To make lyede mylke

PERIOD: England, late 15th c. | SOURCE: MS Pepys 1047 | CLASS: Authentic

DESCRIPTION: Toasted bread in a thin custard.

Facsimile of receipt from the original manuscript:
 

Transcription of original receipt:

To make lyede (17.1) milke

Take kow mylke and sugure and do them yn A pot set hit on the fyre and when hit boylls put þere to yowlkes of eggys loke that hit be rynnyng And not to charchant (17.2) take white brede cut yn small soppys (17.3) do them yn dyshes and powre hit there vpon. And serue hit furth.

Modern translation:

To make allayed milk.

Take cow milk and sugar and do them in a pot. Set it on the fire and when it boils add egg yolks. See that it is runny and not too thick (17.2). Take white bread cut in small toasted pieces (17.3), place them in dishes and pour the milk on. Serve.

(17.1) lyede - allayed, mixed; the past tense of ly or lye, to allay or mix. See Austin, p. 135. Hodgett (Stere Htt Well) translates this word as "layered."

(17.2) charchant - thick. Also spelled chargeaunt, charghaunt, chariaunt, etc. See Hieatt, Curye on Inglisch, p. 177.

 (17.3) soppys - sops; pieces of bread, usually toasted. Also spelled soppes. See Hieatt, Curye on Inglisch, p. 215.

Harleian MS 279 contains a similar receipt, Lyode Soppes (Austin, 11):

.xxix. Lyode soppes. Take Mylke an boyle it, an þanne take yolkys of eyroun y-tryid fro þe whyte, an draw hem þorwe A straynoure, an caste hem in-to þe mylke, an sette it on þe fyre an hete it, but let it nowt boyle; an stere it wyl tyl it be somewhat þikke; þenne caste þer-to Salt & Sugre, an kytte fayre paynemaynnys in round soppys, an caste þe soppys þer-on, an serue it forth for a potage.

Modern recipe: