Original Rezept
Nim mandel kern, mache in schoene in siedem wazzer vnd wirf sie in kalt wazzer, loese die garsten vz vnd stoz die besten in einem moerser. Alse sie veiste beginnen, so sprenge dor vf ein kalt wazzer vnd stoz sie vaste vnd menge sie mit kaldem wazzere eben dicke vnd rink sie durch ein schoen tuoch vnd tuo die kafen wider in den moerser, stoz sie vnd rink sie vz. schuet ez allez in ein phannen vnd halt sie veber daz viuer vnd tuo darzvo ein eyer schaln vol wines vnd ruerez wol, vnz daz es gesiede. nim ein schoen bueteltuoch vnd lege ez vf reine stro vnd guez dar vf die milich, biz daz sie wol ueber sige. swaz denne vf dem tuoche belibe, do von mache einen kese. wilt du butern dor vz machen, so laz ein wenic saffrans do mit erwallen vnd gibz hin als butern oder kese.
Übersetzung
Take almonds and boil them in clear water. Then, place them in cold water and remove any bitter ones. Pound the best ones in a mortar. When they begin to turn oily, sprinkle them with cold water. Pound them vigorously and mix in cold water until the consistency becomes thick. Squeeze the mixture through a clean cloth. Return the almond mass to the mortar, pound it again, and squeeze it out once more. Pour all of the collected liquid (almond milk) into a pan and place it over the fire. Add an eggshell’s worth of wine and stir until it comes to a boil. Lay a fine serving cloth over some clean straw and pour the almond milk onto it, allowing the whey or liquid to drain away. Use the substance that remains on the cloth to form a cheese. If you wish to make butter from it, bring it to a boil with a little saffron. Serve it either as butter or as cheese.
Recreation
Beyond water, this recipe requires only two ingredients: almonds and a bit of wine (plus, optionally, a touch of saffron). What makes it truly special, however, is the method. It provides an unusually precise description of how to prepare a very thick almond milk, which is then set—much like ricotta cheese.
The recipe also offers a glimpse into the level of effort invested in high-end kitchens during the 14th century. The almonds are first boiled and any bitter almonds removed. Bitter almonds grow on the same trees as sweet ones; while they differ only slightly in shape, they possess the characteristic bitter taste from which they derive their name. Today, they are rarely encountered, as the gene responsible for this trait is recessive and can be bred out quite easily. It is therefore highly plausible that bitter almonds were far more common in the Middle Ages, which makes this interpretation of the recipe quite logical.
Since the process described is very similar to blanching, I assume that the skins of the almonds are also removed here. The instruction to use only “the best ones” further supports this. The blanched (white) almonds are then crushed in a mortar and ground with just a small amount of water to create almond milk. This process is then repeated a second time. The reason for this appears to be to obtain a highly concentrated almond milk that contains as little water as possible.
In the next step, this milk is heated, and an eggshell full of wine is added. Since this “eggshell” of wine is the only measurement provided in the recipe, it is not particularly helpful—though it is a charming detail that illustrates how people in the past used the objects at hand for measuring. The wine—primarily due to its acidity—helps the almond milk to coagulate, much like the process used to make ricotta. The mixture is then poured onto a cloth placed over straw, allowing the “whey” to separate from the solids. The remaining substance is the almond cheese or almond butter.
Since I don’t have any straw on hand, I hung the mixture in a piece of cheesecloth over the sink instead (as described in the almond cheese recipe). I left it hanging for about 7-8 hours. You can also influence the consistency this way (a shorter time results in a softer texture). but i doubt that it will get any firmer after 8 hours.
Another interesting detail is the inclusion of saffron as an optional ingredient. The recipe suggests adding saffron if you want to make “butter.” In this context, the saffron acts as a coloring agent, giving the spread a butter-like appearance. When I tried making it myself, I found that the flavor of the saffron doesn’t really come through—it truly serves only to provide color.
As for the result: it yields a firm, creamy substance, with a consistency roughly like that of cream cheese. It has a distinct almond flavor, with just a subtle tang from the wine. While it is spreadable, it doesn’t have much in common with actual butter—though it works very well as a base for jam (I tried it with quince honey—highly recommended!). That said, the preparation is quite time-consuming, and the yield is not very high. This spread illustrates just how inventive medieval cooks were, and how much effort they poured into even the smallest culinary details. It serves perfectly as a creamy alternative to cream cheese on fast days, though it was surely a welcome treat on “ordinary” days as well.
Ingredients
Equipment
Method
- Cover the almonds with water, bring to a boil, and let simmer for a few minutes. Drain and transfer to cold water.
- Remove the skins from the almonds by squeezing them, then place the almonds into a heavy mortar. Alternatively, you can use an immersion blender with a suitable container. Grind or purée the almonds with 120 ml of cold water.
- Line a bowl with a piece of cheesecloth and place the almond mixture onto it. Squeeze out the milk and pour it into a small saucepan. Return the almond pulp to the mortar or blender container.
- Grind or purée the pulp again with 200 ml of cold water. Place the cheesecloth back into the bowl and add the almond mixture. Wring it out very firmly and add the liquid to the almond milk in the saucepan. The remaining almond pulp (press cake) is not used further. This should yield approximately 300 ml of almond milk.
- Prepare the wine (or a mixture of wine and vinegar) in a small container. If using saffron, you can soak it in the wine now.
- Add a pinch of salt (optional) to the almond milk and heat over medium heat until it reaches approximately 80°C (check with a thermometer). Remove from the heat and stir in the wine. Stir for a few seconds, then let it rest for 15 minutes.
- In the meantime, rinse the cheesecloth, line the bowl with it, and place the bowl in the sink. Pour the curdled milk onto the cloth. Carefully lift the four corners of the cloth, tie them together—or secure them with a safety pin—and hang the bundle up to drain (e.g., over the sink or a bowl).
- Leave the mixture to hang for several hours until it reaches the desired consistency. 7–8 hours (or overnight) is recommended, resulting in a consistency similar to cream cheese.
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