Eliza Acton’s Salad Cream
Eliza Acton’s Salad Cream
Long before salad cream came out of a mass-produced plastic bottle, it was known in the 19th century as "English Salad Sauce." In her ground-breaking 1845 masterpiece, Modern Cookery for Private Families, Eliza Acton recorded a luxurious, incredibly smooth version that uses real double cream rather than vegetable oil. Unlike mayonnaise, which can easily split, this cream-based emulsion is incredibly forgiving and delivers a lush, velvet texture with a gentle vinegary tang. Here is Eliza Acton's original 1845 recipe adapted into a straightforward, modern kitchen format.
Ingredients
- 3 Hard boiled egg yolks
- 150 ml Double cream
- 2 tbsp Tarragon or white wine vinegar
- 1 tsp English mustard powder
- 1/2 tsp Caster sugar
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 pinch Cayenne pepper
Instructions
- Place the eggs in a small saucepan, cover with cold water, and bring to a simmer. Cook for 10 minutes to ensure the yolks are completely firm. Drain immediately and submerge them in ice-cold water to cool.
- Peel the cooled eggs and separate the whites from the yolks. (You can save the whites to slice up into your final salad). Place the hard-boiled yolks into a medium mixing bowl.
- Add the mustard powder, caster sugar, salt, and cayenne pepper to the yolks. Using the back of a sturdy spoon or a small fork, mash and cream everything together vigorously until it forms a perfectly smooth, lump-free paste.
- Pour in the double cream a little bit at a time, whisking constantly with a balloon whisk. Ensure each splash is fully smooth before adding the next. The mixture will begin to look rich and velvety.
- Slowly drizzle in the vinegar while continuing to whisk. The acid in the vinegar will react with the cream and the egg yolks, naturally thickening the dressing into a gorgeous, spoonable sauce.
Video
Notes
Give the sauce a final taste—adjust the salt or add a tiny splash more vinegar if you prefer a sharper punch. Transfer it to a small jug and serve it alongside a crisp summer salad of heritage butterhead lettuce, sliced radishes, and boiled eggs.
Storage Tip: Cover it tightly and store it in the fridge. Because it uses double cream, it won’t separate like oil-based dressings, and it will keep beautifully for 3 to 4 days.