Fruays

PERIOD: England, 15th century | SOURCE: MS Harley 5401 | CLASS: Authentic

DESCRIPTION: An apple bread pudding

ORIGINAL RECEIPT:

Fruays. Recipe þe cromys of whyte brede & swete aplys & yolkes of egges, & bray þam wele, & temper it with wyne; & make it to sethe, & when it is thyk do þerto gode spyces: gynger & galingay & cannell & clows; & serof it forth.

- Hieatt, Constance B. "The Middle English Culinary Recipes in MS Harley 5401: An Edition and Commentary." Medium Ævum vol. 65, no. 1 (1996): 54-71.

GODE COOKERY TRANSLATION:

Fruays. Recipe. The crumbs of white bread & sweet apples & yolks of eggs, & bray them well, & temper it with wine; & make it to boil, & when it is thick do there-to good spices: ginger & galingale & cinnamon & cloves; & serve it forth.

INGREDIENTS:

• bread crumbs, made from a loaf of homemade white bread
• sweet (not tart) apples, peeled, cored, and diced
• egg yolks, beaten
• red or white wine
• spices: ginger, galingale, cinnamon, cloves

The bread crumbs, diced apples, and egg yolks need to literally be mashed together - bray means to pound in a mortar; a modern food processor works fine, or use any other method you prefer, as long as the end result is a thick, homogenous mass. Place in a soup or sauce pot; blend in wine, adding enough liquid to allow the mixture to be able to be boiled. Cook over high heat until it just begins to bubble; reduce heat and simmer, stirring as necessary, until the liquid cooks down and the mixture thickens. Add spices to taste.

Galingale is a spice made from the roots of the Cypress Tree and is found today in stores that sell Indian & Asian foods.