The second Tudor-era recipe I decided to try, inspired by my encounter with the Great English Bible of 1541, was apple mousse. It’s a really lovely fall dish and I think it would make a fantastic addition to any fall feast. It looks like applesauce… so when you go to take a bite, it’s richness and thickness is surprising. It’s another easy recipe and makes a fantastic conversation-starter side dish or dessert!
Delicious Gala apples I bought at the Farmer’s Market. They’re so good raw, normally I eat them all before I can cook any apple dishes!
This recipe was translated in Tudor Cookery: Recipes and History by Peter Brears but originally comes from A Proper Newe Book of Cokerye published in 1575 by William How. It’s written like this: Take a dozen apples and ether rooste or boyle them and drawe them thorowe a streyner, and the yolkes of three or foure egges withal, and, as ye strayne them, temper them wyth three of foure sponefull of damaske water yf ye wyll, than take an season it wyth suger and halfe a dysche of swete butter, and boyle them upon a chaffyndgdyshe in a platter, and caste byskettes or synamon and gynger upon them and so serve them forth.
Got all that? Here’s the easy translation.
Ingredients
1 1/2 pounds or five medium-sized apples, cored, peeled and cut into chunks
3 tablespoons water
2 egg yolks
2 tablespoons brandy or rum flavoring (I used rum… it was delish!)
2 tablespoons granulated sugar
1 tablespoon butter
Ground ginger and cinnamon to finish
Instructions
Put the apples in a saucepan with just enough water to cover them.
Place chunked apples in a saucepan and add just enough water to cover them. Bring them to a boil, then simmer on medium-high heat until they are mushy, about 30-40 minutes depending on the variety. Drain off the water and run the apples through a blender or food processor to puree.
At this point, it’s just applesauce.
Return the puree to a saucepan off heat, and beat in the egg yolks, brandy or rum flavoring, sugar, and butter.
Now the extra ingredients are coming into the mixture.
Return the saucepan to the stove and slowly bring the mixture to a boil, stirring constantly. Once it’s bubbling, take it off the heat again and pour it into a dish. Allow this to cool completely before serving. Sprinkle with ginger and cinnamon to finish and serve!
I know it looks like applesauce, but it doesn’t taste like it!
