The article deals with the desserts in the culinary practice of England of the XVII century, the focus of the author is the collection of confectionery recipes of 1608, «A Closet for Ladies and Gentlewomen» which was repeatedly reprinted. Considering making cotignac, marmalade, paste, the author comes to the conclusion that these dishes reflect fashionable culinary trends of the British XVII century, showed the status of their consumers, and the emergence of a special collection of confectionary recipes showed the specialization of the cooking art.