COOL DESSERTS FOR SUMMER DAYS

New Zealand Listener, Volume 2, Issue 30, 19 January 1940, Page 44

COOL DESSERTS FOR SUMMER DAYS

VEN though one may not be Ei fortunate enough to possess a refrigerator, with the help of which to make ice cream and frozen puddings, yet there are plenty of delicious and easily made dishes for the "sweets" course, which one can make and "set" overnight---or even in the early morning, if one gets up early, and has a cool safe which stands in a good draught. For instance, one can make: — Strawberry Bavarian Cream Soak two tablespoons of gelatine in quarter of a cup of cold water, and then dissolve it in half a cup of boiling fruit juice. Cool this, and add a little sugar, according to taste. Then add two cups of crushed fresh strawberries, and place in a cold place to chill, stirring occasionally. When the mixture begins to thicken, fold in nearly a pint of cream, whipped stiff. Turn the whole into a mould (rinsed out with cold water) and leave until set. When serving, turn the mould out upon a pretty dish, and garnish with whole. strawberries, and some whipped cream, Strawberry Dainty _ Make a sponge with three eggs, a pinch of salt, and oné teacup of sugar, beaten together; sift in a cup of flour, one teaspoon of baking powder, one large tablespoon melted butter, and one tablespoon cold water. Bake in sandwich tins; dissolve three-quarters of a packet of jelly crystals in a cup of water. Pour in a plate to cool. When set, spread between the layers of sponge. Cut a circle out of the top layer about the size of a teaplate. This leaves a double tim on the outside. Mash some strawberries with a little castor sugar, place in cavity, put whipped cream on them, then a few whole strawberries; dust with castor sugar. If preferred, use your own favourite sponge recipe for the cake part. Raspberry or Strawberry Fool | Beat up two large eggs with two ounces of sugar, and add three-quarters of a pint of warm milk. Put this mixture into a double saucepan, or a jug standing in a saucepan of boiling water, and stir until it is thick enough to coat the back of a spoon, but not curdled or set. Let this get cold, and then pour it over a pound of ripe berries, rubbed through a sieve, and mix well. A richer dish may be made by using less custard and making up the quantity with cream. Strawberry Shortcake This is an American specialty, and most delicious. The ingredients are, three eggs; their weight in flour, butter,

and sugar; about quarter of a teaspoon of baking .powder; and some strawberries, whipped cream and lemon juice, Cream the butter and sugar, them add the well beaten eggs. Mix the baking powder with the flour and add gradually to the first mixture. Divide in two, and bake in shallow round tins. Leave till cold. Now mash some ripe strawberries, keeping the finest ones back for the top of the cake. Sprinkle the mashed portion of the fruit with sugar and a little lemon juice. Spread a layer on one half of the cake, and then place the other half on top. Spread another thin layer

of mashed berries, cover with whipped cream, arid then decorate with whole strawberries. Chiffon. Pies These are really delicious fillings, poured into already baked pie-shells, or "flans." They are smoother and finer than the well-known "Lemon Pie" filling, which is thickened with cornflour, while "chiffon" depends on gelatine. You can make Lemon or Orange Chiffon Pie aswell as Pineapple and even Pumpkin: Lemon Chiffon Pie | Soak one tablespoon of gelatine quarter of a cup of cold water. Beat four egg yolks until light, and add half a cup of sugar, half a cup of lemon juice, and a teaspoon of grated lemon rind, and continue to beat. When very light, place on very low heat and cook, stirring until it is the consistency of custard. Then add the soaked gelatine, dissolve it, and let the whole get cool. When cool, add the four egg whites beaten stiff with about half a cup of. sugar. Pour the whole into the already baked pie shell, and leave to chill and set. Serve with a thin layer of whipped cream. | Orange Chiffon Pie Make just like Lemon Chiffon Pie, but instead of one half cup of lemon juice, and one teaspoon of grated lemon rind, use one half cup of orange juice, one. tablespoon of grated orange rind, and one tablespoon of lemon juice. Pineapple Chiffon Pie This is very similar, but uses one and a-quarter cups of crushed pineapple.

Soak one level tablespoon of gelatine in quarter of a cup of cold water, for about five minutes. Beat four egg yolks slightly, and add quarter of a cup of sugar, one and a-half cups of tinned crushed pineapple, one tablespoon of lemon juice, and a pinch of salt. Cook on low heat until of the consistency of custard. Add the softened gelatine, stirring thoroughly, and cool. When the mixture begins to thicken, fold in the four stiffly-beaten egg whites, to which has been added another quarter of a cup of sugar. Fill the baked pie shell, and chill. Just before serving, spread over the pie a layer of whipped cream. Pumpkin Chiffon Pie Cook together over a low heat one cup of brown sugar; three egg yolks slightly beaten; one to one and a-half cups of pumpkin, cooked, strained and mashed (strain it through a very fine sieve, so that it is smooth); half a cup of milk; half a teaspoon of salt; 2 teaspoons of cinnamon; half a teaspoon of ginger; and quarter of a teaspoon of all-

spice. Cook until thickened. Add one ounce of gelatine which has been softened in a little cold water, and cool. When the mixture begins to congeal, fold in three egg whites beaten with the two tablespoons of sugar. Pour into a baked pie shell, and chill. Garnish with whipped cream, if desired. Floating Islands This is a real "old timer"-a cold dessert that was a favourite in New Zealand in the early days, but which has been superseded lately by all the gelatine mixtures. Put about three quarters of a pint of milk into a saucepan, sweeten to taste, and add some essence of lemon. Separate the whites of four eggs from the yolks and beat the whites to a stiff froth. Bring the milk to boiling point, and drop in spoonfuls of the beaten whites. Keep turning these until sufficiently cooked. These will be the "islands"; put them in a glass dish as they are cooked. Then beat up the yolks, stir them into the milk, add a little more sugar and flavouring; strain the mixture into a jug, and stand in a pot of boiling water. Keep stirring until it thickens. Pour this custard over the "islands" which will rise to the surface. Put in a cool place until wanted. Very nice.

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