Original Recipe
Daz ist auch guot.
Nim mandelkern, mache daz in siedeme wazzer, stoz sie vnd twinge sie durch ein tuoch oder mal sie, nim schoen herte brot, snit die obersten rinden abe schone vnd duenne, snit dar nach schiben, so du duennest muegest. daz beginne vnder der obersten rinden, ieglich schibe sol sin sinewel. vuege der schiben viere zvo sammene vnd snit sie smal als einen riemen vnd snit sie den twerhes veber, so du kleinest maht, halt die mandelmilch veber daz fiuer, laz sie warm werden, wirf daz brot dar in, daz sie
dicke werde, halt sie veber daz viuer, laz sie sieden vnd gibez in die schuezzeln vnde strauwe ein zucker dar uf. daz heizzet caleus. vnd gibz hin. Conf. Also mache auch ander milich, ob du totern dor zvo tuon wilt.
Translation
Place almond kernels in boiling water. Crush and press them through a cloth, or grind them. Take fine “hard” bread (grain-based—rye, wheat, or barley—as opposed to oat bread). Carefully cut off the top crust in a thin layer. Then slice the bread as thinly as possible, starting just beneath the top crust. Each slice should be round. Stack four slices together and cut them into narrow strips. Then cut across these strips to create small pieces (small cubes). Warm the almond milk over the fire. Once it is warm, add the bread and let it swell. Keep it over the heat and bring it to a simmer. Transfer to bowls and sprinkle with sugar. This dish is called Caleus; serve it. You may also prepare it using other types of milk or by adding egg yolks.
Recreating the Recipe and Review
This recipe is an excellent starting point for the Buch von guter Speise. It briefly explains how to make almond milk—an ingredient used in many recipes throughout the book—and is relatively easy to follow.
Preparing the dish was very simple; making almond milk is something everyone should try at least once, just to see how easy it is. Thickening the mixture with bread is a technique that has largely fallen out of use today, yet it could certainly still be applied when a dish with a bit more texture is desired.
As for the taste: the result is very reminiscent of baby food—though not in a negative sense. It was genuinely delicious and more filling than the ingredients might suggest. I couldn’t really taste the almonds, however, which makes the recipe’s note about using other types of milk make perfect sense; cow’s milk or store-bought almond milk (300 ml for two servings) would be good alternatives. What really comes through is the flavor of the bread, and that is an element you can vary—rusk crumbs, for instance, should work well. What I learned from this recipe is that you can create an interesting dessert using bread (or leftover bread). Enhanced with cinnamon or other spices—a modern touch—it invites experimentation. Adding egg yolks, as suggested in the original recipe, makes it even better and gives it more of a true dessert quality.
Ingredients
Method
- Bring half a liter of water to a boil and pour it over the almonds. Let them sit until the water is lukewarm (about half an hour).
- Squeeze the almonds out of their skins (optional) and place them in a food processor or blender. Add 300 ml of water. Finely grind the almonds; this takes a few minutes in a food processor, whereas a blender should finish the job in 30 seconds. Let the mixture rest for 5 to 15 minutes.
- Line a pot with a cheesecloth and pour the mixture into it. Squeeze all the liquid out through the cloth; this liquid is the almond milk. The almond pulp remaining in the cloth can be used for other purposes, though not in this recipe.
- Cut the white bread into small cubes—as small as possible (to remain authentic). Alternatively, you can simply process the bread into crumbs using a food processor.
- Bring the almond milk to a boil while stirring. Then add the bread. Simmer for 5 minutes. Spoon the mixture into small bowls. Sprinkle with sugar before serving.
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