Recipe Manuscript

To Make Cheese Cakes

Name: To Make Cheese Cakes
Prep time: PTPT30M
Cook time: PTPT30M
Yield: 12
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 2 liters heavy cream or whole milk; 1 blade mace; 12 egg yolks; 6 egg whites (if using milk, 14 yolks and 7 whites total); 1 tablespoon rosewater; 50 grams blanched almonds, finely ground; 100 grams caster sugar; Pinch ambergris (or a drop of vanilla extract as substitute); 100 grams unsalted butter; 250 grams plain flour; 2 eggs; 1 tablespoon sugar; Milk (enough to bring dough together, about 2-3 tablespoons)

1675

From the treasured pages of Receipt book of Margaret Baker

Written by Margaret Baker

Renaissance (1400 - 1700)European Intermediate Dessert

Original Recipe • 1675

Original Manuscript(circa Renaissance, 1400 - 1700)

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

To Make Cheese Cakes

"Take 2 quarts of Creame or new milke sett it one ye fier wth a blad of mace when it boyles up put in 12 yolkes of egges & halfe ye whites being very well beaten & give ym a walme soe take it from ye fier if it is milke you must have 2 more egges when it is cold put in rose-water almonds beaten very fine & suger & amber greece if you please & bring your cozzances; to make your past rube some butterr in your flower 2 egges & suger soe make it with milke & it will eathe like puffe past,"

Note on the Original Text

The recipe as written is both conversational and elliptical, reflecting the oral tradition of 17th-century recipe sharing among literate women. Quantities and times are given loosely; instructions rely on kitchen intuition more than explicit measurement, which was standard practice before the advent of modern cookery books. Spelling and vocabulary—such as 'boyles up' (boils), 'ye fier' (the fire), 'give ym a walme' (let it just heat through), or 'cozzances' (small baking molds for cheese cakes)—reflect both regional dialect and pre-standardized English. The playful script and unique spelling are signatures of this period’s manuscript cookbooks.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Receipt book of Margaret Baker - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Receipt book of Margaret Baker (1675)

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

Writer

Margaret Baker

Era

1675

Publisher

Unknown

Background

Step into the 17th-century kitchen with Margaret Baker, whose delectable recipes and culinary wisdom promise a feast of traditional flavors and genteel charms. A delightful collection for those who savor history as much as fine food.

Kindly made available by

Folger Shakespeare Library

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe hails from the 17th-century English manuscript cookbook of Margaret Baker, dated around 1675. During this period, cheesecakes were more about rich, scented custards than the modern cream cheese versions known today. The gentry and aristocracy favored such luxurious treats, enhanced with exotic spices and floral waters like rosewater, a testament to the global spice trade and fashionable flavors of the Restoration era. The appearance of ingredients like mace and ambergris speaks to the luxury and affluence of the intended diners—and their love of complex, perfumed desserts.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

The original recipe would have been made in a well-equipped 17th-century kitchen. Cooks used a large brass or copper cauldron set over an open fire for heating the milk or cream, with wooden spoons for stirring, and a mortar and pestle for grinding almonds. Eggs would be beaten by hand, often with a whisk of bundled birch twigs. Pastry was mixed on a wooden board, and the final cakes baked in small, deep metal 'cozzances' (cheesecake or tart pans) set within a wood-fired oven or under a baking 'salamander' to achieve a golden finish.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

30 mins

Cook Time

30 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 quarts heavy cream or whole milk
1 blade mace
12 egg yolks
6 egg whites (if using milk, 14 yolks and 7 whites total)
1 tablespoon rosewater
1/3 cup blanched almonds, finely ground
1/2 cup caster sugar
Pinch ambergris (or a drop of vanilla extract as substitute)
7 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 cups plain flour
2 eggs
1 tablespoon sugar
Milk (enough to bring dough together, about 2–3 tablespoons)

Instructions

Begin by gently heating 2 quarts of heavy cream or fresh whole milk in a saucepan with a blade of mace until it comes just to a simmer.
In a bowl, beat 12 egg yolks and 6 egg whites thoroughly (if using milk, add 2 more eggs—so 14 yolks and 7 whites).
Pour the eggs into the hot cream or milk while stirring gently, allowing the mixture to thicken slightly without scrambling (just a gentle coagulation).
Remove from the heat to prevent overcooking.
Let it cool to room temperature, then stir in a tablespoon of rosewater, 1/3 cup of finely ground blanched almonds, 1/2 cup of caster sugar, and a pinch of ambergris (or a drop of vanilla extract as a substitute).
Meanwhile, prepare your pastry: rub 7 tablespoons of chilled butter into 2 cups of plain flour until it resembles breadcrumbs.
Add 2 eggs and a tablespoon of sugar, then mix in enough milk to bring it together into a soft but workable dough—this pastry should be light and slightly flaky, akin to a rough puff pastry.
Line small tart tins with the pastry, fill them with the custard mixture, and bake at 350°F until set and golden.

Estimated Calories

350 per serving

Cooking Estimates

You will spend about 30 minutes preparing the ingredients and making the custard and pastry. Baking takes another 30 minutes. Each tart is about 350 calories, and the recipe gives you around 12 tarts.

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.