1. Fig. 1 first attempt at White Leach1
A WHITE LEACH (JELLIED MILK)
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1
Loidolt, K, Photographer
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2. Historical Information:
There are several forms of this dish in many cultures. During my working on the final
versions of the jellied milk the most common statement about it was that it most closely
resembled is a dish called Russia Cream. The basics include milk, sugar, flavoring, and
to thicken the milk and sugar in some fashion.2
According to “All the Kings Cooks” a cookbook documenting the kitchens and food
severed at Hampton Court during the time of King Henry VIII, aspics & jellies were
much in favor and used in many forms during the meal. One such menu included a
reference to this dish “... in Sauce, Chicken Farced, and Smothered Rabbit and White
Leach (a luscious cool jelly)…” 3
I found some very cool information on a website call Historical Food by Ivan Day. Mr.
Day is considered one of the foremost authorities on food history and period cooking for
many time periods including the middle ages, and Tudor periods. According to his bio,
“He is a major and independent social historian of food culture and also a professional
chef and confectioner. He runs practical courses on all aspects of British and Italian food
history in his home in the English Lake District. He also is the author of a number of
books and many papers on the history of food and has curates many major exhibitions on
food history in the UK, US and Europe.” 4
Ivan Day had the following to say about Leche. “… Elias Ashmole's History of the Noble
Order of the Garter (London: 1672). It includes this account of a garter supper and dinner
both held at St George's Hall, Windsor Castle in the eleventh year of Henry VIII's reign
(1520). Leche was served at the end of the courses… turned into a jelly with
isinglass, hartshorn, calves' feet or ivory shavings. Although no Tudor moulds have
survived, there are records of jellies molded into the shape of castles and animals at
Henry's court. In the Plantagenet period, even more elaborate jellies and leches had been
served to royalty. At Henry VI's5 coronation in Westminster Hall in 1429, his
personal badge, 'an antelope with a crowne about his necke with a chayne of golde'
was emblazoned on a white leach.” There was also mention of this last entry being
found in 'Gely party wryten and noted with Te Deum laudamus'.”6
I love Project Gutenberg I was able to locate the book mentioned above and the course
from King Henry VI’s meal were the gilded White Leche is mentioned. The period entry
reads as follows:
2
Dulce de leche, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dulce_de_leche
3
Brears, Peter, All the King's Cooks: The Tudor Kitchens of King Henry VIII at Hampton Court Palace, 2011, isbn# 0285635336
4
Day, Ivan, Food History Jottings, http://foodhistorjottings.blogspot.com/search?updated-
min=2011-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&updated-max=2012-01-01T00:00:00-08:00&max-results=23
5
Anonymous Author,Project Gutenberg's A Chronicle of London from 1089 to 1483, Written in the Fifteenth Century, First Time
Printed from MSS. in the British Museum, October 26, 2008, [EBook #27027], http://www.gutenberg.org/files/27027/27027-h/27027-
h.htm
6
Day, Ivan, Historical Food, 2003, http://www.historicfood.com/Jellies.htm
2

3. “Here foloweth the second Course; that is to wite,Viand blank, barrid of golde. Gely
partid writen and notid Te Deum Laudamus. Pigge endored. Crane. Bitore. Conyes.
Chikyns endored. Partrich. Pecok enhakill. Great breame. Leches white with an
antelope of redde corven theryn, a crowne about his neck with a cheyne of golde.
Flampayne poudred with lepardis and flours de lice of golde. Fritour, a lepardis hedde
with ij Ostrich169 fethers. A Sotelte, themperour and the kyng that ded is, armed, and
there mantells of the garters; and the kyng that nowe is, knelyng before them with this
Reason.”7
In the menu below (fig. 2) there are several jellied milk dishes that are flavored with
different items, and one jellied spiced wine. One of the jellies milk dishes is described as
being gilded, it is most likely being served as a subtleties due to the gold being applied to
the surface. As to wither all the Leche being served in this menu were gilded I am not
sure.
There are many examples of aspics, and jellied items being served at period feast. As
noted in the menu example from 1429 describes a version of this dish as shaped or
modeled in an antelope. Also according to Ivan Day and others were many moulds for
such gelatins at the Hampton court kitchens although none survive today. I have chosen
to use a modern copper mould for safety reasons, in stead of a more period tin style mold.
Period Sources:
Discussion: One of the first steps in making any of the jellied dishes was to make or
prepare the item being used as the Gelatin. Some items used were: animal feet [cow,
sheep, and pig], bones, fish scales, harts horn, or Isinglass [the float bladder of a Sturgeon
in period]. Making the jelly was an all day process, of cooking, straining upto 3 or more
times through a very fine cloth. Below are two gelatin recipes that talk about the process
of making the final product, a jelly specifically out of animal feet since that was what I
used for my second version [I used pig feet].
Source 1 to make the gelatin:
This is an excerpt from A Book of Cookrye
(England, 1591)
The original source can be found at Mark and Jane Waks' website8
To make Ielly. Take Calves feete and fley them, and faire washe them, and set them on
to seethe in faire licour, and faire scum them, and when they be tender sod, faire straine
out the licour, and see your licour be verye cleere, and put your licour into a pot, if there
be a pottle of it, put a pottle of claret wine unto it, and two pound Sugar, a quartern of
sinamon, half a quartern of ginger, an ounce of Nutmegs, an ounce of grains, some long
7
Anonymous Author,Project Gutenberg's A Chronicle of London from 1089 to 1483, Written in the Fifteenth Century, First Time
Printed from MSS. in the British Museum, October 26, 2008, [EBook #27027], http://www.gutenberg.org/files/27027/27027-h/27027-
h.htm, pg 169
8
Medieval Cookery, To make Jelly, excerpt for “A Book of Cookrye”, c. 1591, http://www.medievalcookery.com/search/display.html?
booko:147:JLY
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4. Pepper, a fewe Cloves whole, a few Coliander sads, a little salt, Isonglasse being faire
washed and laid in water a day before, Turnsole being aired be the fier and dusted, and
when they be wel sod, let it run through a bag, and put two whites of Egs in the bag.
Source 2 to make the gelatin:
This is an excerpt from Du fait de cuisine
(France, 1420 - Elizabeth Cook, trans.)
The original source can be found at David Friedman's website9
80. To make jelly of meat, take sheep's feet and clean them well and properly and put
them to cook in fair clean water; then when they are half cooked take pork or piglet as
you wish and according to the quantity of it which you want to make, and put to cook
with your sheep's feet, and chicken also; then take white wine and vinegar and put in and
salt in reason and make it cook well and strongly. Then when it is well cooked taste to
see if it has a good taste of vinegar and of salt, take saffron and soak it therein to give it
color, then draw out your meat onto a fair and clean board; then take white ginger,
pepper, and soak in your broth and make it boil a wave, then arrange that you have a
cloth strainer and put your broth into it and pass it through again two or three
times so that it is fair and clear. Then take your meat, pork and chicken, and arrange
your dish, and the jelly on top.
Part 2 to make the Jellied Milk:
Source #1
a white leach. Take a quart of newe milke, and three ounces weight of Isinglasse10, halfe
a pounde of beaten suger, and stirre them together, and let it boile half a quarter of an
hower till it be thicke, stirring them all the while: then straine it with three spoonfull of
Rosewater, thē put it into a platter and let it coole, and cut it in squares. Lay it fair in
dishes, and lay golde vpon it.11/12
Source #2:
[The original source of this recipe appears in 1602, according to,
http://www.medievalcookery.com/notes/1608closet.pdf ]
[41] To make white leach of creame. 13
9
Medieval Cookery, Meat Jelly, excerpt from Du fait de cuisine, c. 1420, #80, http://www.medievalcookery.com/search/display.html?
dufai:80
10
Isinglass – made from the Swim bladder of a Rudd fish [Sturgon] (Scardinius erythrophthalmus) producing a gelatin like substance,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isinglass
11
Dawson, Thomas, The Good Housewife’s Jewel, 2002, London, 1596, http://www.medievalcookery.com
12
Florilegium, Jellied Milk, Also referenced, http://www.florilegium.org/?http%3A//www.florilegium.org/files/FOOD-
SWEETS/jellied-milk-msg.html
13
Holloway, Johanna H., An Elizabethan Book of Recipes for Confections & Banqueting Stuff, 2011, #41 To Make white Leach of
cream, original source 1602, http://www.medievalcookery.com/notes/1608closet.pdf
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5. Take a pint of sweete creame, and sixe spoone-fuls of Rose water, and two
graines of Muske, two drops of oyle of Mace, or one piece of large Mace,
and so let it boyle with foure ounces of Isin-glasse: then let it run downe
through a gelly bagge, when it is cold, slice it like brawne, and so serue it
out: this is the best way to make leach.
A Jellied Milk (Leche) was being served
at the end of the course.
A Jellied Wine was being served at the
beginning of this course.
A Jellied Milk (Leche) I believe flavored
with Orange was being served at the end
A Jellied Milk (Leche) was being served of the course.
at the end of the course.
Fig.2 History of the Noble Order of the Garter, c.1672, includes menus from Henry VIII,
c.1520 Garter supper & dinner.14
Working progress:
Below is the process I went through working out a final version of this dish.
Version 1:
14
Historical Food, History of the Noble Order of the Garter, 1672, pg. 603, http://www.historicfood.com/Leche.htm
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6. Milk, 4 packages of commercial Knox Gelatin, white sugar, rum extract, powered sugar,
and a mould. Chill over night, turn onto a plate cut in diamonds, and sprinkle with
powered sugar, and serve.
Discussion: This worked very well and set with no problems over night. The milk set
stiff enough that it could be cut into diamond shapes [see fig. 1]. The powered sugar
proved to melt when it came into contact with the moist surface of the jellied milk, and
just made a mess.
Version 2:
Milk, 4 pig feet (fig. 3) [I wanted a more period source of gelatin], sugar, rum extract,
gold leaf, and a round bowl as a mould. I started by slow cooking the pigs feet all day in
a crock pot. Then allowing the liquid to cool and it did set to a gelatin like state. I then
added it to the milk the next day and this proved to take nearly a 1:1 ratio to get the milk
to set. The milk appeared to again set, but when cut would not hold its form.
Discussion: Making my own gelatin lead to several new lesson and problems. Some
tasting the dish claimed that the jellied milk had a piggy under flavor. I discovered that I
need to reduce the liquid further and add another gelatin [such as called for above they
used Isinglass] to help make the gelatin stiffer. Also at this point in the this process I had
not been able to find a local source of Isinglass or Rose water which was what was called
for in the period recipe.
Version 3:
Since regional A&S I was able to find both Isinglass & Rose Water which is what the
original recipe called for. It was also the recommendation of at least two of the judges
not to use the pig gelatin again in favor of using Isinglass, also not to use the Rum extract
as it was not as good as using the rose or orange water. Also after making this dish
several times with both regular milk & Heavy Cream I prefer the flavor the richer cream
brings to the dish.
a white leach. “Take a quart of newe milke, and three ounces weight of Isinglasse15,
halfe a pounde of beaten suger, and stirre them together, and let it boile half a quarter of
an hower till it be thicke, stirring them all the while: then straine it with three spoonfull of
Rosewater, thē put it into a platter and let it coole, and cut it in squares. Lay it fair in
dishes, and lay golde vpon it.”16/17
Materials:
Isinglass (3 packages)
1~2 caps of Rose water
1 qt of heavy cream [or whole milk] (32 oz)
15
Isinglass – made from the Swim bladder of a Rudd fish [Sturgon] (Scardinius erythrophthalmus) producing a gelatin like substance,
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isinglass
16
Dawson, Thomas, The Good Housewife’s Jewel, 2002, London, 1596, http://www.medievalcookery.com
17
Florilegium, Jellied Milk, Also referenced, http://www.florilegium.org/?http%3A//www.florilegium.org/files/FOOD-
SWEETS/jellied-milk-msg.html
6

7. 1 cup Sugar (8 oz)
Gold leaf [food grade]
Supplies:
Butter Cheese Cloth, or yogurt strainer
Colander
Container with a lid
Pot
Spoon
Bowl
Copper Mould
Mortar & pestle (or food processor)
For the Jellied Milk
Instructions:
Put Milk into your pot and heat it gently to just short of boiling stirring often. Place Sugar
into food mortar and grind until fine then add sugar and Isinglass to the very hot milk.
Continue to stir until the Isinglass is dissolved. Add the rose water and stir. Cook for
15~30 minutes until the milk and sugar mixture start to thicken slightly. Pour liquid
through the cheese cloth lined strainer into your mould [see steps below for mould use
and how to un-mould] and refrigerate over night. Next day turn out the shape onto a
serving dish, guild, and serve forth.
Mould preparation:
This can be done in several ways I have used a plastic dish, a glass dish, and copper
mould for previously for this dish. These are the instructions for using a copper mould.
1. Either use plastic wrap, a light coating of vegetable oil, or spray oil to coat the
mould.
2. If none of the above methods are used once the milk has set place the mould
briefly into a bowl of hot water [making sure no water gets into the mould] for
about 15~30 seconds to allow the jellied milk to release from the mould. Use
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8. a butter knife carefully around the edge to also help to break the seal between
the mould and the jellied milk.
3. Place a plate over the mould and invert, you may need to tap the mould a
couple of times to get it to release.
Conclusions:
Changes made since Regional A&S:
I have opted to follow the recommendations of the judges from regional and have
purchased Isinglass & rose water from Spicewells. I have also treated this in a more
period manor by using a special gelatin mould in this case a copper lobster & shell. I
have also chosen to use the richer Heavy Cream for flavor reasons, as well as one version
of the recipe called for cream.
The original dish is relatively easy to make using modern methods but I choose to try
making my own gelatin for this dish and learned a lot about a whole new category of
food for me. Learning to make the gelatin from the pig feet was interesting. There was a
marked smelled at the beginning of the process but the resulting gelatin seems to have the
following problems:
1. The gelatin seemed to be weaker and did not hold a form well when cut or
turned out of the dish.
2. To me I did not notice any under flavor but during Regional A&S the judges
did note a decided piggy under flavor.
3. I had to use nearly a 1:1 ratio to get the milk to set well. Further investigation
showed that I needed to reduce the liquid further and even possibly dry it in the oven
removing more of the moisture and concentrating the gelatin.
The first time I tried this dish I used powered sugar to coat the lozenges but this worked
better in theory than practice. This dish as it comes to room temperature tends to lose
liquid making it a little messy to handle. Version 2 had a cheap version of food grade
gold leaf that when left in contact with the higher acid of the milk left a discoloration. I
hope you enjoy this version of White Leche.
fig.3 pig feet used in Version 2
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