History Cookbook: Almond Leach/Leech, a kind of Milk Jelly
About this recipe
Healthiness : (173 votes)
Difficulty: 
Comments: This modern version is quite straight forward as the 2 jellies are made on top of each other in the same glass.
Preparation Time: This is a lengthy dish to prepare as each part needs to set before continuing. Making the jelly only takes 15-20 minutes altogether but the layers need to set overnight.
Cooking Time: Warming the milk and wine
Number of servings: 4 small glasses
Serving suggestions: Serve cold at the end of a meal. Delicious with spiced apple juice.
This pudding is a little like a blancmange. There are milk versions but this one was a dish for Lent when the Tudors would not use milk. Almond milk was used during Lent instead.This is a high table dish for a gentry family and is served attractively. It is time consuming to make requiring setting time and a swift hand when turning out.The top half of the leach is coloured with red wine.

Comments: This modern version is quite straight forward as the 2 jellies are made on top of each other in the same glass.
Preparation Time: This is a lengthy dish to prepare as each part needs to set before continuing. Making the jelly only takes 15-20 minutes altogether but the layers need to set overnight.
Cooking Time: Warming the milk and wine
Number of servings: 4 small glasses
Serving suggestions: Serve cold at the end of a meal. Delicious with spiced apple juice.
This pudding is a little like a blancmange. There are milk versions but this one was a dish for Lent when the Tudors would not use milk. Almond milk was used during Lent instead.This is a high table dish for a gentry family and is served attractively. It is time consuming to make requiring setting time and a swift hand when turning out.The top half of the leach is coloured with red wine.
This period recipe explains how to make Almond Leach (Leech).
Take a quart of almond milk and three ounces of gelatine, half a pond of beaten sugar; stir them together. Let it be thick. Then strain it with three spoonfuls of rosewater. Then put it into a platter and let it cool, and cut it in squares. Lay it fair in dishes, and lay gold upon it.
Note: you can use any milk to make this pudding if you do not wish to use nuts.
Ingredients
For the Milk Jelly:
- 1 pint full fat milk ( or Almond Milk- see recipe)
- 2-3 leaves of gelatine
- 2 oz sugar
For the Almond Milk, if you want to try making it:
- 250g almonds/2 tablespoon rice flour moistened with 550ml water
For the Wine Jelly:
- 1/4 pint wine ( or grape juice)
- 1 leaf of gelatine
- 5-6 rose petals or a little rose water
To decorate:
- a few raspberries or redcurrants
Equipment
- Weighing scales
- Measuring jug
- Sieve
- Tablespoon
- Saucepan
- Wooden spoon
- Knife
- Spoon
Making and cooking it

To make Almond Milk: (Note: You need to make this the day before)
- Roughly 250g almonds/2 tablespoon rice flour moistened with 550ml water, is about the right proportions to end up with 1 pint of almond milk.
- Cover the ground almonds with the boiling water, stand for 15 mins, rub through sieve/ cloth. Straining trough a cloth produces a smoother milk. If it is a bit thin- add rice flour and warm in a pan until it thickens.Cool and put in the fridge overnight. Almond milk goes off very quickly
To make the Leach:
Milk Jelly:
- Make the milk jelly first:
- Soak the gelatine leaves in water
- Warm the milk/ Almond milk ( do not boil)
- Add the gelatine and stir until disolved
- Pour into glasses and set overnight ( Putting it in the fridge helps)
Wine Jelly:
- Soak the gelatine leaf
- Warm the wine
- Disolve the gelatine in the wine
- Chop and add the rose petals or a teaspoon of rosewater
- Leave to go cold
- Spoon the cold wine mixture onto the set milk pudding and return to the fridge to set
- Once both parts are set, decorate with a few raspberries and serve

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Name: Jaqui | 21st November 2017 |
nice:) |
Name: Abbie | 26th November 2016 |
Helps a lot with homework |
Name: Kiki | 21st November 2015 |
Thanks for helping me with my homework |
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