Sir Kenelm Digby's White Pot

[pskipper]

As requested...

This recipe is from memory so may not be completely as Sir Kenelm Digby designed and isn't all in exact proportions.

Double cream
Eggs
Raisins or Sultanas
Sugar
Nutmeg
Cinnamon
Bread
Butter

Butter your bread on one side and then cut the crusts off, shape the bread to completely line a cooking bowl.

Mix 2 whole eggs and 1 egg white per 500ml double cream and add 2-3 tablespoons of sugar (to taste) 1/2 teaspoon of cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoon of nutmeg and mix well. Add 1 handfull of raisins/sultanas. This should be quite a thick mix.

Pour creamy mix into the bowl and cook at around 190'C until solid (top should be golden and the custard set, if it isn't then sprinkle some sugar over the top and pop under the grill to caramelise.

I'm fairly sure this is right as I usually make this from memory.

Enjoy,

Philip

[Shirley]

Mmmm yum. Thanks Philip - I haven't got any cream in but I'll get some at the weekend.

Have you ever tried it with milk?

[pskipper]

I haven't tried it with milk, I'd suggest adding a tablespoon or two of dried milk to the milk to bulk it up and maybe an extra egg?

[Stonehead]

Here's the original (it's Sir Kenelm Digby BTW and his book was The Closet of Sir Kenelm Digby Knight Open, 1669):

"Take three quarts of cream, and put into it the yolks of twelve eggs; the whites of four, being first very well beaten between three quarters of a pound of sugar, two nutmegs grated, a little salt; half a pound of rRaisins first plump'd. These being sliced together, cut some thin slices of a stale manchet; dry them in a dish against the fire, and lay them on the top of the cream, and some marrow again upon the bread, and so bake it."

Manchet is fine white bread. I use butter instead of marrow fat, though!

The book is particularly good for makers of meads and ciders, but it does need some translation in places.

I have the 1910 reprint of the 1669 original. I'm not sure if there's a more recent reprint.

Oh, and in a warning to homebrewers everywhere. Sir Kenelme's wife died from drinking his viper wine...

[Stonehead]

There is a 1997 reprint. I should have checked Amazon first, but used copies are not cheap starting at £20. And Amazon get his name wrong too, even though the correct spelling is on the cover.

[pskipper]

Thanks, last time I came across the recipe was 1995 at a medieval re-enactment fayre :) Not surprising my memory has changed it a lot!

For anyone who is interested 'THE CLOSET OF SIR KENELM DIGBY KNIGHT OPENED:' is now available as an e-book online through The Project Gutenberg.
http://www.gutenberg.org/files/16441/16 ... 6441-h.htm