Recipe Manuscript

Æblekage No.

Name: Æblekage No.
Prep time: PTPT20M
Cook time: PTPT1H
Yield: 8
Cuisine: European
Ingredients: 20 medium apples (ca. 2.5–3 kg, peeled and cored); 200 ml white wine; 100 ml water; 100 g sugar (plus 150 g for eggs); 1 stick cinnamon or 1–2 tsp ground cinnamon; Zest of 1 lemon; 8 whole eggs; 8 pieces zwieback (substitute: ladyfingers or rusk, about 80–100 g total)

"Apple Cake No."

1884

From the treasured pages of Skandinavisk-amerikansk kogebog

Unknown Author

Age of Gastronomy (1800 - 1900)European Intermediate Dessert

Original Recipe • 1884

Original Manuscript(circa Age of Gastronomy, 1800 - 1900)

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

Æblekage No.

"20 Æbler strælles, skjæres istykker og koges til Grød i Vin, lidt Sukker, lidt Vand, Kanel og Citronskal; 8 hele Æg piskes godt med Sukker og blandes med 8 stødte Tve: bakker og den varme Æblegrød. Den bages langsomt og man maa vogte sig for altfor stærk Overvarme."

English Translation

"20 apples are peeled, cut into pieces, and cooked into a compote with wine, a little sugar, a little water, cinnamon, and lemon peel; 8 whole eggs are beaten well with sugar and mixed with 8 crushed zwiebacks and the warm apple compote. It is baked slowly, and one must be careful to avoid too strong top heat."

Note on the Original Text

As with many 19th-century Danish recipes, this text is a blend of conversational instruction and assumption of the reader’s skill. Quantities are clear, but times and temperatures are not given—cooks were expected to know what 'bages langsomt' (bake slowly) meant. Spelling and grammar reflect 19th-century Danish usage (e.g., 'strælles' for 'peel,' 'skjæres' for 'cut'), and ingredients like 'Tve: bakker' refer to 'tvebakker,' or zwieback—twice-baked bread. The recipe uses whole eggs and minimal sugar, typical of the period’s desire for nourishing, not overly sweet, desserts.

Modern Kitchen Interpretation

Recipe's Origin

Skandinavisk-amerikansk kogebog - Click to view recipe in book

Title

Skandinavisk-amerikansk kogebog (1884)

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

Writer

Unknown

Era

1884

Publisher

"Den Norskdanske boghandels" forlag

Background

A delightful journey through Danish culinary traditions as they flourished in Chicago at the end of the 19th century, this book offers a tasteful collection of recipes and practical cookery wisdom for both the adventurous and the nostalgic gourmand.

Kindly made available by

Internet Archive

Historical Background of the Recipe

Learn about old traditions

This recipe, 'Æblekage No. 2', comes from an 1884 Danish cookbook published in Chicago, a time when Danish and Norwegian immigrants in America sought to preserve their culinary heritage. It's listed as a variant ('No. 2') of the traditional apple cake, emphasizing household thrift and the use of available ingredients such as apples, eggs, and preserved bread. The presence of zwieback and wine indicates a relatively affluent kitchen, while the absence of precise oven temperatures reflects the domestic ovens of the era. The recipe connects the old country with the new, offering comforting, familiar flavors to immigrant families.

Culinary Tools when the Recipe was Crafted

Tools and techniques from kitchens of old

In the late 19th century, this recipe would have been prepared using a large iron pot or heavy saucepan for stewing the apples, a hand whisk for beating the eggs and sugar, and a mortaring tool or rolling pin to crush the zwieback. A ceramic or cast iron baking dish would be used for baking, placed in a wood or coal-fired oven with the heat closely monitored to avoid 'overvarme' (overheating). The cook would rely on expertise and instinct, not temperature dials.

Modern Kitchen Adaptation

Ingredients and techniques for today's cooks

ounces, cups, Fahrenheit

Prep Time

20 mins

Cook Time

1 hr

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

20 medium apples (ca. 5.5–6.5 lbs, peeled and cored)
3/4 cup white wine
1/2 cup water
1/2 cup sugar (plus 3/4 cup for eggs)
1 stick cinnamon or 1–2 tsp ground cinnamon
Zest of 1 lemon
8 whole eggs
8 pieces zwieback (substitute: ladyfingers or rusk, about 3–3.5 oz total)

Instructions

Peel and core 20 medium-sized apples (about 5.5–6.5 lbs), chop them into pieces, and simmer them gently in a saucepan with 3/4 cup white wine, 1/2 cup sugar, 1/2 cup water, a stick of cinnamon (or 1–2 teaspoons ground cinnamon), and zest of one lemon.
Cook until the apples break down and form a soft, flavorful compote.
In a separate bowl, whisk 8 whole eggs with about 3/4 cup sugar until well combined and slightly frothy.
Crush 8 pieces of zwieback (toasted sweet bread, or use crisp ladyfingers or rusk biscuits as a substitute) into coarse crumbs.
Quickly fold the egg mixture and zwieback crumbs into the hot apple compote.
Pour this mixture into a well-buttered baking dish.
Bake gently in a moderate oven (about 325°F) until set and lightly golden on top, taking care to avoid burning.
Allow it to cool slightly before serving—the texture will be soft, almost like a bread pudding, fragrant with apples and cinnamon.

Estimated Calories

310 per serving

Cooking Estimates

It takes about 20 minutes to prepare the ingredients, then 20–30 minutes to cook the apples into compote, plus around 40 minutes to bake. Each serving is about 310 calories, and this recipe makes 8 servings.

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.