Oxford Night Caps by Richard Cook (1860, p.43) — Oxford 1860

6 wholeapple — roasted applesbase
ginger — A small quantity.other
1 wholenutmeg — Grated.other
1 quartstrong ale — Made moderately warm.other
sweet cakes — Optional floating accompaniment.other
raw sugar sweetener
  1. Mix the pulp of half a dozen roasted apples with raw sugar, grated nutmeg, and a little ginger.
  2. Add one quart of strong ale made moderately warm and stir well together.
  3. Serve if sufficiently sweet, optionally with sweet cakes floating in the bowl.

Garnish: Optional sweet cakes.

Cook spends unusual energy on folk etymology and Irish usage here, underscoring Lambs Wool as a deep custom drink rather than a barroom novelty.

This is a pulp-textured bowl rather than a strained or clarified drink.

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See also: Wassail Bowl, Brasenose Ale, Brown Betty

Cook also notes that sweet cakes may float in the bowl.