flipSpiced warm kandeel (caudle restorative)
Spiced warm kandeel (caudle restorative)
Why this dish? Descartes, keen on medicine and anxious to prolong his life through a 'reasoned regimen', nevertheless died of a lung fever in Stockholm in 1650. Kandeel—a hot, sweet, spiced drink made from wine or beer beaten with egg yolks—was precisely the restorative given to convalescents and those suffering from cold in the Dutch Republic.
A warm, velvety drink, spiced white wine bound with egg yolks, perfumed with cinnamon, nutmeg and zest: the 'caudle' offered to the weak and the chilly in the North.
I understand the body's machine better than most, for I have long studied it. When the Northern cold seizes your chest, take this kandeel: you beat the egg yolks into warm wine with cinnamon and nutmeg, over a gentle fire, never letting it boil, lest it curdle. Drink it hot, in small sips; it restores the spirits and warms the blood. Ah, had I had a bowl of it in Stockholm, perhaps I might yet cheat death for a few more years...
- •White wine (or light beer) — a bowl (hot base)
- •Egg yolks — two or three (velvety binder, umami)
- •Sugar or honey — freely (comforting sweetness)
- •Cinnamon, nutmeg, clove — generously (warming spices)
- •Lemon zest — a little (freshness)
Spiced warm kandeel (caudle restorative)
A warm, velvety drink, spiced white wine bound with egg yolks, perfumed with cinnamon, nutmeg and zest: the 'caudle' offered to the weak and the chilly in the North.
Why this dish? Descartes, keen on medicine and anxious to prolong his life through a 'reasoned regimen', nevertheless died of a lung fever in Stockholm in 1650. Kandeel—a hot, sweet, spiced drink made from wine or beer beaten with egg yolks—was precisely the restorative given to convalescents and those suffering from cold in the Dutch Republic.
I understand the body's machine better than most, for I have long studied it. When the Northern cold seizes your chest, take this kandeel: you beat the egg yolks into warm wine with cinnamon and nutmeg, over a gentle fire, never letting it boil, lest it curdle. Drink it hot, in small sips; it restores the spirits and warms the blood. Ah, had I had a bowl of it in Stockholm, perhaps I might yet cheat death for a few more years...
Ingredients (period version)
- White wine (or light beer) — a bowl (hot base)
- Egg yolks — two or three (velvety binder, umami)
- Sugar or honey — freely (comforting sweetness)
- Cinnamon, nutmeg, clove — generously (warming spices)
- Lemon zest — a little (freshness)
Ingredients
- Sweet white wine — 300 ml (hot base)
- Egg yolks — 3 (velvety binder)
- Sugar — 3 tbsp (sweetness)
- Cinnamon — 1 stick (spice)
- Nutmeg — a grating (signature spice)
- Clove — 1 (warming spice)
- Lemon zest — 1 strip (freshness)
Method
- Warm the wine with cinnamon, clove and lemon zest, without boiling; let infuse 5 min then remove whole spices.
- In a bowl, whisk egg yolks with sugar until pale.
- Pour the warm wine in a thin stream over the yolks while whisking constantly.
- Return to very low heat and stir until the mixture coats the back of a spoon—especially without boiling, otherwise the eggs curdle.
- Grate nutmeg on top and serve immediately, very hot, in a cup.
How it was made : Dutch kandeel (related to English caudle and Italian zabaione) was both a restorative given to the sick and new mothers, and a celebratory drink. It was beaten over a low fire in a lipped pot, and nutmeg was nearly mandatory.
The contemporary twist : Served in a small handle cup with a cinnamon stick as a stirrer, it is a 'drinkable sabayon' perfect for winter evenings—non-alcoholic version: replace wine with spiced apple juice.
Sources : De verstandige kock (Amsterdam, 1667) · Tradition of kandeel from the Dutch Republic
René Descartes · Charactorium
