Raffald's Chocolate Puffs

To begin this blog, here is my modern interpretation of one of my favorite receipts [recipe]. It is easy to make, and is always among the samples for my chocolate talks. Raffald's 1786 recipe is very clear and easy to make.



CHOCOLATE PUFFS

Beat and sift half a Pound of double refined Sugar, scrape into it one Ounce of Chocolate very fine; mix them together, beat the White of an Egg to a very high Froth, then strew in your Sugar and Chocolate, keep beating it ‘till it is as stiff as a Paste, Sugar your Papers, and drop them on about the Size of a Six-pence, and bake them in a very slow Oven.
Raffald, Elizabeth. The Experienced English Housekeeper. London: 1786 (first published 1769)

Making the recipe
1 egg white
1 C superfine sugar (or mortar and pestle at the hearth)
1 oz unsweetened chocolate - grated

Beat the egg white stiff. Add the superfine or beaten sugar and grated chocolate, stirring until well mixed. Drop onto baking paper with a bit of sugar. Bake in a slow [about 300] oven (or iron Dutch Oven or brick oven) for 25-30 min. The puffs will double in size.


Two American editions published in Philadelphia
Printed for Thomas Dobson by John Bioren, 1801
James Webster, Philadelphia, 1818

©2009 Patricia Bixler Reber