Fruit Desserts for Winter

New Zealand Journal of Agriculture, Volume 90, Issue 5, 16 May 1955, Page 542

Fruit Desserts for Winter

By

MAUD B. STRAIN,

Field Officer in Rural Sociology,

Department of Agriculture, Dunedin

THERE are few people to whom fruit does not appeal. This is fortunate because, excluding vegetables, these are the only foods which contain more than negligible amounts of the essential vitamin C. Fruit desserts, relying for their interest on the flavour of the fruit, are usually simple and require less time in preparation than the majority of the more solid, more starchy pudding. When fresh fruit is available it is often preferred raw, but it is almost inevitable that for some part of the year reliance must be placed on bottled fruit and even dried fruit. However, fresh or bottled, raw or cooked, fruit has a definitely high value in maintaining health and vitality.

pRUIT is of all foods the most universally liked. There are those who dislike all fish, for example, but there are few who dislike any and every kind of fruit. Nor is it necessary to wait for each season to bring forth its fruits, as modern methods of preservation and transport make it possible to have fresh fruit all the year round. Moreover, fruits .in general retain so much better than other foods their original texture, sweetness, and flavour when preserved. Winter is the season for hot desserts, pies, tarts, baked fruit, stewed fruit, and fritters; fruit in any form adds interest to a meal. Apples are available practically all the year round as are bananas and citrus fruits. Passion fruit, tree tomatoes, Chinese gooseberries, and less known fruits, such as persimmons and feijoas, follow on after most of the other fruits are finished, but for part of the year continuity of supply is secured from fruit bottled in summer and autumn. Black currants and gooseberries are particularly successful as bottled fruits because of their high vitamin C content, very little of which is lost in the cooking process, and because they can be preserved in water, having the sugar added at the time of use. . Variety in fruit dishes can be obtained by varying the ingredients used. For example apples can be baked in a plain sugar syrup or in one made with brown sugar; they

can be stuffed with nuts, raisins, dr other dried fruits; and they can be seasoned with spices of various kinds. Though apples form the basis of these dishes, variety is obtained through the other ingredients used. Note: Standard measuring cups (8 fluid ounces) and standard measuring spoons are used. All measurements are level. All recipes serve six persons. Baked Puddings Baked Bananas and Orange Sauce 6 large bananas 1 lemon Joz. of cornflour 3 oranges Soz. of sugar To avoid discolouring the bananas peel them with the fingers. Dredge with a little flour and sugar and bake in a moderate oven (350 degrees F.) for 30 minutes. Heat the juice of the oranges and lemon in a saucepan. Add the sugar and cornflour mixed with cold water to the consistency of thin cream, stir well, and cook for 5 minutes. Pour this sauce over the cooked bananas and serve hot with whipped cream. Crusty Baked Apples 3oz. of butter 2 tablespoons of 5 teaspoon of ginger 6oz. of brown sugar brown sugar J teaspoon of nutmeg 3oz. of flour 11 teaspoons of J teaspoon of salt 6 apples cinnamon Cream the butter and 6oz. of brown sugar well together. Stir in the flour, cinnamon, ginger, . nutmeg, and salt. Pare and core the apples and score deeply with a fork. Pat the sugar mixture on the apples and place in a shallow baking dish. Place a teaspoon of brown sugar in the centre of each apple. Bake in a moderate oven (350 degrees F.) until the apples are tender and the outside is crisp (about 40 minutes). Serve hot with cream. Dates and raisins may be added with the brown sugar to fill the apples. Banana and Coffee Meringue 3 tablespoons of 3 small sponge cakes loz. of sugar apricot jam loz. of cornflour i pint of coffee 4 bananas J pint of milk loz. of butter Meringue 2oz. of sugar 1 egg white Butter a pie-dish and spread the apricot jam on the bottom. Slice the bananas over this and place the halved sponge cakes on top. Blend the cornflour and sugar with a little of the cold milk and the coffee and heat the remainder of the milk to boiling point. Pour the hot milk over the blended cornflour mixture, return it to the saucepan, and cook for a few minutes. Add the butter and pour over the sponge cakes and bananas. Beat the . egg white to a stiff froth and fold in the sugar. Pile this on top of the pudding and bake in a slow oven (300 degrees F.) until the meringue is firm and slightly coloured. Apple Rolls Mb. of flour 2oz. of butter 4 large apples 2oz. of sugar 1 teaspoon of salt Boz. of sugar 2 teaspoons of baking 1 cup of milk and 1 pint of water powder water to mix loz. of butter In a deep dish make a syrup from Boz. of sugar and 1 pint of water. Rub the 2oz. of fat into the flour, add the sugar, baking powder, and salt and mix to a fairly stiff dough with the milk and water mixture. Roll this dough out and spread it liberally with the chopped apples. Form into a roll and cut into pieces about ljin. long, placing these cut-side downward into the simmering syrup. Dot each section with butter- and bake in a hot oven (400 degrees F.) until golden brown (about 30 to 45 minutes). Variation: Instead of cutting the roll into segments and baking them the roll could be placed in a buttered basin, covered with a buttered paper, and steamed for 2| hours. Black Currant Crisp 3oz. of butter 2oz. of flour 1 quart jar of black 4oz. of sugar 3oz. of wholemeal currants Cream the butter and sugar well together. Mix in the flour and lastly the wholemeal. Strain the liquid from a bottle of black currants (this can be used for making a

jelly or fruit whip) and place the fruit in a pie-dish. If the fruit was bottled in water instead of syrup, sprinkle with half a cup of sugar. Place the mixture on top of the fruit and bake in a moderately hot oven (375 degrees F.) until the fruit is soft and the top golden brown (about 40 minutes). Variations: Rhubarb or any other tart fruits (gooseberries, apples). Prune Meringue lib. of prunes 1 lemon, juice (cooked) 4oz. of breadcrumbs Custard 2 egg yolks J pint of milk 2oz. of sugar Meringue 2 egg whites 4oz. of sugar Chop the prunes and add the lemon juice. Butter a pie-dish and into it put the chopped prune mixture and breadcrumbs alternately. To make the custard beat the egg yolks and sugar with the milk, and stir in a double saucepan over hot water until the mixture thickens. Pour over prunes and breadcrumbs. . Make a meringue by beating the egg whites stiffly and folding in the sugar. Pile this over the mixture in the pie-dish and bake in a slow oven (300 degrees F.) for -J to 3 hour, until the meringue is firm and very lightly browned. Steamed Puddings Almost any fruits may be used for making steamed puddings, but the tart ones are the most successful. Line a pudding basin with the scone mixture used for apple rolls and fill with sliced apples or other fruit. Sprinkle with a tablespoon of sugar and cover with more of the scone mixture. Tie a buttered paper over the top, allowing space for the pudding to expand, and steam for 2£ hours. Sponges Fruit Sponge 1 egg 1 teaspoon of baking 6oz. of sugar powder ljoz. of butter J teaspoon of salt 6oz. of flour 6 to 8 apples Beat the egg well, add the sugar gradually, and beat until the mixture is creamy. Add the melted butter and beat again. Sift the dry ingredients and add a little at a time alternately with the milk. Place the apples peeled, cored, and sliced (or other fruit) in a pie-dish and pour the batter on top. This cooks more evenly if the fruit is partly cooked and very hot when the batter is poured on. Bake in a moderate oven (350 degrees F.) for 1 hour. Variations: Black currants, gooseberries, apricots, tart plums, etc. Upside-down Pudding Fruit (prunes, apri- 2oz. of butter cots, dates, apples, 6oz. of sugar (brown) etc.) ... Melt the butter in a baking dish and sprinkle the sugar over it to cover the bottom of the dish. Arrange a layer of cooked dried fruit, for example

prunes, or thick rings of peeled and cored apples, half apricots, or peaches, and over this pour a batter made as follows: — 2oz. of butter J teaspoon of soda 3oz. of sugar J teaspoon of salt 1 egg 1 teaspoon of ground 2 tablespoons of ginger golden syrup J teaspoon of Boz. of flour cinnamon 1 teaspoon of baking J cup of boiling powder water Cream the butter, add the sugar, and cream together. Add the well-beaten egg and golden syrup and stir it in thoroughly. Mix and sift the dry ingredients and add to the mixture. Lastly stir in the boiling water, mixing quickly, and pour over the fruit. Bake in a moderately slow oven (325 degrees F.) for 40 minutes. Pies Tree Tomato and Apple Pie -Fill a pie-dish with a mixture of tree tomatoes and apples in the proportion of two tree tomatoes to one medium-sized cooking apple. To prepare the tree tomatoes pour boiling water over them and allow to stand for a minute, then skin them starting from the stem end. Slice these lengthwise into sixths or eighths. Peel, core, and slice the apples. Fill the dish with layers of apple and tree tomato alternately, sprinkle with sugar, and cover with short pastry. Bake in a hot oven (450 degrees F.) for 10 minutes until the pastry is cooked, then reduce the temperature, and cook slowly until the fruit is soft. Variations: Quince and apple, blackberry and apple, and Chinese gooseberry. Almost any fruits, fresh or bottled, can be used for making pies.

Apple Pie with Cheese Crust Line a pie plate with short pastry. Fill the pastry shell with finely sliced apples sprinkled with sugar mixed with a little cinnamon or nutmeg. Roll 2oz. of grated cheese into the pastry for the upper crust, cover the apples with the cheese crust, and bake in a hot oven (425 degrees F.) for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 350 degrees F. and bake until the apples are tender (about 20 minutes). Raisin Pie lOoz, of raisins 1 medium-sized apple Boz. of brown sugar ■ loz. of cornflour i teaspoon of salt Short pastry 1 lemon, juice Put the raisins in a saucepan with sufficient water to cover them. Add the sugar, salt, grated apple, and lemon juice and boil gently for 3 to 4 minutes. Mix the cornflour smoothly with a little cold water and add it to the mixture in the saucepan, stirring while it thickens. Line a pie plate with short pastry, put in the raisin filling, and cover with pastry. Bake in a hot oven (450 degrees F.) for 10 minutes, then reduce the heat, and cook for a further 15 minutes. Variation: Use an equal amount of pineapple cut small, . with juice, in place of apple and lemon juice. Coconut Apple Meringue Pie 3oz. of coconut 3 egg yolks slightly 2 cups of stewed beaten ’ apple 1 baked 9in. pie shell 4oz. of sugar • 4oz. of sugar 1 tablespoon of lemon 3 egg whites stiffly juice beaten for meringue 1 lemon (grated rind) Combine the coconut, apple, sugar, lemon rind and juice, and egg yolks. Place this in a double boiler and cook until slightly thickened, stirring constantly. Cool and pour into a pie shell. Top with meringue made by

folding sugar into the stiffly beaten whites. Sprinkle with coconut and bake in a moderate oven (350 degrees F.) : until lightly coloured (about 15 minutes). * , : Hawaiian Fruit Pie 2oz. of flour loz. of butter 6oz. . of sugar 1 small tin of 4.- teaspoon of salt crushed pineapple •1 pint of milk 3oz. of coconut 3.egg yolks 6oz. of sugar ■2 tablespoons of 3 egg whites lemon juice 1 baked 9in. pie shell Combine flour, sugar, and salt. Add the milk gradually, place in a double boiler, and cook until thickened, stirring constantly. Pour a small amount of the mixture over the slightly beaten egg yolks, return to the double boiler, and cook 3 to 4 minutes longer. Add butter, lemon juice, pineapple, and coconut. Cool and pour into the pie shell. Top with meringue made by folding the sugar into the stiffly beaten egg whites. Bake in a moderate oven (350 degrees F.) for 15 minutes or until delicately browned. Tarts Passion Fruit Tart 2 eggs 1 teaspoon of lemon 4oz. of sugar juice 3 passion fruit . Short pastry Joz. of butter, melted Lemon Tart 2 eggs 2oz. of butter, melted 4oz. of sugar Short pastry 2 lemons (juice) Line a tart plate with thinly rolled short pastry. Beat the eggs well, then add the sugar, melted butter, and passion fruit or juice of two lemons. Mix well together and pour the mixture into the pastry case. Bake in a hot oven (450 degrees ■ F.) on the second rung from the bottom for 15 to 20 minutes.