Pur Fayte Ypocras (To Make Hippocras)

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Pur Fayte Ypocras (To Make Hippocras)

Pur Fayte Ypocras (To Make Hippocras) is a traditional Medieval recipe for a classic rich highly spiced wine that is matured before serving and which was typically drunk at the end of a meal as a digestif. The full recipe is presented here and I hope you enjoy this classic Medieval version of: To Make Hippocras (Pur Fayte Ypocras).

prep time

20 minutes

cook time

20 minutes

Total Time:

40 minutes

Additional Time:

(+48 hours infusing)

Makes:

2 bottles

Rating:

Tags : Spice Recipes British Recipes English Recipes

Original Recipe

Pur Fayte Ypocras

(from A Forme of Cury)

Troyȝ vnces de queynel · +̅ · iii ·vnces de ȝ̅ȝ̅ · spyknapɼd [de spayn] le pays dun dener⁹ garyngale· clow⁹ gylofre · pocupɼe long, noieȝ mugadeȝ · maȝioȝame capɼdemomij de cheF;cu̅ · I q^apɼt⁹ douce grayne +̅ de paradys · flo⁹ de queynel de cheF;cu̅ di̅ vnce de tout⁹ soit fait poudo ⁹ +̅ c⁹ ·

Translation

To Make Hippocras

Three ounces of cinnamon and three ounces of ginger. One pennyworth of Spanish spykenard. Galyngale, cloves, long pepper and nutmeg. Marjoram and cardamom, a quarter ounce of each. Grains of paradise and cassia buds, a tenth of an ounce each. So make the powder and use it.

Modern Redaction

Ingredients:

1.5l full-bodied red wine
200g golden caster sugar
3 tsp ground cinnamon
3 tsp ground ginger
1/2 tsp ground spikenard root
1/4 tsp ground galingale (or galangal)
1/4 tsp ground cloves
1/4 tsp ground long pepper (or black pepper)
1/4 tsp ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp dried marjoram, crumbled
1/4 tsp ground cardamom
6 grains of paradise, pounded in a mortar
a few dried cassia buds, (unripe, dried, cassia fruit), ground in a mortar (or a generous pinch of ground Cassia bark)

Method:

Combine all the spices in a mortar (or a coffee grinder) and render to a fine powder.

Combine the wine and sugar in a pan and heat gently until the sugar has dissolved. Bring to a boil then immediately take off the heat. Pour into a bowl and beat in the spices. Set aside to cool then cover with clingfilm (plastic wrap) and set aside to infuse for 48 hours.

After this time, strain the wine mixture through a fine-meshed sieve lined with a double layer of cheesecloth or muslin. Pour the wine into cleaned and sterilized bottles. Stopper securely then set aside to mature for at least 1 month before use. It can be laid down for at least 6 months and improves with age.

Find more Medieval recipes as well as more recipes from the Forme of Cury here.