This Nutty Custard Recipe Uses Ancient Rome’s Preferred Sweetener

Name: This Nutty Custard Recipe Uses Ancient Rome’s Preferred Sweetener
Cook time: 30 minutes
Cuisine: Italian
Ingredients: 1/4 cup walnuts 1/4 cup blanched hazelnuts 2 cups whole milk 1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg Pinch of ground allspice Pinch of black pepper 1/4 cup honey; plus 2 tablespoons Salt; to taste 3 large eggs 1 large egg white 3 tablespoons nut liqueur; such as Frangelico or Amaretto

Dolce

Francine Segan | Wed, 07/17/2024 - 09:38

Difficulty Level

Low

Cooking Time

30 minutes

Cost

Low

In ancient Roman times, walnuts were a favorite children’s plaything. Because of that association, it was customary to place baskets of them in newlyweds’ bedrooms as a symbolic end of childhood.

A version of this nutty custard recipe dates back to the ancient Roman cookbook De Re Coquinaria by Marcus Gavius Apicius. Honey — believed by many to be the most important sweetener in antiquity — was valued for its qualities as a food preservative. According to one A