Watch our historic foodways staff cook this recipe, then try it at home
This fragrant dish is often used on pancakes and scones or as a dessert sauce on gingerbread.
18th Century
“Take the yolks of two hard eggs in a mortar with a large spoonful of orange flower water, and two tea spoonfuls of fine sugar beat to a powder; beat all together till it is a fine paste then mix it up with about as much fresh butter out of the churn and force it through a fine strainer full of little holes into a plate. This is a pretty thing to set of a table at supper.”
—The Art of Cookery made Plain and Easy
21st Century
Ingredients
- ½ pound butter
- 2 hard-boiled egg yolks
- 1 tbsp orange flower water
- 2 tsp sugar
Instructions
- Put your eggs until hard; let cool and peel them. Remove yolks.
- Put the yolks in a large bowl with the sugar and the orange flower water.* Beat them all together with the back of a fork or spoon until they come to a fine paste.
- Add your butter and mix until smooth.
- Pass this mixture through a fine sieve or strainer onto a plate. Decorate with flowers, if you wish.
* Orange flower water can be purchased online or in Middle East grocers and shops.