46. PLAIN GELATINE.--A very good dessert can be made of fruit juice
solidified by means of gelatine. Any canned fruit juice or any mixture
of juices that will blend well and produce a jelly of agreeable flavor
may be used for this purpose. These are usually brought to the boiling
point before being added, but in case juices that may be injured by
heating are used, they may be added cold and the gelatine dissolved in
boiling water. When this is done, a little additional lemon will be
necessary in order to increase the flavor.
Plain jelly made according to the accompanying recipe may be served in
various attractive ways. One method of serving it is shown in Fig. 4. To
prepare it in this manner, pour the gelatine mixture into stemmed
glasses and allow it to solidify. When partly solid, decorate the top
with wedge-shaped pieces of pineapple and place a cherry in the center,
as illustrated. When entirely solid, place the glass on a small plate
and serve. The fruit may be omitted if desired and whipped cream served
on the gelatine.
[Illustration: FIG. 4, A dish of plain gelatine.]
Plain jelly is also attractive when poured into a large mold, allowed to
solidify, and then turned out on a plate. If the mold is moistened with
cold water before the gelatine is poured into it, no difficulty will be
experienced in removing the jelly when it becomes solid. The center of
the mold may be filled with whipped cream before it is put on the table
or the jelly may be served plain and the whipped cream then added to
each serving from another dish.
PLAIN GELATINE
(Sufficient to Serve Six)
1/2 oz. or 2-1/4 Tb. unflavored gelatine
1/2 c. cold water
3 c. fruit juice
Juice of 1 lemon
Sugar
Soak the gelatine in the cold water until it is well moistened. Strain
the fruit juices, heat to boiling point, and pour over the gelatine.
Add the lemon juice and a sufficient amount of sugar to sweeten. Allow
to solidify and serve in any desired manner.
47. ORANGE JELLY.--An excellent dessert is the result when orange juice
is used for flavoring and gelatine for thickening. This jelly may be
poured into molds that have been moistened with cold water, or, as shown
in Fig. 5, it may be poured into orange skins made to resemble baskets
and then garnished with whipped cream.
ORANGE JELLY
(Sufficient to Serve Six)
1/2 oz. or 2-1/4 Tb. unflavored gelatine
1/2 c. cold water
1 c. boiling water
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. lemon juice
1-1/2 c. orange juice
Soak the gelatine in the cold water until it is well moistened, and
dissolve with the boiling water. Add the sugar and the lemon and orange
juice strained. Pour into a large mold or individual molds and set aside
to solidify. Serve in any desired way.
[Illustration: FIG. 5, Orange jelly in orange-skin basket.]
48. COFFEE JELLY.--If fruit juices are difficult to obtain, coffee
jelly, which will be found to be very pleasing, may be used
occasionally. However, it is necessary that whipped cream be served with
coffee jelly in order to make it a really delightful dessert.
COFFEE JELLY
(Sufficient to Serve Six)
2 c. clear, strong coffee
1/2 oz. or 2-1/4 Tb. unflavored gelatine
1/2 c. cold water
1 c. boiling water
Three-quarters c. sugar
Prepare the coffee freshly and make it stronger than that which would
ordinarily be used for the table. Be sure that it contains no grounds.
Soak the gelatine in the cold water, and dissolve in the boiling water.
Add the sugar and coffee. Pour into moistened molds and allow to cool.
Serve with sweetened whipped cream.
49. FRUIT GELATINE.--Almost any combination of fruit juices, as well as
any single fruit juice, may be used with gelatine in the making of fruit
gelatine. The accompanying recipe contains fruits that may be used, but
other fruits than those given may perhaps be found to be even more
agreeable.
FRUIT GELATINE
(Sufficient to Serve Six)
1/44 oz. or 1-1/8 Tb. unflavored gelatine
1/4 c. cold water
1/2 c. boiling water
1/2 c. sugar
1/2 c. pineapple juice
1/4 c. orange juice
1/4 c. lemon juice
2 slices pineapple
2 oranges
1 banana
6 English walnuts
Moisten the gelatine in the cold water and dissolve in the boiling
water. Add the sugar and the orange, pineapple, and lemon juice, and
allow this to cool. Dice the pineapple. Prepare the oranges by peeling
them, removing the pulp from the sections, and cutting it into small
pieces. Slice or dice the banana and break each nut into six or eight
pieces. Mix the fruits and nuts, place in a mold that has been moistened
with cold water, and pour the cold jelly over them. Allow this to
solidify, turn from the mold, and serve with whipped cream.
50. LEMON SNOW.--If a light, spongy dessert to serve with a heavy dinner
is desired, lemon snow should be tried. It may be made with other
sour-fruit juice and is particularly agreeable if the color of the fruit
juice used is a pretty one. Fruit coloring may be used in the
preparation of dishes of this sort if desired.
LEMON SNOW
(Sufficient to Serve Six)
1/2 oz. or 2-1/4 Tb. unflavored gelatine
1/2 c. cold water
1-1/2 c. boiling water
1 c. sugar
1/2 c. lemon juice
Whites of two eggs
Soak the gelatine in the cold water, dissolve it in the boiling water,
and add the sugar. When cold, add the strained lemon juice. When the
gelatine mixture is just beginning to solidify, add the egg whites,
beating with a rotary beater until the mixture begins to hold its shape.
If desired, a fruit of some kind may be placed in a mold that has been
moistened with cold water and the mixture poured over it, or the plain
mixture may be poured into the mold without the fruit. Whipped cream or
custard sauce improves this dessert to a large extent.
51. SPANISH CREAM.--A gelatine dish containing eggs is usually a
delightful dessert, and Spanish cream is no exception to this rule. If
it is properly made, a part of the mold will have the consistency of a
custard, above this will be a layer of jelly, and on top will be a layer
of fluffy material. This dessert is more attractive if a little pink
coloring is used in its preparation.
SPANISH CREAM
(Sufficient to Serve Six)
1 Tb. unflavored gelatine
1/4 c. cold water
1 pt. milk
2 eggs
1/4 c. sugar
1/4 tsp. salt
1/2 tsp. vanilla
Soak the gelatine in the cold water. Heat the milk in a double boiler,
add the gelatine, and cook until it is completely dissolved. Separate
the eggs, beat the yolks, and to them add the sugar and salt. Stir into
the mixture in the double boiler, and cook until the eggs have
thickened. Remove from the fire, beat the egg whites until they are
stiff, and fold them into the mixture. Add the vanilla. Pour into a mold
that has been moistened with cold water, cool, and serve. If coloring is
added, it may be put in upon removing the dessert from the stove.
[Illustration: FIG. 6, Strawberry cream fluff with ladyfingers.]
52. STRAWBERRY CREAM PUFF.--One of the most attractive desserts that can
be made of gelatine is strawberry cream fluff. It is especially
delicious in warm weather, but plenty of time must be allowed for it to
solidify. Any desired way of serving it may be followed out, but a
method that is always pleasing is illustrated in Fig. 6. The gelatine
mixture is piled into stemmed glasses and then surrounded by thin pieces
of sponge cake or ladyfingers, as here shown. A few fresh strawberries
or strawberries that have been canned in thick sirup make an attractive
garnish. If a deeper shade of pink is desired than the strawberry juice
gives, pink coloring may be added before the whipped cream is beaten
into the gelatine.
STRAWBERRY CREAM FLUFF
(Sufficient to Serve Six)
1 Tb. unflavored gelatine
1/4 c. cold water
1-1/2 c. strawberry juice
Juice of one lemon
1/4 c. sugar
1-1/2 c. whipped cream
Soak the gelatine in the cold water. Heat the strawberry juice to the
boiling point, and add it to the soaked gelatine. Add the lemon juice
and sugar and place the gelatine where it will cool. When it has started
to solidify, beat into it the whipped cream and continue beating until
the mixture stands up well when dropped from a spoon. Place in a mold
and cool. Serve in any desired way.
53. PINEAPPLE CREAM FLUFF.--If pineapple is preferred to strawberries,
pineapple cream fluff may be made according to the accompanying
directions. Canned pineapple may be utilized nicely in the preparation
of this dessert. If it is in rings, it should be chopped into small
pieces, but grated pineapple needs no further preparation. Fresh
pineapple used for the purpose must be cooked before it can be used in
this dessert.
PINEAPPLE CREAM FLUFF
(Sufficient to Serve Six)
1 Tb. unflavored gelatine
1/4 c. cold water
1-1/2 c. pineapple juice
1/2 c. sugar
1-1/2 c. whipped cream
1 c. grated or chopped pineapple
Soak the gelatine in the cold water. Heat the pineapple juice to the
boiling point and add it to the soaked gelatine. Add the sugar and set
aside to cool. After the gelatine has started to solidify, beat the
whipped cream and the grated pineapple into it. When solidified and
ready to use, turn out on a plate and serve with whipped cream. If
desired, the pineapple may be left out of the dessert and, instead, a
spoonful placed on the top of each serving.
54. MARSHMALLOW WHIP.--Something rather unusual in the way of a gelatine
dessert can be had by making marshmallow whip according to the
accompanying recipe.
MARSHMALLOW WHIP
(Sufficient to Serve Six)
1/2 oz. or 2-1/4 Tb. unflavored gelatine
1 pt. water
1 c. sugar
3 egg whites
Pink coloring
Strawberry flavoring
1/2 sq. chocolate
Vanilla
Soak the gelatine in 1/2 cupful of water. Bring 1 cupful of water to the
boiling point, dissolve the gelatine in it, and place in ice water to
cool. Put the sugar to cook with 1/2 cupful of water, and cook until the
sirup will spin a thread or until it will form a firm ball when tried in
cold water. Beat the egg whites, pour the hot sirup gradually over them,
and continue beating. Add the gelatine, which by this time should be
commencing to solidify. Divide the mixture into three equal parts. To
one add a little pink coloring and some strawberry flavoring and pour
into a mold that has been wet with cold water. To one of the remaining
parts, add the chocolate, which has been melted, mixed with a
tablespoonful or two of sugar and 2 tablespoonfuls of water, and cooked
to a smooth paste. Continue beating this until it is stiff, and then
pour it in the mold on top of the strawberry flavored whip. To the
remaining third, add the vanilla, beat until it is stiff, and pour on
top of the chocolate whip. These colors may be arranged in any desirable
way, others may be used, or the whip may be made up simply in one color
or in two. After it has become set and hardened, turn from the mold, and
serve, using whipped cream if desired.
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