Creme Bastarde – A Tudor Custard (Harl MS 279, ~1430)

Creme Bastarde (Harleian MS. 279) — Egg-White Custard for Potage or Baked Meats

Updated August 19, 2025 with additional context, serving notes, and a modern recipe aligned to the manuscript.

Creme Bastarde with stewed fruit (apples/pears) — a lovely Twelfth Night pairing.

The Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books (Harleian MS. 279, ab. 1430) includes a custard made only with egg whites. It shows up again in later Tudor sources, which hints at how beloved it remained. Romans gave us many egg dishes, but the medieval period is where “custards,” as we recognize them, hit their stride. Some hard-set cousins (like let lardes or milke rosty’s) fell out of fashion; this one reads more like a pourable custard or sauce.

I recently served it at our local Baronial Twelfth Night with stewed apples and pears (pictured above). My own redaction landed very close to Peter Breverton’s version in his Tudor Cookbook—including nutmeg, cinnamon, and a splash of orange-flower water—yielding a light, fragrant custard that flatters fruit. It’s also lovely on its own, or over strawberries and cherries.

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Original Text & Modern Sense

Harleian MS. 279: .Clj. Creme Bastarde.

.Clj. Creme Bastarde.—Take þe whyte of Eyroun a grete hepe, & putte it on a panne ful of Mylke, & let yt boyle; [leaf 26.] þen sesyn it so with Salt an hony a lytel, þen lat hit kele, & draw it þorw a straynoure, an take fayre Cowe mylke an draw yt with-all, & seson it with Sugre, & loke þat it be poynant & doucet: & serue it forth for a potage, or for a gode Bakyn mete, wheder þat þou wolt.

Modern Sense Translation

151. Cream Bastarde. Take a great heap of egg whites and put them into a pan full of milk; bring to a boil. Season lightly with salt and honey. Let it cool, then strain it; add fair cow’s milk and strain again. Season with sugar; aim for both “poignant” (a little sharp) and “sweet.” Serve as a potage, or with baked meats, as you wish.

Technique Notes

The manuscript boils whites in milk, then cools and strains, then enriches and sweetens. To avoid scorching or curdling, a double-boiler is your friend. (Yes, I also sometimes go “grandma method” and let a bit of water ride up the side of the insert—do what keeps it gentle and even.)

Modern Recipe — Creme Bastarde (Tudor-Style)

Adapted in spirit from Harleian MS. 279; spice profile inspired by Peter Breverton’s version. Serves ~4 as a sauce.

Ingredients

• 4 egg whites
• 1 pint milk (I use half-and-half plus a splash of cream)
• 2 Tbsp honey
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp salt
• Optional aromatics: 1 cinnamon stick, 1/2 tsp grated nutmeg
• 1 tsp orange-flower water (added off heat, to taste)

Method

1. Set up a double boiler. Put a couple inches of water in the larger pot; seat the smaller pot so steam heat, not direct flame, does the work.
2. Cook the custard. In the upper pan combine milk, egg whites, honey, sugar, salt, and (if using) the cinnamon and nutmeg. Bring heat up gently and stir—stir—stir until the mixture thickens to a light custard/sauce.
3. Strain & finish. Take off heat; strain out the cinnamon and any curds for silkiness. When warm (not hot), stir in orange-flower water to taste.
4. Serve. Warm over stewed apples or pears, or chill slightly and spoon over strawberries, cherries, or alongside baked meats per the original note.

🥕 Dietary Notes

• Vegetarian. (Contains dairy and egg.)
• Gluten-free.
• No nuts. (Unlike many medieval custards, this one uses cow’s milk, not almond milk.)

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Sources & Further Reading

• Two Fifteenth-Century Cookery-Books (Harleian MS. 279), ed. Thomas Austin.
• Peter Breverton, The Tudor Cookbook — spice and orange-flower water inspiration noted in the headnote.