hr 15 mins

Cook Time

12 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 white sugar, finely sifted
6 large eggs
1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 tablespoon rosewater
1 oz plain wheat flour (more if needed for kneading; substitute with fine cake flour if desried)

Instructions

To make White Biskets, start by weighing out 1 lb of white sugar and finely sifting it.
Beat 6 large eggs in a large bowl untill well combined.
Gradually add the sifted sugar to the eggs, whisking continuously for one hour, until you achieve a light and pale mixture.
Grind about 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and mix it with 1 tablespoon of rosewater.
Gradually fold in about 1 oz of plain wheat flour.
Knead the resulting dough lightly and shape into small biscuit forms.
Place the biscuits onto baking paper and bake in a preheated oven (about 340°F) until set and lightly golden, 10-15 minutes.

Estimated Calories

85 per serving

Cooking Estimates

It takes about 15 minutes to gather and prepare your ingredients. Whisking the eggs and sugar takes about 1 hour. Shaping and kneading adds a few more minutes. Baking takes around 12 minutes. Each biscuit contains about 85 calories, and you will get about 24 biscuits from this recipe.

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.