Website von Guter Speise

Original Recipe

 Wilt du machen aber einen kese von mandeln, so nim mandelkern vnd stoz die vnd nim die milich vnd gu^ez einer gu^oten milich dor zv^o vnd erwelle daz abe vnd schu^etez vf ein tu^och. laz in erkalden vnd lege in in einen kese napf vnd mache in vnd lege in denne vf ein teler, bestrauwe in mit eime zuckere. daz heizzet ein mandelkese.

Translation

If you wish to make an almond cheese, take almond kernels and crush them. Take the (almond) milk (and beat eggs into it)*. Add some good milk and bring the mixture to a boil. Pour it onto a cloth and let it cool. Place it in a cheese mold and shape it. Put it on a plate and sprinkle with sugar. This is called almond cheese.

*Eggs are only mentioned in the reprint version from 1844. See note below

Recipe and experience report

A bit of research

This recipe reads very simply but proved to be difficult. The reason is that the basic ingredients (almond milk and cow’s milk) do not work with the method described. If you simply boil the milk and almond milk together, the mixture does not curdle and would just run straight through the cloth.

Consequently, my first attempt failed miserably. Interestingly, there is a reprint of the Buch von guter Speise (dating from 1844) that lists eggs in the recipe. Fortunately, however, there is also a digitized version of Von guter Speise available, and Recipe 71 can be found on this page:

Recipe 72, Almond Cheese, is this one:

The original text therefore mentions eggs. It is thus reasonable to assume that the University of Giessen transcript contains an error and the eggs were omitted.

Recreation

This egg-based dessert is simple to make, yet the method used to create the “pudding” is somewhat unusual. As always, the homemade almond milk requires a bit of preparation, but it is essential here; store-bought almond milk would be far too thin and lack sufficient almond flavor.

The ingredients (excluding the sugar) are brought to a boil together; the eggs cause the mixture to thicken while also giving it a slightly textured consistency. The mixture is then transferred to a cheesecloth, which is hung up to allow the contents to cool slowly. During this process, the solids separate from the liquids, leaving behind a soft pudding. Be sure to collect the liquid, as it tastes just like “regular” almond milk and can be used accordingly.

In the recipe, the cooled pudding is shaped in a “cheese mold”—though you can get creative here and use any mold you have on hand. However, the cooled mixture doesn’t hold a fine shape, as the texture is somewhat grainy. That said, letting it sit in the fridge for a while helps it firm up a bit.

Finally, the pudding is turned out onto a plate and sprinkled with sugar. I used brown sugar because it offers more visual interest and adds texture thanks to its coarser granules. In terms of flavor, the pudding is mild, with the almonds taking center stage; the taste of the eggs comes through slightly as well. Since the pudding isn’t a perfectly smooth, homogeneous cream, the coarse brown sugar pairs well with it. While this may not have been a milestone in the history of desserts, it was an altogether tasty and interesting recipe.