I Made Creme Bastarde, the Medieval Dessert That's All Over Reddit

One of my favorite food communities on the internet is the "old recipes" subreddit. Its entire composition — the scanned or photographed vintage recipes, advertisements, and cookbooks, the tests where members make the dishes for themselves, the shared knowledge on old ingredients, and, of course, recipes written by elderly or deceased relatives — is a gift to food history buffs and cooks that love discovering unique recipes. This community includes and celebrates some of the most wholesome people out there, and best of all, you truly never know what you're going to find.

I, for one, had never heard of creme bastarde, but the centuries-old English recipe has a name that can't help but grab one's attention. You may have heard of it if you're well-versed in medieval food history, a serious Anglophile, or keep up with The Great British Baking Show. Redditor @Ealdwritere (aka Matt Hennessey), who re-creates medieval recipes as a hobby, found the recipe in the Harleian manuscripts (297 to be exact) and believes it may have been written by one of the royal cooks who served King Henry VI.

What Is Creme Bastarde?

Creme bastarde is a traditional English dessert made primarily of egg whites and milk. It has an intensely sweet honey flavor. It's simultaneously thick and light, much like a panna cotta.

The original recipe is, of course, written in Middle English:

Take þe whyte of eyroun a grete hepe, & putte it on a panne ful of mylke, & let yt boyle; 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.

Fortunately, Hennessey translated the recipe into contemporary English and wrote up a modern version on his blog, and Redditors are already successfully making it for themselves.

How to Make Creme Bastarde

Found in Harleian manuscript 297, translated by Matt Hennessey

Ingredients:

• 500 ml high fat or whole milk
• 8 egg whites, beaten until slightly frothy
• 2.5 tbsp honey
• salt, to taste
• 1 tsp granulated sugar

Directions:

• Add 400 ml milk to a saucepan. Add egg whites and bring to a boil over low heat, stirring continuously. For smoothest results, use a whisk. (Here are some ways to use up those yolks.)
• Once the mixture starts boiling, remove from heat (but keep stirring!). Add a pinch of salt and the honey. Return to heat and stir until thick, about 5 to 10 minutes.
• Once thickened, allow the mixture to cool to room temperature. Pour the cooled mixture through a sieve, and allow liquid to run off. Discard the liquid, then use a spoon to break up remaining lumps.
• Transfer to a bowl or container and mix in remaining 100 ml milk. Season with sugar, nutmeg, and summer fruits.

Get the Recipe: Creme Bastarde (via Top Hat Heritage)

How It Turned Out

There are two necessary elements for making creme bastarde: constant motion and a low temperature. To play it safe, keep your burner heat low. If the egg mixture starts sticking to the saucepan, it will become filmy and create lumps that can't be broken down. You want something slightly foamy and smooth, like a silky whipped meringue.

My first go at creme bastarde wasn't ideal, but after examining my errors and adjusting the process, my next creme bastarde turned out beautifully. It was smooth and airy, and by some miracle, had virtually no liquid runoff. There is a slight eggy taste, but you can mute that by refrigerating the creme for at least 30 minutes.

Additionally, don't forget the topping! I didn't have nutmeg on hand and used cardamom instead, and honestly it may have surpassed the original recipe. Finish up with some juicy summer fruit, like thawed frozen berries, to add a nice sweet-tart contrast.

Related:

• 8 Recipes for Anyone Obsessed With the Great British Baking Show
• 15 Old-Fashioned Custard Pie Recipes
• What Is Powdered Milk?