Chocolate Marshmallow Ice Cream
A really odd-ball recipe that didn’t turn out as expected!
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Cheese Mold
In an effort to try more recipes that involve gelatin (because it’s kinda retro), I decided to make this appetizer/spread from Cook Away (circa 1930’s).
Ingredients
2 packages cream cheese 3/4 cup grated nippy cheese (I used old cheddar) 1 package gelatin 1 cup whole milk 1 tbsp chopped walnuts (optional; I didn't use) A few drops of Worcestershire sauce Salt
Instructions
Grease or oil a jelly mold or other dish (should hold about 5 cups or more). Set out cream cheese to soften at room temperature (not required, but made it easier). Put cream cheese and grated cheese in a mixing bowl and work together with fork. Dissolve gelatin in a small amount of cold water (I used about 3 tbsp). Heat milk and add softened gelatin. Cook until gelatin dissolves. Add hot milk to cheese mixture, and mix until smooth. If lumpy, put through a sieve. Add salt, Worcestershire sauce, and walnuts (if using). Pour into prepared mold, and chill for several hours before serving.
This one sounded a bit more involved than it actually was. Mashing together the cheeses with a fork was easier than expected (with the caveat that I let the cream cheese soften).
The hot milk melts the more solid cheese, so it became pretty smooth by the end. I didn’t really want to sieve it – I’m okay with little cheddar pockets.
I was a bit worried when I tried to unmold the thing and it wouldn’t come out. But quickly running a butter knife around the edges solved that problem pretty easily (though it did mar the smoothness of the sides where I wasn’t careful).
Now you might ask why we’ve formed cheese and gelatin in the shape of a pineapple. The answer is: because it was there. We purchased this mold at a thrift store *years* ago because someone wanted to make some jellied salad recipes. And, eight years later, this was the first time we used it …
The verdict
This was a really tasty spread! It’s like cream cheese that’s slightly more exciting (and spreadable directly from the fridge). It would be really nice for an appy table, as it looks more impressive and difficult than it was. We enjoyed it (for a loooong time … two whole packages of cream cheese!) on crackers and bread for lunches. I’d definitely make it again (but next time for a larger group of people).
Banana Meatloaf
It was finally time to make our blogs’ namesake again. Yes, this is meat and bananas. Surprisingly, this is not the only meat and bananas recipe in Wartime Recipes from the Maritimes. Check out Roosevelt Chicken for another one that we’ve tried.
This recipe is from the Antigonish Casket, an unusually-named local newspaper that my family members used to subscribe to, and which was still a going concern up until a few years ago.
Ingredients
4 bananas, peeled 1 pound ground beef 1 cup soft breadcrumbs 1 tablespoon finely chopped onion 1/2 tsp dry mustard 2 strips of bacon Salt and pepper
Instructions
Preheat oven 350F. Grease a baking pan or sheet. Mash two of the bananas, and mix with the ground beef, mustard, breadcrumbs, onion, salt and pepper. Shape into a loaf and place on prepared pan. Lay the two strips of bacon on top. Bake for 40 minutes. Slice the remaining two bananas and lay those on top. Baste with pan juices and bake for another 20 minutes. Let sit 5 minutes before slicing.
I used more like 1.5 lbs of beef (because that’s what I had), so the banana flavour in the main part of the loaf was a bit more muted than the past time we made this – a little sweet/tropical flavour that you can’t quite place. But the bananas on top tasted very clearly like banana.
This recipe is not meant to be put in a loaf pan, but to have a loaf formed and then baked on a baking sheet or similar. Otherwise, you can’t complete the basting instruction.
The verdict
It’s a bit of an odd dish, but not exactly bad. Our kid especially liked the roasted bananas on top, and said they tasted like banana bread – dinner and dessert in the same dish! (He requested some in his lunch the next day).
I’d make this again, but mostly because it’s unusual.
Cranberry Maple Syrup Pie
An interesting (and super easy) pie that uses non-rationed (and very Canadian!) ingredients.
Chocolate Mint Pie
Another from Wartime Recipes from the Maritimes, this pie uses gelatin and whipped egg whites to create a cohesive, mousse-like texture.
The book says that the meringue is folded into the pie to reduce how much sugar was needed (since sugar was rationed). I like the lightness it adds, and I think I’d prefer this version to one with a meringue topping.
Ingredients
1 baked pie shell 2 oz unsweetened chocolate (I used 4-5 oz) 1/2 cup boiling water 1 tbsp gelatin, softened in 1/4 cup water 2 egg yolks (I used all 3) 1/2 cup + 2 tbsp white sugar 1/2 tsp salt 2 drops peppermint flavouring 3 egg whites
Instructions
Melt the chocolate in the 1/2 cup boiling water (I used a double boiler). Beat until smooth. Remove from heat and stir in the softened gelatin until dissolved. Beat in to the chocolate mixture the egg yolks, 1/2 cup sugar, and salt. Add the peppermint oil and chill until partly set. Whip the egg whites until stiff but not dry, then beat in the remaining 2 tbsp sugar. Fold egg whites into the chocolate mixture until combined. Pour into the pie shell and chill until set.
I like my chocolate desserts to be very chocolate-y, so I often add more chocolate than requested in the recipe. I also dislike when recipes have unbalanced egg part usage – what am I going to do with one spare yolk?! So I just added it in.
I only had bittersweet chocolate, so I reduced the sugar in the recipe to 1/3 cup, to better approximate the sweetness of the original dish.
The verdict
Everyone liked it! I would make this again!
The pie was kind of mousse-like and light, while being still very chocolate-y (with my extra chocolate additions). I like the mint flavour, but I think other flavourings could be really nice too (cinnamon and chili, for example). It would also be good without flavour additions too!
I think I like the lower sugar content of most of the wartime dessert recipes – it’s nice to have something a little less. sweet sometimes. We certainly didn’t miss having more sugar in this pie.
What flavour would you add? Tell us in the comments!
