Caudel out of Lent (Harleian MS. 279) – Medieval Almond-Milk Caudle with Wine

Caudel out of Lent (Harleian MS. 279, c.1430) – Almond-Milk Caudle with Wine

Harleian MS. 279 (ab 1430) — .Cl. Cawdel out of lente. – Caudel out of Lent

Comfort in a cup. The first time I tested this recipe from Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books (Harleian MS. 279), I knew it would become a bedtime favorite. It’s a soft, sippable custard made from almond milk and wine, sweetened and spiced — somewhere on the family tree between possets and what we later call eggnog. Medieval cooks called it a caudle (a nourishing drink of wine/ale, crumbs, eggs, sugar, spice), often given to the convalescent. This version borrows posset-like elements (wine with “milk”) yet is named a caudle. Proto-eggnog? I’ll let you decide. 🙂

Color at the table was very “in.” The manuscript tells us to “ever keep it as white as thou may,” then offers color options at service — a ruby drizzle of alkanet, or a golden saffron hue. Period cooks also played with herbal greens and berry blues/purples. (If you’ve tried Maestro Martino’s summer “sky-blue” sauce, you know the vibe.)

Update (Aug 24, 2025): Expanded historical notes on medieval food coloring; added side-by-side text/translation, substitutions, dietary badges, and JSON-LD.

Original Text

.Cl. Cawdel out of lente.—Take & make a gode mylke of Almaundys y-draw vppe with wyne of Red, whyte is beterre; ȝif it schal be whyte, þan strayne ȝolkys of Eyroun þer-to a fewe. Put þer-to Sugre & Salt, but Sugre y-now; þen when it begynnyth to boyle, sette it out, & almost flatte; serue it then forth, & euer kepe it as whyte as þou may, & at þe dressoure droppe Alkenade þer-on, & serue forth; & ȝif þou wylt haue hym chargeaunt, bynd hym vppe with fflour of Rys, oþer with whetyn floure, it is no fors. And ȝif þou wolt, coloure hym with Safroun, & straw on pouder y-now, & Sugre y-now, & serue forth.

(Also attested via MedievalCookery.com.)

Modern Gloss

Make almond “milk” with wine (white preferred; red will tint it). For a whiter result, add a few egg yolks. Season with sugar and a little salt. Heat to just at the boil, then remove and let settle. Keep it as white as possible. At service, drip a little alkanet for red marbling; to thicken, bind with rice flour or wheat flour. Or color golden with saffron and strew on spice and more sugar.

Modern Recipe: Almond-Milk Caudle with Wine

🥕 Dietary Notes: Vegetarian • contains eggs • dairy-free if using almond milk. See substitutions below.

Yield: 1 generous mug (or 2 small servings) Total time: ~15 minutes Era: Medieval (15th c., England)

Ingredients

• 1 cup almond milk (homemade or plain, unsweetened)
• 1/2 cup white wine (semi-dry; reduce for no-alcohol version—see notes)
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1–2 Tbsp sugar, to taste
• 1/4 tsp fine salt
• Optional, for service: pinch ground ginger or “blaunche powder” (3 parts sugar : 1 part ginger); saffron threads; a decorative red drizzle
• For thickening (optional): 1–2 tsp rice flour (or wheat flour)

Method

1. In a small saucepan, combine almond milk and wine. Warm gently over medium-low heat until steaming (do not rapidly boil).
2. In a bowl, whisk yolks with sugar and salt. Temper with a little hot liquid, whisking constantly.
3. Return to the pan and cook over low heat, stirring, until it thickens to a pourable custard that coats the spoon. Remove from heat before it bubbles.
4. Optional: For a thicker “chargeaunt” caudle, whisk rice flour into a splash of cold almond milk; stir in and cook 1–2 minutes more.
5. Serve hot or warm. Keep it pale, or tint: a pinch of saffron for gold, or a tiny decorative red swirl on top; finish with ginger-sugar.

Substitutions & Notes

• No-Alcohol: Replace wine with verjuice, diluted white grape juice, or water with 1–2 tsp wine vinegar to mimic acidity.
• Dairy-Free: Already dairy-free; ensure commercial almond milk is unsweetened and unflavored.
• Gluten-Free: Use rice flour for thickening (period-correct) instead of wheat flour.
• Flavor: Period “pouder” could be ginger-forward; a little cinnamon or galingale is plausible in some contexts.
• Make-Ahead / Feast: Best fresh. For service, pre-blend yolks/sugar/salt; heat liquids, temper, and finish to order in small batches.
• Camp-Friendly: Bring a small whisk and a heat-safe mug; use a simmer ring to avoid scorching. A bain-marie (double boiler) is wonderfully forgiving.

About medieval food coloring: Alkanet (alkanin from Alkanna tinctoria) gives a ruby red; saffron tints gold; herb juices (parsley, sage) make greens; berries yield blues/purples with acidic/alkaline shifts. Some historical “greens” (e.g., verdigris) are toxic and belong only to the manuscript page, not the modern kitchen.

Serving

Serve in small cups as a cozy course for a winter board, a royalty luncheon sip, or an evening comfort drink. Lovely with stewed apples or pears.

Sources & Further Reading

• Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books, Harleian MS. 279 (via University of Michigan): full text
• Entry via MedievalCookery.com: “Cl – Cawdel out of Lente.”
• Maestro Martino, Libro de arte coquinaria (for the “sky blue” summer sauce concept): text
• On kitchen color play: Sew Historically: Sky-Blue/Blood-Red Sauce