Quickly Made Fruit Desserts

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 90, Issue 4, 15 April 1955, Page 425

Quickly Made Fruit Desserts

By

MAUD B. STRAIN,

Field Officer in Rural

Sociology, Department of Agriculture, Dunedin.

IT is fortunate that the warmest days of the year are during the season when fruit is plentiful and its variety greatest. In this somewhat limited period fresh fruit, either raw or cooked, is preferred above most other desserts. For good health this is most satisfactory; from the point of view of the one doing the cooking it is excellent, because most -fruit desserts are easy to prepare. Any preparation apart from that required to serve ■fresh fruit attractively can be done at a time to suit the housewife rather than at a time dictated by the proximity of the meal hour.

K/JOST fresh fruits when thoroughly ripe are suitable for serving raw. In this way the full value of the . fruit is obtained without the partial loss through cooking of vitamin C. All fresh fruit should be washed thoroughly before serving, particularly as fruit trees are often sprayed with materials which are poisonous. Reasons for Cooking Fruit Sometimes it is desirable to cook fruit to obtain variety, to develop its palatability, to make it keep longer, to make it more interesting, or to soften it. Slightly under-ripe and blemished fruits may be quite acceptable when cooked. Strawberries and raspberries will keep longer when cooked, gooseberries customarily eaten while still green are cooked before serving, and quinces are never eaten raw. Pineapples are most often eaten in the tinned form, partly because the preserved fruit is more readily available, perhaps because of the irritant effect of the fresh ' fruit on the lips, and partly

because the uncooked fruit cannot be used in a gelatine dessert because it contains a substance which prevents gelatine from setting. Method of Cooking The method of cooking fruit is determined by the character of the product desired. If the end result is to be sauce, the fruit is stewed in the minimum of water, the sugar added near the end of cooking, when the fruit is soft, and the whole stirred vigorously. If the fruit is to remain whole, as in a compote, , it is carefully cooked in syrup in a covered utensil. In this way the steam is retained, which aids in the cooking and prevents the escape of the more volatile compounds, which are responsible for some of the flavour. “Stewed” fruit for a flan or tart or to be served with junket, custard, or cereal should be cooked in this way, as should strawberries, raspberries, and fully ripe apricots and peaches. . On the other hand some hard varieties of pears should be cooked in water

first and the sugar added later in the cooking. Fruits soften more readily when cooked in water than when cooked in syrup, because the sugar usually displaces some of the liquid in the fruit and this has the effect of making it less juicy and somewhat firmer. Some recipes such as fruit mousses, whips, gelatine sponges, and Bavarian creams require the fruit to be in the form of sauce or pulp. For pulp the fresh fruit is either mashed roughly with a fork or pressed through a sieve; cooked fruit is. drained of its juice and treated similarly. Fresh raspberries, strawberries, and peaches are particularly good in sponges and creams. Ice cream can be given individuality by serving it with a fruit topping or other attractively flavoured and coloured sauce. These sauces are suitable also for serving with sliced fresh fruit (bananas, peaches, apricots, and and similar fruits), baked fruit (for example, bananas), or with steamed puddings. Using Raw Fruit Ambrosia 2 medium size 2oz. of sugar oranges J to t cup of coconut 2 ripe bananas Peel the oranges and cut them crosswise into thin slices, removing seeds

and fibrous portions. Peel the bananas and slice them about Jin. thick. Arrange alternate layers of orange and banana slices in a large shallow dish and sprinkle each layer with sugar. Use orange slices for the bottom and top layers. Sprinkle the top with coconut and chill for about an hour before serving. Garnish with additional ripe banana slices and orange sections. Apricot Baskets Ripe apricots Strawberries Whipped cream • Wash the apricots and remove the stones. In the centre of a wide glass dish pile some stiffly whipped cream. Place the apricot halves, around it, fill them up with strawberries, and put a little whipped cream on top. Recipes with Gelatine Apple Flummery loz. of gelatine J pint of water i cup of water Grated rind and juice 21b. of prepared . of 1 lemon apples i pint of cream 4oz. of sugar Soak the gelatine in | cup of water for 10 minutes and then dissolve it over gentle heat. Cook the apples with i pint of water and lemon rind and juice until soft, add the sugar, and beat them to pulp. Add the dissolved gelatine and allow the mixture to cool. When it is almost cold stir in | pint of cream and turn the flummery into a mould to set. Unmould it and serve with whipped cream.

Lemon Whip loz. of gelatine J pint. of boiling Boz. of sugar water i pint of cold water 2 stiffly beaten egg 1 pint of lemon juice whites Custard 2 egg yolks J teaspoon of vanilla J pint of milk essence loz. of sugar Soak the gelatine in cold water. Add the boiling water and when the gelatine has melted add the sugar and stir until it has dissolved. Add the lemon juice and cool. When the gelatine mixture starts to thicken beat it until it is light and frothy and fold in the stiffly beaten egg whites. Serve with custard made from the egg yolks, milk, and sugar heated in a double boiler and stirred until the mixture coats the spoon. Cool and add the vanilla essence before serving. Serves 6. Variation: Substitute hot fruit syrup for most of the boiling water and any fruit pulp and the juice of 1 lemon for the i pint of lemon juice. Add the fruit pulp and the egg whites when the gelatine mixture shows the first signs of thickening. Rhubarb Flan lib. of rhubarb 9in. pie shell (baked) (cooked) i pint of whipped Joz. of gelatine cream Cook the rhubarb in syrup made from i pint of water and 4oz. of sugar. Drain the juice from the rhubarb. Soak the gelatine in 2 tablespoons of cold water and dissolve it in the hot juice. Arrange the rhubarb in a baked short pastry shell and when the gelatine mixture is almost cold pour it

over the rhubarb and put it aside to set. Pile whipped cream on top immediately before serving. Variation: Any other fruit may be used in place of rhubarb. Desserts with Custard, Cream, or Cream and Custard Fruit Trifle 1 pint of custard i pint of cream Strawberry jam i pint of fruit juice Jib. of stale sponge cake Make the custard and leave it to cool slightly. Slice the sponge cake into finger lengths and spread them with jam. Arrange these in a glass dish and saturate them with the fruit juice. Cover them with custard and set aside until quite cold. Add sugar and flavouring to taste to the cream, whip it stiffly, and pile it on top. Serves 4 to 6. Custard for Trifles i pint of milk 1 egg 1 teaspoon of corn- loz. of castor sugar flour , Mix the cornflour to a thin paste with a little cold milk. Bring the rest of the milk to boiling point and add it gradually to the cornflour paste, stirring it well. Return this to the saucepan, add the sugar, and let the mixture cook for 3 to -5 minutes over gentle heat. Allow it to cool slightly; then pour it over the beaten egg. When the custard is only just warm pour it on to the trifle. The custard may be made with custard powder according to the directions on the packet.

Banana Trifle

8 bananas 1 egg 1 wine glass of 2oz. of sugar sherry Vanilla essence Strawberry ' jam i pint of cream i pint of milk Skin the bananas, cut them in halves lengthwise, and lay them close together in a glass dish. Pour the sherry over the bananas and leave them for i hour. Spread them with strawberry jam. Make a custard with the milk, egg, sugar, and vanilla and pour it over the bananas. Whip the cream and pile it on top of the custard when cold. Serves 6.

Gooseberry Fool

lib. of gooseberries J pint of cream 6oz. of sugar (whipped) or i pint i pint of water of thick custard Cook the gooseberries in the water and add the sugar when they are nearly cooked. Press the fruit through a sieve and when quite cold add the stiffly whipped cream or custard. Serves 4.

Variation: Apple, rhubarb.

Strawberry Mousse

Boz. of strawberries i pint of cream Toz. of castor sugar (whipped) Mash the fruit finely with a fork, or, if preferred, pass it through a sieve. Whip the cream up stiffly, fold in the sugar and pulped fruit, and

chill. Serves 4.

Variation: Raspberry, red currant, apricot, peach, passion fruit.

Orange Fool

6 oranges . Sugar : 3 eggs , Nutmeg 1 pint of cream Cinnamon

Squeeze and strain the juice from the oranges. Beat the eggs and add the cream and orange juice. Sweeten to taste. Add a sprinkle of grated nutmeg and powdered cinnamon and cook in a double boiler, stirring constantly until the mixture coats the spoon. When cool pour the mixture into glass dishes and chill before serving. Serves 6.

Banana-apricot Mousse

1 cup of mashed 1 cup of apricot juice banana (2 bananas) J cup of castor sugar 5 cup of apricot pulp k teaspoon of salt 3 tablespoons of i pint of cream lemon juice ■ Mash the bananas with a fork. Press stewed apricots through a sieve and stir in the banana pulp. Add the lemon juice, apricot juice, sugar, and salt and beat these well together. Whip the cream and fold it into the fruit mixture. Chill. Serves 6.

Raspberry Bavaroise

lib. of raspberries 1 pint of milk i pint of cream 2 eggs (whipped) soz. of sugar

Make a custard with the sugar, milk, and eggs. Mash the raspberries with a fork and add them to the custard. Whip the cream and add it to the custard mixture. Chill and serve. Serves 8.

Variation: Strawberry, peach, red currant, apricot.

Apricot Fluff

2 cups of cooked J cup of cream apricots (whipped) i cup of castor sugar 1 cup of coconut

Pass the apricots through a sieve, add the sugar, and fold in the stiffly whipped cream and most of the coconut. Chill. Sprinkle the remainder of the coconut on top and serve. Serves 4.

Creamy Lemon Pie

Boz. of sugar 1 teaspoon of grated 2oz. of cornflour lemon rind i teaspoon of salt 1 baked Bin. ginger1 pint of milk snap pie shell 2oz. of butter 1 egg (slightly i pint of lemon juice beaten)

Mix the sugar, cornflour,. and salt in the top section of a double boiler. Add the milk gradually, mixing well. Cook over direct heat, stirring vigorously until the mixture is thickened and beginning to bubble. Add the butter, stir until melted, and remove from the heat. Add a little of this gradually to the egg, beating it in well. Pour the egg mixture back into the rest of the hot milk, stirring constantly. Add the lemon juice and rind, stir vigorously until it is blended with the mixture, and cook over simmering water for 2 minutes longer. ■ Cool the mixture slightly and pour .it into the shell. When the filling , is quite cold top it with whipped cream. Serves 6 to 8.

Ginger Snap Pie Shell Jib. of ginger nut 2oz. of butter biscuits ' Put the ginger nuts through a mincer. To the fine biscuit crumbs add the butter, melted, and line an Bin. pie plate with this mixture; press it firmly on to the sides and bottom of the plate with the fingers or the back of a spoon. Bake the shell in a moderate oven (350 degrees F.) for 10 minutes. Allow the shell, to cool before filling it. f Meringues Meringues are made . from stiffly beaten egg • whites to . which castor sugar is added in the proportion of 2oz. of sugar to each egg white. 2 egg whites 40z,. of castor sugar Beat the whites until they are stiff and dry and will not . slip in the basin if it is held on its side or inverted. Fold the sugar in lightly until the ingredients are evenly blended. Put the mixture out in spoonfuls, on waxed paper on an oven tray and dry off in a cool oven 200 to 250 degrees F. for an hour or longer until they are firm. They may .be served in pairs , with whipped cream . or singly, hollowed out, and filled with fruit .. and . cream or ice cream. . ‘-iV

Meringue Cases Large cases may be made by piping meringue mixture in a large circle on a sheet of waxed paper. When cooked and cold , the cases should be slipped off the . paper—with a thin knife if necessary. The case can then be stood on a sponge cake base and filled with fruit and whipped cream. Sauces for Serving with Ice Cream Chocolate Sauce 2oz. of dark ' J teaspoon of vanilla chocolate ■ essence i pint of boiling loz. of butter water (melted) 4oz. of sugar ■ Melt the chocolate slowly in a double boiler, add the butter, and when they : are thoroughly blended pour boiling water on gradually, stirring constantly. , Add the sugar. Bring the mixture to boiling point and boil gently for 10 minutes. Cool it slightly before adding the vanilla. Serves 6.; - • Pineapple Sauce 1 small tin of crushed 2 tablespoons of . pineapple lemon juice . ioz. of cornflour v 4oz. of sugar ■ Drain the.juice from the pineapple. Mix the cornflour and sugar with a little cold water in a small saucepan,

add the pineapple juice, bring the mixture to boiling point, stirring all the time, and cook until thickened and clear. Remove from the heat and add the pineapple and lemon juice. Cool and serve over ice cream or with baked bananas or baked apples. Serves 4 to 6. Red Currant Sauce 2 cups of fresh red 4oz. of sugar currants 2 teaspoons of flour i pint of water : : J ' teaspoon .of salt Cook the currants in the water until they are soft. Press them through a sieve. Mix the flour, sugar, and salt with a little water, add the sieved currants, and cook over low heat, stirring constantly until thickened. Serves 4 to 6. Mocha Fudge Sauce 2oz. of dark chocolate soz. of sugar i pint of strong loz. of butter ...coffee / i teaspoon of salt 3 tablespoons of milk J teaspoon of vanilla Heat the chocolate, coffee, and milk together over low heat, stirring constantly until the chocolate is melted. Add the sugar, butter, and. salt and continue cooking, stirring all the time, for 3 to 5 minutes or until the mixture thickens slightly. Remove it from heat, cool, and add the vanilla. Serves 8- . ‘ \ .. . r