My previous post was, on the whole, written in a sombre tone. I don’t like to dwell too long in darker spaces so, today, I want to lighten the mood and switch, in a rather mercurial fashion, to a relatively light and fluffy topic….. Spanish Cream……a favourite dessert, from yester year, which is probably no more Spanish than Canadian War Cake is particularly Canadian. Or French fries, truly French.
This is Spanish Cream
Spanish Cream
I am not sure how old-fashioned a dish is Spanish Cream ( Google and Wiki are unhelpful in this regard) but I first encountered the creamy, silky-smooth, mousse-y deliciousness of this jellied custard when I was at boarding school; decades ago! It was one of the few items on the boarding school menu to which I looked forward.
This is the recipe I use. It is from my very old Edmonds recipe book.
Old recipe in an old book
As with most of my recipes, this one is very easy to make. How easy is illustrated by the young man in the embedded video. Although his method is slightly more carefree than mine, I love his relaxed approach!
And, there, you have it. Ready to eat , either on its own, or with any fruit of your choice. I prefer slightly sharp-flavoured fruit, like rhubarb or berries, to complement the sweetness of the Cream.
Sweet and simple
Now, although I adore Spanish Cream, made to the original recipe, I am sure it would work extremely well, (and would be better for me and kinder to the world), if it were made using a vegetarian setting agent and coconut milk/cream or almond milk . I have yet to try making a vegetarian alternative but thinking about doing so makes me realise that, in our rush to industrialize/ rationalise/commercialize food production, we have condensed the fascinating art of jelly making to a convenience food that comes in a small packet of garishly coloured crystals . For much of history, a banquet (think Henry VIII) was no such thing unless it came with elaborate jellies, and, in Victorian times, every well-dressed table required a jelly, to be considered properly presented. And even the more humble home table, with Northern English or Scottish origins, may, long ago, have enjoyed a simple type of jelly or flummery called Sowens, which was made from strained oatmeal. For more on the history of Jellies and Creams, take a look at this fascinating site http://www.historicfood.com/Jellies.htm
Then, come back here and enjoy a few more moments of light-hearted fluff.
© silkannthreades
silkannthreades 