Peachy Lemon Whip

Name: Peachy Lemon Whip
Prep time: 35 min
Cook time: 2 h
Total time: 2 h 35 min
Ingredients: 1 1/2 cups (135g) graham cracker crumbs (in the UK, use digestive biscuit crumbs); 1/4 cup (60g) butter, melted; 3 1/2 ounces (4 serving size) lemon pie filling mix; 2/3 of a can of carnation evaporated milk, well chilled (I put mine in the freezer until ice crystals form. Save the rest of the can for another use.); 2 TBS fresh lemon juice; 2 cups (450g) well drained sliced peaches

Monday, 4 July 2022

One of my absolute favorite subjects in high school was Home Economics. I loved every aspect of it. The year was broken into three sections. One was sewing, one was home keeping and the third was cooking.

Try to guess what my favorite section was! You probably got that right in one guess! The Cooking!

In all truth I loved all of the sections. In retrospect I probably should have gone on to study Home Economics when I left school. Hind sight is 20/20 they say!

My mother wasn't one to tolerate anyone "helping" her out in the kitchen. We could watch, but we had to stay out of the way. My mother went out to work when I was 11 and once I learned how to cook, I was given the responsibility to reheat things for supper and get them started each day.

But very little actually "cooking" or experimenting went on. I used to love to go to my friend Virginia's house. She was actually allowed to cook. In fact she was the chief cook and bottle washer in that house.

I loved food and cooking and recipes, which is probably why I loved Home Economics so much! This recipe I am sharing today for an easy refrigerator dessert is a recipe that I learned how to make in Grade 9 Home Economics.

We were always given copies of all the recipes to put into our class folders. This is one of the few that remain in mine. It was declared good enough to put into my Big Blue Binder.

Not only is it a very easy dessert to make, but it is a very delicious dessert to make. It uses a few convenience foods such as lemon pie filling, canned milk and tinned peaches. Don't let that put you off. This dessert spells "WINNER" every time I make it!

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE PEACHY LEMON WHIP

Like I said there are a few convenience items, but they go very well together. I suppose in peach season you could use real peaches.

1 1/2 cups (135g) graham cracker crumbs (in the UK, use digestive biscuit crumbs)
1/4 cup (60g) butter, melted
3 1/2 ounces (4 serving size) lemon pie filling mix
2/3 of a can of carnation evaporated milk, well chilled (I put mine in the freezer until ice crystals form. Save the rest of the can for another use.)
2 TBS fresh lemon juice
2 cups (450g) well drained sliced peaches

Graham crackers are not readily available in the UK, although you can, or could, get them at some speciality shops. You can use the equivalent amount of Digestive biscuit crumbs.

Jut pop them into a food processor and process them until they are finely ground. They work and tast pretty much the same.

If you really wanted to shake things up you could use shortbread biscuit crumbs, but the graham cracker crumbs are the original.

Lets talk evaporated milk here. When I say evaporated milk I mean the milk that comes in the can that is simply milk which has been heat processed to remove a goodly portion of the water.

I am not talking about sweetened condensed milk, which also comes in a can, but which is thick and sweet with sugar.

I am talking about the milk. No sugar added. The most popular brand is carnation and it comes in several different fat contents. I use the full fat one.

You want the milk to be really well chilled. I put it in the refrigerator the night before when I go to bed and then in the morning I pop the chilled can into the freezer and leave it for a couple of hours until ice crystals form.

This whips up just like whipped cream, but with only a fraction of the calories. In a pinch you could use whipping cream I suppose, but I never have done.

The lemon pie filling is the filling mix that you would buy to make a lemon meringue pie. It is usually in the baking section of the stores. You will need a four serving sized package.

If you can get peaches preserved in juice, use them rather than the ones in syrup. In every case, drain well and pat dry with some paper towels.

HOW TO MAKE PEACHY LEMON WHIP

This is so easy a simple school girl can make it! 😉

Mix the crumbs an butter together until well combined. Press 2 TBS of the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of 8 dessert glasses, reserving a few TBS to sprinkle on top of the finished desserts. Place into the refrigerator to chill.

Prepare the pudding mix as for a pie. Cool completely, stirring often.

Place the canned milk into the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the whisk, beat until the milk doubles in volume and stiffens. (You can use a hand mixer but it will take a lot longer.) Whip in the lemon juice.

Beat the cooled pudding until light and fluffy. Fold the beaten pudding and the whipped milk together until evenly combined.

Spoon into the dessert dishes, top with the drained sliced peaches and sprinkle with the reserved crumb mixture.

Chill for several hours until serving time.

Today, as I was transporting this delicious dessert to my sisters for after supper, I assembled the majority of it in a large glass bowl with a lid, and that is completely okay. But for a prettier presentation do it in individual dessert dishes.

These dishes were my mom's. My sister lent them to me for this. I am guarding them with my life because if anything happens to them, she will never forgive me!

I sure hope everyone enjoys this tiny bit of nostalgia I am bring over to share tonight. I predict that they will!

Some other delicious desserts here in The English Kitchen that you might enjoy are:

EASY LEMON & BLACKBERRY DESSERT - All you need for these are a few simple things. Berries, water, sugar, Greek Yogurt, cream, lemon curd and some crisp meringues. Easy peasy.

BERRY AND WHITE CHOCOLATE PUDDING - A delicious baked cake type of pudding, chock full of lovely berries and yummy white chocolate. Fabulous served warm spooned out into dishes with some cream for pouring.

BANOFFEE MESS - This recipe today is a play on a traditional British indulgence known as Eton Mess, which is a dessert composed of red berries, whipped cream and crushed meringues, all folded together into a splodgy mess which is oh so delicious! Instead here you have sliced bananas, toffee sauce, meringues, cream and toasted pecans!

Peachy Lemon Whip

Yield: 8

Author: Marie Rayner

Prep time: 35 MinCook time: 2 HourTotal time: 2 H & 35 M

This is an old, old recipe that I learned to make in one of my high school Home Economics classes. It has remained a favorite dessert in my own family for over 50 years. Yes, I am that old.

Ingredients

1 1/2 cups (135g) graham cracker crumbs (in the UK, use digestive biscuit crumbs)
1/4 cup (60g) butter, melted
3 1/2 ounces (4 serving size) lemon pie filling mix
2/3 of a can of carnation evaporated milk, well chilled (I put mine in the freezer until ice crystals form. Save the rest of the can for another use.)
2 TBS fresh lemon juice
2 cups (450g) well drained sliced peaches

Instructions

Mix the crumbs an butter together until well combined.
Press 2 TBS of the mixture into the bottom and up the sides of 8 dessert glasses, reserving a few TBS to sprinkle on top of the finished desserts. Place into the refrigerator to chill.
Prepare the pudding mix as for a pie. Cool completely, stirring often.
Place the canned milk into the bowl of a stand mixer. Using the whisk, beat until the milk doubles in volume and stiffens. (You can use a hand mixer but it will take a lot longer).
Whip in the lemon juice.
Beat the cooled pudding until light and fluffy.
Fold the beaten pudding and the whipped milk together until evenly combined.
Spoon into the dessert dishes, top with the drained sliced peaches and sprinkle with the reserved crumb mixture.
Chill for several hours until serving time.

Did you make this recipe?

Tag @marierayner5530 on instagram and hashtag it # marierayner5530

This content (written and photography) is the sole property of The English Kitchen. Any reposting or misuse is not permitted. If you are reading this elsewhere, please know that it is stolen content and you may report it to me at mariealicejoan at aol dot com.

Thanks so much for visiting! Do come again!!

Follow my blog with Bloglovin

read article

Amish Potato Salad

Sunday, 3 July 2022

I have long held a fascination for the Amish, or horse and buggy people as they are lovingly referred to. I have lived near Horse and Buggy country in Southern Ontario, where you often saw them trotting along the road and a beware of horse and buggy sign was very common on the roadways.

I am not sure what it is that fascinates me. The slower, unsophisticated lifestyle? Perhaps. The way they eschew all things modern? Perhaps also . . . but I am not so naïve as to think I could ever live that way.

I like many of my modern conveniences far too much, and I don't think I would like having to wear a dress and cap all of the time.

The food however? I could easily cope with that. They are incredibly good cooks. I have been collecting Amish recipes and cookbooks since the 1980's.

I think the horse and buggy people I lived near in Canada actually were old order Mennonites, but they are very similar to be honest.

I remember going to a farmer's market in Kitchener/Waterloo back in the early 1980's. There were lots of Mennonites who had stalls, selling some of the nicest preserves, meats, produce, baked goods and crafts you could ever want to purchase.

There was also a Mennonite restaurant in the Saint Jacob's area we loved to eat at called Anna Mae's. Best food ever I have eaten! Ever.

I also used to buy fabulous produce, meats, etc. at the 401 flea market in the 1990's Again from Mennonites.

With that in mind I wanted to try a different potato salad this weekend, a traditional Amish Potato Salad with eggs. I found a recipe in a book I have entitled The Amish Cook, Recollections and Recipes from an Old Order Amish Family, by Elizabeth Coblentz.

Every recipe I have made from this book has always been delicious, and this salad was no exception. I was a bit concerned it might be too sweet, but it was just perfect!

Creamy, crunchy, with just the right amount of egg and celery.

WHAT YOU NEED TO MAKE AMISH POTATO SALAD

There are actually two aspects to this recipe. The salad itself, but also the cooked dressing that you prepare ahead of time to make the salad.

Don't worry if you don't want to or haven't got the time to make the cooked dressing. You can use Miracle Whip or even mayonnaise in it's place.

For the Salad Dressing:

1 large free range egg
1 cup (240ml) water plus 1 TBS
2/3 cup (82.5 g) plain, all purpose flour
2 tsp dry mustard powder
2/3 cup (126.5 g) fine granulated sugar
1/2 cup (120ml) cider vinegar
3/4 cup (180ml) salad oil (I use light olive oil)
1 TBS lemon juice

For the salad:

4 hard boiled eggs, cooled
3 cups cooked, diced and chilled potatoes (with or without skins on)
1/4 cup (55g) of salad dressing or Miracle Whip
1 1/2 tsp American style prepared mustard
2 TBS cider vinegar
1/4 small onion, chopped fine
3/4 cup (150g) sugar
1 tsp salt
black pepper to taste
2 stalks celery, chopped
2 TBS milk

I like to make the cooked salad dressing a day ahead of time, if I am using it, so that it is nicely chilled when it comes to putting everything together. New potatoes are best when it comes to making potato salad as they hold their shape better.

You can add a bit of vinegar to the cooking water when you are boiling them. This will also help them to hold their shape. I prefer my potatoes peeled in this type of salad.

By the American style mustard called for here, I mean the bright yellow mustard. You can also use Dijon. I did, and its fine. Not as harsh or vinegary and with a bit of a zip.

You can use finely chopped spring onions instead of regular onion for a milder taste and more color.

I always de-string my celery. Just grab the strings with the side of a knife and gently pull down the length of the stalk. Easy peasy I don't like string on my celery.

HOW TO MAKE AMISH POTATO SALAD

Make the dressing a day ahead. It will keep for many weeks in the refrigerator. In a small bowl, lightly beat the egg with the 1 TBS of water.

Mix the flour, mustard and sugar together in a saucepan, eliminating any lumps. Whisk in the remaining water, lemon juice and vinegar. Heat over medium high heat for one minute, stirring constantly. The mixture will be quite thick.

Add a bit of the hot mixture to the beaten egg to temper it and then return the whole lot to the saucepan. Cook for one minutes longer, until it has the consistency of mashed potatoes and is slightly off white in color.

Remove from the heat, cover with wax paper and cool completely. Store in a covered jar in the refrigerator.

Peel the eggs and mash them in a large bowl using a potato masher. Add the potatoes, salad dressing, mustard, vinegar, onion, sugar, salt, celery and milk. Mix everything together well. The salad will be moist, but it will absorb some of the dressing upon standing.

Store covered and in the refrigerator for 3 to 4 days.

If you are fond of boiled eggs or celery, by all means add more. Some people like to add diced sweet pickles, or pickle relish. I have never been fond of pickles in my potato salad, but I do like egg.

I will often garnish the top with sliced boiled egg and a sprinkle of sweet paprika, or parsley, or both!

We really love our potato salads in my family. I often make them in summer when we are eating lighter, outdoor type of food. They keep for several days and go with just about anything.

Some of my favorite potato salad recipes are:

DILL POTATO SALAD - You make your own creamy mayonnaise for this salad. Homemade mayonnaise is so very easy to make. Especially if you have an immersion blender, and I do. This is quite simply a delicious salad. If you like dill, this is for you.

BISTRO POTATO SALAD - Delicious fresh flavors, and no mayonnaise. Boiled new baby potatoes and egg. This salad uses lovely baby salad greens, fresh herbs ( I used mint, dill, tarragon, parsley and chives, and a few spring onions.) A few thinly sliced crisp garden radishes complete the picture . . .

Amish Potato Salad

Yield: 4 - 6

Author: Marie Rayner

Perfect for special occasions. I adapted this recipe from a cookbook, The Amish Cook by Elizabeth Coblentz. Its delicious. You can use either the cooked salad dressing (recipe provided) or you can use Miracle Whip. (The dressing makes 2 1/2 cups, but you will be able to use it for all sorts.)