Potash: The Ashes That Raised a Nation

Potash: The Ashes That Raised a Nation

Long before baking powder revolutionized home kitchens, early American bakers demonstrated their ingenuity by using potash—an alkaline residue from wood ash—as a leavening agent. Extracted from hearth ashes, potash enabled cooks to prepare lighter breads and cakes, showcasing their resourcefulness before the advent of commercial yeast or baking soda.

This article builds on our previous piece ‘From Ashes to Antlers’ , which explored the historical use of various natural materials in early American kitchens. Let's take a closer look at potash's role in early American kitchens.

What Is Potash?

Early American cooks made potash (potassium carbonate) by soaking hardwood ashes in water to create lye, then boiling the liquid until it yielded a solid alkaline salt. The name "potash" comes from this process of boiling ashes in pots.

Lye Safety and Myths

• Is lye dangerous? In concentrated form, yes. Historical potash lye was milder but still required care.
• Safe to eat? Yes, when neutralized adequately with acid. The reaction produces water and carbon dioxide.
• Make it today? It's possible, but use gloves and eye protection.
• Myth: "Lye is poison." → Truth: It was a standard kitchen tool for soap, pretzels, and baking.

The Chemistry of Potash Leavening

Potash requires an acid (such as molasses or sour milk) to create carbon dioxide, which helps lift the dough. This simple reaction laid the foundation for early quick breads.

• Source: Hardwood ash
• Type: Potassium carbonate
• Reaction: Potash + Acid → CO₂ → Rise

What Is Pearl Ash?

Pearl ash is refined potash. Makers dissolved potash in water, filtered it, and evaporated the solution to create a whiter, cleaner salt ideal for baking delicate cakes.

• Potash: Crude wood ash residue
• Pearl Ash: Refined, purified potash
• Used in: Gingerbread, sponge cake, biscuits

Historic Use in Recipes

Amelia Simmons’ American Cookery (1796) frequently used pearl ash with acidic ingredients. Below is a modern version of her gingerbread recipe.

Gingerbread with Pearl Ash

• 1 cup molasses
• 1/2 cup sour cream or buttermilk
• 1 tsp pearl ash (or baking soda)
• 1 tbsp ground ginger
• 2.5–3 cups flour

Instructions: Mix pearl ash with sour cream. Stir in molasses and ginger. Add flour gradually. Bake at 350°F for 20–25 minutes.

Other Recipes Using Potash

Beyond gingerbread, early American bakers showcased the versatility of potash in a variety of recipes where mild sweetness and dense structure were welcome. Typical dishes included molasses cakes, Johnnycakes (cornmeal flatbreads), spice biscuits, and hoecakes. These recipes often relied on potash for rise when eggs were scarce or sour milk was abundant. Amelia Simmons and other early cookbooks also mention "loaf cakes" and "crackers" leavened with potash or pearl ash, highlighting its wide range of uses.

From Hearth to Pantry: How Baking Powder Changed Everything

The introduction of baking powder in the mid-19th century marked a significant turning point in the history of baking. Potash-leavened goods tend to have a slightly soapy or alkaline note if not carefully balanced with acid. The texture was often denser, with a subtle chewiness, especially in quick breads and cakes. Baking powder, by contrast, offered a more neutral flavor and consistently resulted in a lighter crumb. It allowed bakers to move away from strong molasses and buttermilk flavors used to balance potash, resulting in the sweeter, fluffier cakes familiar today.

Regional Variations in Potash Use

The use of potash varied across the colonies. In the Northeast and Appalachian regions, where hardwood forests were abundant and molasses was a common sweetener, potash remained in use longer—especially among rural homesteads. In German- and Dutch-influenced areas like Pennsylvania, cooks developed refined versions of traditional baked goods (such as honey cakes and lebkuchen) using pearl ash. Southern cooks were more likely to switch earlier to baking soda and sour milk once commercial supply chains improved.

Comparison of Leaveners

Leavener	Source	Needs Acid?	Use	Flavor	Consistency
Potash	Wood ash	Yes	Breads	Alkaline	Unrefined
Pearl Ash	Refined potash	Yes	Cakes	Mild	Reliable
Baking Powder	Commercial blend	No	All baking	Neutral	Very consistent

Griddle Cakes Before Johnnycakes: A Historical Comparison

Medieval Flat Cakes (14th–15th c.)

Source: Le Ménagier de Paris (1393)
Typical Ingredients: Wheat flour, milk or water, egg (optional)
Cooking Method: Griddled on a flat iron, stone, or in a pan with fat

“Make a paste with white flour and warm water... roll thin and bake on the iron.”

These cakes were simple and unleavened, sometimes brushed with fat or sprinkled with sugar. Texture would be dense and chewy. A modern interpretation uses wheat flour and warm water to form a thick dough, rolled or patted thin, then cooked on a dry or greased skillet.

Early Modern Pancakes (16th c.)

Source: A Proper Newe Booke of Cokerye (c. 1557)
Typical Ingredients: White flour, eggs, milk or ale/wine, spices
Cooking Method: Fried on a griddle or pan with butter/lard

“To make pancakes. Take two or three eggs, a dish of flour, and half a pint of milk. Beat them together and fry them in butter.”

These pancakes were thinner, lighter, and crispier—thanks to the addition of eggs and sometimes alcohol. A modern version might whisk 2 eggs, 1 cup flour, and ½ cup ale or milk, then fry in a buttered pan until golden.

Colonial Johnnycakes (17th–18th c.)

Source: Indigenous North American cooking, adapted by colonists
Typical Ingredients: Cornmeal, water or milk, salt, fat or molasses
Optional Leavening: Potash or pearl ash
Cooking Method: Griddled, stone-baked, or pan-fried

“Indian meal, scalded, mixed with salt, milk, or cream, and baked on a griddle or board.” — Amelia Simmons, 1796

Colonial johnnycakes often used hot water to soften cornmeal, sometimes with milk or sweeteners. When leavened with potash, they developed a slightly fluffy interior with a crisp outer crust.

Summary: Griddle Cake Evolution

Period	Dish	Grain Base	Leavening	Fat Used	Texture	Region
14th c.	Iron cakes / wafers	Wheat	None	None or lard	Dense, flat	France, England
16th c.	Pancakes	Wheat	Eggs	Butter/lard	Thin, crisp	England
17th–18th c.	Johnnycakes	Cornmeal	None or potash	Drippings or none	Crisp outside, tender inside	Colonial America

Timeline of Leavening

• Pre-1600s: Natural fermentation
• 1600s–1700s: Potash use in breads
• 1796: Pearl ash in American Cookery
• 1830s: Hartshorn for cookies
• 1850s: Commercial baking powders introduced
• 1880s+: Double-acting powders dominate

Where to Find Historical Leaveners Today

If you're interested in experimenting with historic recipes, you can still obtain several early leavening agents with care. Be sure to use only food-grade versions, and always follow recipes that include appropriate acidic ingredients when working with alkaline leaveners like potash or pearl ash.

Reputable Sources

• Pearl Ash (Food-grade Potassium Carbonate):
  - Lehman's: Carries pearl ash suitable for reenactment or heritage baking
  - Amazon: Search for “potassium carbonate, food-grade” (check vendor reviews)
• Hartshorn (Ammonium Carbonate):
  - King Arthur Baking: Sold as “Baker’s Ammonia”
  - Amazon: Look for “Baker’s Ammonia” or “Hartshorn” (food-grade only)
• Potash (Historical or DIY):
  - True culinary-grade historical potash is rare. For educational or reenactment use, you can try making it at home from hardwood ashes.
  - Permies Forum Guide: Practical advice on making your own potash safely

⚠️ Note: Commercial potash sold for fertilizer or soapmaking is not food-safe. Always verify the product is labeled for culinary use before baking.

To explore more, read From Ashes to Antlers.

More Forgotten Leaveners

Discover hartshorn and other historic techniques in our full guide.

Browse all leavening articles here.

Potash & Pearl Ash: The Alkaline Origins of American Baking

Front cover and title page scans from Amelia Simmons’s American Cookery (1796)

From Ash to Rise: Potash, Pearl Ash, and the First American Chemical Leaveners

Before commercial baking powder revolutionized the kitchen, early bakers reached for something far more rustic: ashes. Specifically, they utilized the lye-rich remnants of burned hardwood to produce potash and, later, its refined cousin, pearl ash. These alkaline salts, when combined with acidic ingredients, acted as the first chemical leaveners of early American and European baking.

What is Potash?

Potash, or potassium carbonate, is derived from the ashes of burned hardwood. Traditionally, early cooks would soak wood ash in water, extract the resulting lye, and boil off the liquid to concentrate the alkaline residue.  The name "pot ash" originates from the iron pots historically used during this production process. 

Pearl Ash: The Cleaner Leavener

Pearl ash is a purified form of potash.  The refinement process involved dissolving crude potash in water, allowing the insoluble sediment to settle, then filtering and gently evaporating the solution until white crystals formed. This process created a cleaner, more consistent leavening agent preferred for baking cakes and biscuits.

How Alkaline Leavening Works

Neither potash nor pearl ash works alone. They need an acidic partner to trigger a chemical reaction that produces carbon dioxide gas. This gas forms bubbles in batters and doughs, helping them rise and achieve a light texture. 

• Potash: Stronger, more caustic, less refined — best used with caution or in soapmaking.
• Pearl Ash: More purified, milder, and food safe —  suitable for cakes, biscuits, and cookies.

How Does It Compare to Hartshorn?

Hartshorn, or ammonium carbonate, differs in that it does not require an acid to activate.  It's ideal for crisp cookies like Springerle, where dryness is key.  In contrast, potash-based leaveners must be carefully balanced with acidic components, or the resulting bake may carry an unpleasant alkaline flavor.  Potash typically found its place in softer quick breads and early cakes. 

📚 Curious about hartshorn? Click here to explore how bakers used ammonium carbonate before baking soda became common.

Refining Potash into Pearl Ash

Pearl ash isn’t just cleaner potash—it’s the result of a deliberate purification process. Historically, makers dissolved crude potash in water, allowed insoluble impurities to settle out, then filtered and gently evaporated the liquid until white crystals formed. This recrystallized form offered better predictability and reduced off-flavors in baked goods.

Common Acidic Pairings in Historical Recipes

• Buttermilk or clabbered milk
• Molasses (commonly used in gingerbreads)
• Vinegar or sour wine
• Apple cider or citrus juice

Historical Note: Gingerbread with Pearl Ash

The earliest American-published cookbook, American Cookery by Amelia Simmons (1796), includes several recipes calling for pearl ash as a leavening agent. One gingerbread variant reads:

“Gingerbread Cakes” – One quart of molasses, one pound of sugar, three quarters of a pound of shortening, one cup of sour milk, four teaspoons pearl ash, four tablespoons ginger, cinnamon and cloves to taste, and as much flour as will make it roll out.

— Amelia Simmons, American Cookery (1796)

Where to Find Potash or Pearl Ash Today

• Potash: You can make it at home from hardwood ashes, but for safety and consistency, it's best sourced as food-grade potassium carbonate from specialty chemical suppliers or soapmaking shops (e.g., Bulk Apothecary, The Lye Guy).
• Pearl Ash: Much harder to find today, but chemically similar results can be achieved with food-grade potassium carbonate or by using baking soda (sodium bicarbonate) in a modern adaptation.

Example: Gingerbread with Pearl Ash (1796)

Amelia Simmons’s American Cookery (1796) features several gingerbread cookie recipes that call for pearl ash—a purified form of potash—dissolved in milk or water. This marks one of the earliest printed uses of a chemical leavener in American baking. 🧁

View the original 1796 scans, or check the Smithsonian & American Heritage notes on Simmons's innovations :contentReference[oaicite:2]{index=2}.

Historical Example: Gingerbread with Pearl Ash

Adapted from late 18th-century sources:

• 2 cups flour
• 1 cup molasses
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 1 tsp pearl ash dissolved in 1 tbsp vinegar
• 1 tsp ginger
• 1/2 tsp cinnamon
• Optional: cloves or nutmeg

1. Mix molasses, butter, and spices.
2. Add pearl ash mixture.
3. Stir in flour gradually to form a dough.
4. Drop by spoonful or roll and cut into rounds.
5. Bake at 350°F for 10–12 minutes.

📜 Want to learn more about potash and pearl ash? Click here to explore how ashes became America’s first chemical leaveners.

The Rise of Baking Powder

The arrival of commercial baking powder made baking more accessible. Unlike potash or pearl ash, it included both alkaline and acidic components, eliminating the guesswork. Home cooks no longer needed to rely on tricky ratios or worry about acidic pairings—baking became easier, faster, and more reliable. This convenience marked the end of Pearl Ash’s reign in the kitchen.

Other Forgotten Leaveners

Before modern yeast and chemical leaveners, a variety of traditional techniques helped baked goods to rise 

• Ale barm: Foam from fermenting beer, used in breads and cakes before commercial yeast.
• Egg leavening: Beaten egg whites or whole eggs incorporated air, helping cakes and sponges rise naturally.
• Sack starters: Fermented mixtures using sack (fortified wine) and flour as makeshift yeast.

Quick Comparison: Forgotten Alkaline Leaveners

Leavener	Source	Needs Acid?	Best Used In
Potash	Boiled wood ash	Yes	Quick breads, early cakes
Pearl Ash	Purified potash	Yes	Gingerbread, sponge cake
Hartshorn	Distilled antlers or hooves	No	Crisp cookies, Springerle

Further Reading & Recipes to Explore

• Hartshorn in Historical Cookies
• Wikipedia: Potash
• Wikipedia: Pearl Ash
• Amelia Simmons’ American Cookery (1796)

🧾 Coming Soon: This post is part of the Forgotten Leaveners series. Watch for the downloadable bundle, including:

• Comparison chart of early leaveners
• Printable recipe cards
• Bonus bakes: potash cakes, Springerle, and more

💾 Follow me on Ko-fi to get updates when it's live!

From Ashes to Antlers: Forgotten Leaveners Before Baking Powder

A carved wooden mold used for Springerle or molded biscuits, depicting detailed figures from courtly and martial life. These molds were often handed down through generations and used to mark festivals, weddings, and holidays. (Public domain)

From Ashes to Antlers: Forgotten Leaveners Before Baking Powder

Before the age of Clabber Girl and little red cans of baking powder, bakers reached for far stranger tools to make their bread rise. In my earlier post on cooking with wood ashes and potash, we explored how alkaline salts from humble fireplace ash could be transformed into a serviceable leavening agent. Today, we’re venturing further into that smoky, pre-industrial world—where ashes weren’t the only thing getting burned.

Let’s talk about ammonium carbonate, also known as baker’s ammonia—or historically, hartshorn—a substance distilled from animal horn and bone that helped give rise (literally) to some of Europe’s lightest pastries long before baking soda came along.

What Is Hartshorn? A Leavening Agent Born of Bone and Heat

Before it was sold in tidy jars to German bakers, hartshorn was exactly what it sounds like: the calcined or distilled horn of a male deer (or other animal bones and hooves). By heating these organic materials in a sealed vessel, apothecaries could extract ammonium carbonate—a pungent, crystalline substance that reacts in heat to produce ammonia gas, carbon dioxide, and water vapor. When used properly, those gases create the same pocketed structure we look for in cookies and crackers today.

Historical cookbooks from the 17th and 18th centuries refer to hartshorn in recipes for fine cakes and wafers. Its main strength? Crispness. Unlike yeast or sourdough, which add chew, hartshorn creates dry, brittle textures perfect for molded cookies—like German Springerle—without leaving any aftertaste once baked. The term “hartshorn” itself refers to the original source: deer antler.

Used improperly, especially in moist batters, the ammonia smell lingers—and it’s not subtle. ChemistryViews offers an excellent breakdown of the gases involved and their effect on texture.

Can You Make Hartshorn at Home?

Yes—though it’s not for the faint of heart (or nose).

For a deeper dive, see Chemeurope’s article on ammonium carbonate, or Wikipedia’s hartshorn entry, which describes its origins in apothecary science.

How Does It Compare to Potash and Pearl Ash?

Let’s revisit potash—an early kitchen chemistry staple. Made by boiling down lye extracted from wood ashes, potash (potassium carbonate) served as one of the earliest chemical leaveners. When cooks filtered and refined potash into a whiter, cleaner powder, they created pearl ash, which became a popular ingredient in 18th-century American baking.

Unlike hartshorn, which works on its own by releasing gases during baking, potash and pearl ash require acidic companions—such as sour milk, vinegar, or molasses—to trigger the reaction and create lift. These salts were especially useful in early dense cakes and quick breads.

Hartshorn, by contrast, excels in dry goods. Crisp biscuits, rolled wafers, and molded cookies benefit from its ability to evaporate cleanly in the oven, leaving behind a remarkably tender crumb without any aftertaste—if used properly.

🔎 Explore More Forgotten Leaveners:
• Curious about potash and pearl ash? Learn how America’s first chemical leaveners were made—and why they disappeared.
• Want to know more about hartshorn? Discover how this bone-based leavener helped early cookies rise with a snap.

Historical Uses in Recipes

Hartshorn appears in European recipes as early as the 17th century, especially in German, Dutch, and Scandinavian baking traditions. One of the oldest known examples is the intricately molded Springerle—a crisp, embossed cookie flavored with anise and left to dry before baking.

These cookies date back to at least the 14^th century, with museum collections preserving wooden cookie molds used alongside hartshorn salt. Modern Springerle recipes still call for baker’s ammonia today, a direct legacy of the original method.

Earlier English cookbooks like The Experienced English Housekeeper (Elizabeth Raffald, 1769) reference hartshorn powder in recipes for “light cakes” and “fine wafers.” The use of this leavener gradually faded as baking soda and powder became more widely available in the mid-19^th century.

Hartshorn wasn’t limited to baking—its powerful vapors also made it a key component in early smelling salts. See Britannica’s entry on smelling salts for more on its medical use as “salt of hartshorn.”

How to Use Hartshorn Today

Modern baker’s ammonia is chemically identical to historical hartshorn, but refined for safety and sold in powder form. You can find it online or at specialty baking stores—often listed as ammonium carbonate or ammonium bicarbonate.

To use it:

• Use only in dry, crisp cookies—like biscotti, springerle, or gingersnaps.
• Never use in cakes or moist baked goods—the ammonia scent won’t bake off completely.
• Substitute 1:1 with baking powder in old cookie recipes that call for it, unless otherwise noted.
• Store tightly sealed—exposure to air will cause it to degrade over time.

Tip: When baking with hartshorn, good ventilation is a must! The smell during baking is temporary but sharp—don’t panic, it won’t linger in the finished cookie.

Comparing Early Leavening Agents

Long before baking powder became a pantry staple, bakers worked with a surprising array of tools to give their dough a lift. Here's a side-by-side look at how some of history's earliest leaveners performed:

Leavener	Active Era	Made From	Best Used In	Notes
Potash / Pearl Ash	1600s–early 1800s	Boiled wood ash (alkaline salts)	Dense cakes, quick breads	Needs acid to activate (e.g. sour milk, vinegar)
Ammonium Carbonate (Hartshorn)	1600s–1800s	Distilled horn, bone, or hooves	Crisp cookies, wafers, molded biscuits	Releases ammonia during baking—use in dry goods only
Barm (Ale Foam)	Medieval–1700s	Fermenting ale scum	Breads, ale-based batters	Unreliable unless used fresh; replaced by commercial yeast
Wild Sourdough	Ancient–Present	Flour + water + wild yeast	Bread, pancakes, long ferments	Still widely used today for flavor and resilience

🧪 Historical Myth Busting:
Could medieval cooks have used lye or hartshorn as leaveners? Yes—but selectively and with skill. These weren’t household staples so much as specialty tools—managed by trained bakers or apothecaries. And while wood ash and animal horn might not sound delicious, their leavening chemistry is the ancestor of today’s baking soda and powder.

Curious to Experiment?

Historical baking is full of surprises—from ash water breads to horn-distilled cookie salts. If you’ve tried potash baking or used baker’s ammonia in a family recipe, I’d love to hear about it. Drop a comment below or tag @GiveItForth on social media.

Want to support more posts like this? Consider leaving a tip or grabbing a downloadable recipe card via Ko-fi. Every contribution helps me keep diving into dusty manuscripts and turning them into modern kitchen experiments.

The Oldest Hartshorn-Leavened Cookie: Springerle

One of the earliest known uses of hartshorn as a leavening agent is found in the intricately molded Springerle, a South German cookie dating back to at least the 14^th century. Surviving carved molds appear in museum collections, and period sources describe hartshorn salt (ammonium carbonate) as the leavening behind their delicate rise.

These pale, crisp cookies puff gently during baking—thanks to the release of carbon dioxide and ammonia—while retaining every detail of their embossed surface. Recipes calling for baker’s ammonia can be traced as far back as 1861, with traditions still passed down in families today.

Springerle Recipe (Historical Style with Hartshorn)

Ingredients:

• 4 large eggs
• 2 cups granulated sugar
• ½ tsp baker’s ammonia (ammonium carbonate), dissolved in 1 tbsp warm milk
• 1 tbsp anise seed
• 4 cups all-purpose flour (plus extra for dusting)

Instructions:

1. Beat eggs until frothy (about 10 minutes), then gradually add sugar and continue beating until thick.
2. Stir in the dissolved hartshorn and anise seed.
3. Gradually add flour to form a tacky but moldable dough.
4. Roll dough to ¼ inch thick on a floured surface. Press with springerle molds or emboss with carved cutters, then cut into shapes.
5. Place on parchment-lined trays and let dry uncovered at room temperature for 12–24 hours.
6. Bake at 300°F (150°C) for 10–15 minutes until puffed but pale. Bottoms should remain light with only a hint of golden color.

Modern Baking Note: Baker’s ammonia works beautifully in dry cookies like Springerle but should never be used in moist batters. If you’re unsure about ventilation, consider baking with a fan or opening a window—the ammonia smell during baking is strong but will not remain in the finished cookies.

The Oldest Hartshorn-Leavened Cookie: Springerle

One of the earliest known uses of hartshorn as a leavening agent is found in the intricately molded Springerle, a South German cookie dating back to at least the 14^th century. Surviving carved molds appear in museum collections, and period sources describe hartshorn salt (ammonium carbonate) as the leavening behind their delicate rise.

These pale, crisp cookies puff gently during baking—thanks to the release of carbon dioxide and ammonia—while retaining every detail of their embossed surface. Recipes calling for baker’s ammonia can be traced as far back as 1861, with traditions still passed down in families today.

Note: Springerle develop best when aged. Store in an airtight tin for 1–2 weeks before serving.

Echoes in English Cookery

Though Springerle is German in origin, English cookery caught on quickly. A Closet for Ladies and Gentlewomen (1647) contains some of the earliest printed recipes that likely used hartshorn as a leavening agent. Two standout candidates for “Good Cookye” include:

• Prince Bisket Bread – a light, egg-based sponge flavored with anise and muscadine.
• Usual Bisket at Comfitmakers – a double-baked biscuit using ale yeast, sliced and re-sugared.

Explore the source here:
🔗 EEBO Full Text – A Closet for Ladies and Gentlewomen

Not all “biskets” were light. One elegant variation, Biskatello, was made from sugar, starch, musk, and gum tragacanth—baked gently on a wafer and gilded. It’s a reminder that early modern cookies weren’t just snacks—they were edible art.

A Note on James Matterer & Gode Cookery

Much of our modern understanding of historical Springerle comes thanks to James Matterer, founder of Gode Cookery. Though his original write-up is no longer available online, his meticulous work reviving traditional techniques—mold carving, drying methods, and hartshorn chemistry—remains legendary.

James emphasized:

• Beating eggs and sugar for 30+ minutes for aeration
• Roasted anise, cherry schnapps, and hartshorn as key ingredients
• Letting cookies dry 24 hours to develop the signature "feet"
• Baking gently on parchment to keep cookies pale and crisp

This post—and the Leavener Bundle to follow—are a tribute to his legacy.

Period-Inspired Hartshorn Crisp Cookie (Gode Cookery Style)

Inspired by the minimalist elegance of early biskets:

Ingredients:

• ½ tsp baker’s ammonia (hartshorn), dissolved in 1 tbsp warm water
• 2 eggs
• 3 oz fine sugar (~6 tbsp)
• 8 oz flour (~1⅔ cups)
• ½ tsp caraway or coriander seed (optional)
• A splash of rosewater or sack (optional)

Instructions:

1. Beat eggs, then mix in sugar.
2. Stir in hartshorn and flavorings.
3. Add flour gradually to form stiff dough.
4. Roll thin (⅛ inch or less), cut or mold.
5. Let rest uncovered several hours or overnight.
6. Bake at 300°F for 10–12 minutes until pale and dry.

Like many historical wafers or ship’s biscuits, these improve after a few days’ aging.

DIY: Making Hartshorn the Old-School Way

If you're tempted by true historical authenticity, manuals from the 17th and 18th centuries show a method for creating hartshorn via dry distillation of deer horn or other nitrogen-rich animal parts:

1. Gather clean, dry deer antlers (harts' horn), bones, or hooves.
2. Place them in a tightly sealed clay or cast-iron container with a small steam escape hole.
3. Heat steadily to induce the release of “oil of hartshorn” (ammonia-laden vapors).
4. Collect and cool the condensed vapors—it crystallizes into ammonium carbonate (“salt of hartshorn”).
5. Dry and store in an airtight jar.

This labor-intensive process is documented in several sources, including Wikipedia's Hartshorn article and explained by food historians like those at Atlas Obscura:

“After the hunt, cooks would have to heat and pulverize the horns (and often animal bones as well) … Once ground, the hartshorn could be added to baked goods…”

Further Reading

• Wikipedia: Ammonium Carbonate – History, chemistry, uses
• Wikipedia: Hartshorn – Origin from deer antlers
• ChemistryViews – Hartshorn Salt Chemistry – Composition & interaction with potash
• Britannica – Smelling Salts – Dual culinary & medical background
• Chemeurope – Ammonium Carbonate – Production methods historically & industrially

🧾 Coming Soon: Want more? The Forgotten Leaveners Bundle is on its way! Premium Ko-fi members will get it free.

The bundle includes:

• Printable Leavener Comparison Chart
• Rare period leaveners like ale barm & sack starters
• Bonus recipes: Springerle, Good Cookye, potash cake & more
• Downloadable recipe cards

💾 Follow on Ko-fi to be notified when it’s live!

Vegetarian & Vegan Pie Crusts for Historical Recipes: A Practical Guide

 Vegetarian & Vegan Pie Crusts for Historical Recipes: A Practical Guide

Whether you're preparing a Lenten feast, accommodating modern dietary restrictions, or simply looking for a period-adjacent alternative to lard and suet, this guide offers reliable crust options for historical pies and tarts. While medieval and early modern sources often rely on animal fat for pastry coffins, cooks would have adapted as needed—especially on no-flesh days. These vegetarian and vegan-friendly options draw inspiration from that adaptability while meeting modern expectations for taste, texture, and practicality.

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🕯️ Pastry in Period: What the Sources Say

In medieval and Renaissance cookery, the pie crust—often referred to as a "coffin"—served multiple roles: cooking vessel, storage container, and edible wrapping. Crusts could be thick and structural (especially for meat pies), or more refined and flaky for sweet dishes and subtlety presentations.

While many crusts were made using lard, suet, or animal drippings, there are examples of simpler pastes using oil, butter, or no fat at all—especially in dishes served during Lent or on Fridays, when meat (and by extension, animal products) was restricted. Butter-based pastes are more common in late period and early printed cookbooks, such as Robert May’s The Accomplisht Cook (1660).

Unfortunately, few cookbooks from the SCA period (pre-1600) offer detailed pastry ratios. Recipes tend to say things like “make paste of fine flour and water” or “take butter and yolks to make a tender crust.” This vagueness gives us flexibility—but also calls for informed interpretation.

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🥧 Option 1: Ovo-Lacto Vegetarian Pie Paste

Suitable for late period recipes, meatless feasts, and sweet or savory pies.

Ingredients:

• 2½ cups flour (unbleached all-purpose or a blend with spelt for a nuttier flavor)

• ½ tsp salt

• ½ cup cold butter, cut into cubes

• ¼–½ cup cold water

• Optional: 1 tsp cider vinegar or rosewater/orange flower water for structure and aroma

Method:

1. Mix flour and salt in a bowl.

2. Cut in cold butter until the mixture resembles breadcrumbs.

3. Slowly add water (and optional flavoring) until dough comes together.

4. Chill for 30 minutes before rolling out.

Notes:

• This crust bakes to a tender, slightly flaky finish.

• Ideal for fruit pies, herb tarts, and vegetarian coffins.

• Can be egg-enriched (common in late Tudor and early Stuart crusts).

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🌱 Option 2: Vegan-Friendly Oil-Based Crust

Inspired by fasting-day pastes and Mediterranean-style doughs.

Ingredients:

• 2½ cups flour

• ½ tsp salt

• ½ cup neutral oil (sunflower, light olive oil, or refined coconut oil)

• ¼–½ cup cold water

Method:

1. Combine flour and salt in a large bowl.

2. Add oil and stir until evenly coated.

3. Gradually add water until the dough just comes together.

4. Form into a ball, wrap, and chill before use.

Notes:

• Produces a firm, short pastry—excellent for hand pies or savory coffins.

• Less flaky than butter crusts but still satisfying and historically plausible.

• Can be flavored with herbs, wine, or citrus zest.

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🧾 When to Use These Crusts

Use these pastry options when:

• You’re serving a Friday or Lenten menu

• Cooking for vegetarians or vegans at an SCA event

• Making fruit pies, greens tarts, or dairy-based fillings without meat

• Looking for a make-ahead crust that holds well at room temperature

These crusts are particularly well-suited to dishes like:

• Fridayes Pye

• Fruit or nut tarts

• Cheese and herb galettes

• Root vegetable pies or savory Lenten coffins

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🧁 Sample Recipes & Pairings

These crusts work beautifully in a wide range of dishes. Here are a few examples where you can put them to delicious use:

• Medieval Dessert Trio of Tarts: Apple, cherry, and almond tarts ideal for a final course or sweet subtlety.

• Fridayes Pye: A no-flesh tart with apples, greens, and raisins—a perfect Friday or Lent-friendly offering.

• To Make a Peasecod Dish in Puff Paste Two Ways: A sweet almond-based pastry dish, styled like peasecods—perfect for recreating late period subtleties or dessert courses.

🏺 Period-Inspired Flavor Variations

If you'd like to add a little extra flair that feels appropriate to the time:

• Use orange flower water or rosewater in place of some water

• Blend in a little ground almond for richer pastes

• Sprinkle the crust with sugar and cinnamon for fruit pies

• Add saffron-infused water for a golden hue

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