Recipe Manuscript

Pancakes With Out Butter & Suett

Name: Pancakes With Out Butter & Suett
Prep time: PTPT15M
Cook time: PTPT15M
Yield: 8
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 300 ml thick double cream; 8–10 egg yolks; 2 egg whites; 2 tablespoons caster sugar; 2 tablespoons sherry (as substitute for sack); 1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg; 1/2 teaspoon ground ginger; 1 teaspoon rose water; 120–150 grams plain flour

1700

From the treasured pages of Receipts in cookery and medicine 1700

Unknown Author

Renaissance (1400 - 1700)European Intermediate Breakfast 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

Pancakes With Out Butter & Suett

"Take the Best & thickest Creame eight or ten youlks of eggs sack nuttmeggs ginger suger flower Rose water the whits of 2 eggs mix the batter Reasonable thick and Bake your pancakes in a pan with out butterr"

Note on the Original Text

The recipe uses an open format without set quantities, reflecting both the oral tradition of passing recipes and the assumption that the reader had kitchen experience. Spelling was highly variable—'youlks' for yolks and 'flower' for flour are common quirks of the era. Measurements like 'reasonable thick' call for the cook's judgement. Recipes of this sort are more suggestion than prescription, allowing for improvisation and adaptation to one's pantry and taste.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Receipts in cookery and medicine 1700 - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Receipts in cookery and medicine 1700 (1700)

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

Writer

Unknown

Era

1700

Publisher

Unknown

Background

Step into the kitchen of the early 18th century, where this charming culinary manuscript tempts tastebuds with recipes and secrets from a bygone era. A delicious journey for both the curious cook and the history lover.

Kindly made available by

Folger Shakespeare Library

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This pancake recipe hails from around 1700, a time when English cookery was both extravagant and experimental, especially with rich dairy. Pancakes like these would have graced the breakfast tables or festive gatherings of wealthier households, with ingredients such as sack wine and rose water offering a luxurious twist. Interestingly, this version spurns butter or suet, suggesting concerns for delicacy, lightness, or simply an inventive palate in search of new textures.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

Back in the day, the batter would have been mixed in a large ceramic or wooden bowl with a sturdy wooden spoon or whisk. Cooking was done over an open fire, using a heavy iron or brass pan—often with a long handle and a slightly convex bottom. Pancakes were likely flipped with a broad spatula or even deftly tossed. No fat was added to the pan, so the base had to be well-seasoned and the heat carefully managed.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

15 mins

Cook Time

15 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

10 fl oz thick double cream
8–10 egg yolks
2 egg whites
2 tablespoons caster sugar
2 tablespoons sherry (as substitute for sack)
1/2 teaspoon ground nutmeg
1/2 teaspoon ground ginger
1 teaspoon rose water
4–5 oz plain flour

Instructions

Begin by whisking together 10 fl oz of the best, thickest double cream with the yolks of 8 to 10 eggs, and add the whites of 2 eggs.
To this custardy base, stir in 2 tablespoons of sugar, a generous splash (about 2 tablespoons) of sack (a type of historical fortified wine—sherry will do), a pinch of ground nutmeg and ground ginger, and a fragrant teaspoon of rose water.
Sift in plain flour, adding enough (about 4–5 oz) to create a batter that is 'reasonably thick'—thicker than a modern crêpe, but easily spreadable.
Heat a heavy frying pan over medium heat, without fat or oil.
Drop in spoonfuls of your batter and cook, tipping the pan to spread, until golden on both sides.
Serve hot.

Estimated Calories

270 per serving

Cooking Estimates

Preparing the batter takes about 15 minutes, including whisking, measuring, and sifting. Cooking the small pancakes takes around 15 minutes, as you cook several in batches. Each serving has about 270 calories if you divide the batter into 8 portions.

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.