This historical recipe for small sweet pies was chosen by Volunteer Historic Cook, Mya Sangster, from her cookbook collection and then tested in the kitchen at Fort York in preparation for the Magna Carta exhibition in 2015. It was especially nice to make these using our own Fort York honey (courtesy of Toronto Honeys) from hives on site.
Original Source:
Cocatrice and Lampray Hay, edition of Corpus Christi College, Oxford MS F 291 which contains ninety-nine original fifteenth-century recipes written in English.
Our Modern Equivalent:
3 apples, about 1 lb (500 g) (any type of apple is fine)
3 pears, about 1 lb (500 g) (any type of pear is fine)
1 ½ cups (375 mL) dates
1 ½ cups (375 mL) currants
1 cup (250 mL) honey
½ tsp (2 mL) black pepper
½ tsp (2 mL) saffron
½ tsp (2 mL) cinnamon
Pinch of red sandalwood, steeped in 1 tbsp. of boiling water (can be omitted)
¼ cup (60mL) grated bread crumbs
Pare, core, and chop apples and pears. Finely dice dates. Plump currants in warm water, remove stems and drain. Place all of the fruit in a saucepan and add honey. Strain red sandalwood and add liquid only, as well as black pepper, saffron, and cinnamon to the fruit. Add the breadcrumbs. Simmer mixture until fruit is tender, about 20 minutes. Let cool. Make your favourite pastry. Roll out pastry making bottoms and lids for your crustades. (We use standard muffin tins, but any small sized tin will do). Fill and cover with lids. Crimp edges and pierce the lids. Bake at 375°F (190°C) for 25–30 minutes or until pastry is golden brown. Remove from tins and cool. Yield: approximately 12 small pies
Original printed pages
