Fin Mælkesuppe, Varm Eller Kold
"Til hver Kvart Mælk tages en lille Dessertskefuld Corn-Starch eller Rismel, som udrøres i noget af den kolde Mælk; det Øvrige sættes paa Ilden, og naar det er hedet, røres Melet i, og det koges til Mælken er jævnet. 2 Æggeblommer røres med hvidt Sukker, fortyndes med varm Mælk, og hældes i Gryden og omrøres til det begynder at koge; da hældes det i Terrinen hvori er lidt Salt og et Par Draaber Vanille; det smager godt istedetfor Vanille at koge et Par Stykker helt Kanel i Mælken. Man kan lægge kogte Æggehvider oven i Terrinen; i den Mælk hvori de koges, maa der være Sukker og lidt Kanel. Denne Mælk sies derefter og kommes til den øvrige Mælk. Suppen spises med smaa Tvebakker eller bagt Brød til, og man regner gjerne en Kvart Mælk til 3 Personer."
English Translation
"Fine Milk Soup, hot or cold. For each quart of milk, take a small dessert spoonful of corn starch or rice flour, which is mixed with some of the cold milk; the rest is set on the stove, and when it is hot, the flour is stirred in, and it is boiled until the milk is thickened. 2 egg yolks are stirred with white sugar, diluted with warm milk, and poured into the pot and stirred until it begins to boil; then it is poured into the tureen in which there is a little salt and a few drops of vanilla; instead of vanilla, it tastes good to boil a couple of pieces of whole cinnamon in the milk. You can place boiled egg whites on top of the soup in the tureen; in the milk in which they are boiled, there should be sugar and a little cinnamon. This milk is then strained and added to the remaining milk. The soup is eaten with small rusks or baked bread, and you usually count a quart of milk for 3 persons."
Note on the Original Text
The recipe is written in a concise, almost telegraphic style, blending essential steps with practical advice. Quantities are approximate and based on common kitchen intuition—the cook was expected to know how thick or sweet the soup should become! Period-appropriate measures like 'Kvart' (a quart, about a liter) and 'Dessertskefuld' (a small dessert spoon) are used, though spellings and usage have since evolved ('Mælken' is now 'mælken', 'Sukker' is 'sukker'). Spelling and phrasing reflect late 19th-century Danish, with long sentences and a flowing logical structure. Technical clarity was subordinate to narrative structure, trusting the reader's pre-existing kitchen knowledge.
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.
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Internet Archive
This recipe hails from an 1884 Danish cookbook, published in Chicago for the Norwegian-Danish community in America. At the time, milk-based desserts like this were popular both as comfort foods and as an affordable luxury, especially in Northern European cuisine. Such recipes played a dual role: providing nourishment and an elegant alternative to richer or more expensive puddings, making them well-suited to both everyday meals and special occasions. The use of cornstarch or rice flour as thickeners was widespread, and the inclusion of egg yolk, vanilla, or cinnamon shows the influence of refined continental dessert traditions. Cinnamon, in particular, was a well-loved spice, but often more costly than plain vanilla, so the recipe cleverly suggests a substitution.
In the late 19th century, this soup would have been prepared using basic kitchen tools: a heavy-bottomed metal or enamel saucepan for heating the milk, a wooden spoon or whisk for stirring, and a bowl for mixing the egg yolks and sugar. An open flame or a cast iron stove provided the heat. To poach the egg whites, a large spoon and a separate small saucepan would be utilized. For serving, a deep soup tureen would be used to receive the finished, fragrant soup, and the rusks or toasted bread would be kept in a breadbasket alongside.
Prep Time
10 mins
Cook Time
20 mins
Servings
3
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 quart whole milk
- 0.14 ounces (1 heaping teaspoon) cornstarch or rice flour
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1-1.4 ounces granulated sugar (2-3 tablespoons)
- A pinch of salt
- A few drops vanilla extract OR 1-2 cinnamon sticks
- For garnish (optional): 2 egg whites, extra sugar, extra cinnamon stick, and 1 cup (8 fluid ounces) milk for poaching
- Small crisp rusks (zweiback) or cubes of toasted bread for serving
Instructions
- To make Fine Milk Soup (Fin Mælkesuppe), either as a warm or cold dessert, begin by measuring out 1 quart of whole milk for every 3 people.
- Reserve around 1/3 cup of the milk and mix it with 1 slightly heaping teaspoon (about 0.14 ounces) of cornstarch or rice flour until smooth.
- Heat the remaining milk gently in a saucepan.
- Once warm, stir in the cornstarch or rice flour mixture and continue to cook over low heat, whisking, until the soup thickens slightly.
- In a separate bowl, beat together 2 egg yolks with 2-3 tablespoons (about 1-1.4 ounces) of granulated sugar until pale.
- Gradually add a little hot milk to the yolks to temper, stir, then pour the mixture back into the hot thickened milk.
- Cook over gentle heat, stirring constantly, until the soup just begins to simmer but does not boil.
- Remove from heat at once.
- Season with a pinch of salt and a few drops of vanilla extract.
- Alternately, instead of vanilla, you may simmer a cinnamon stick or two in the milk at the start, then remove them before finishing.
- Optional: For decoration, poach spoonfuls of whipped egg whites in sweetened, cinnamon-scented milk until firm.
- Drain, then float them atop the finished soup.
- Strain any milk used for poaching and add it into the main soup.
- Serve the finished milk soup with small crisp rusks (zweiback) or toasted bread on the side.
Estimated Calories
220 per serving
Cooking Estimates
It usually takes about 10 minutes to prepare the ingredients and 20 minutes to cook the milk soup. Each serving has about 220 calories, and the recipe makes enough for 3 people.
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.
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