Thanks for this. I have another recipe for this in my puddings folder, but I might try this one too.
Becky ----- Original Message ----- From: "Khanh Hoang" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> To: <[email protected]> Sent: Friday, September 28, 2007 12:25 AM Subject: [RecipesAndMore] Blancmange > > Has anyone ever had or made blancmange? I recently reread one of my > favorite books--Little Women--and there's references to it. It was > driving me nuts, so I finally googled it and found the following > explanation--I wanna try the recipe given at the end. > > > Blancmange is a type of sweet > pudding > which has been made in Europe for centuries. The dish is also known > as "shape," a reference to the fact that it is usually set in > elaborate molds. The > > flavor > of traditional blancmange is mild, and the dish is popularly dressed > with sauces or > fresh fruit > . The history of blancmange is long and quite old, and the true > origins of the dish are shrouded in mystery. Monty Python fans may be > familiar with blancmange > in the form of alien sentient beings which invade the planet Earth > during "Monty Python's Flying Circus." > > It is believed that the origins of blancmange can be found in the Arab > introduction of > almonds > to Europe, since the dish traditionally contains > almonds > . As early as the 1200s, recipes for blancmange were being prepared in > Germany. The original blancmange was actually a thick, neutrally > flavored stew with > > chicken stock > , sweeteners, almonds, shredded meat, rosewater, and rice flour as a > thickener. At some point during the 1600s, blancmange became the snowy > white dessert > pudding which most consumers know today. Both foods have traditionally > been thought of as good for invalids, since they are easy to digest, > gently flavored, > and nutritious. > > The name for the > food > is taken from the French blanc for "white" and manger for "eating" or > "food." The "white dish," as it was called, was popular among the > upper classes of > England especially. Some cooks added colorings for especially festive > occasions, and modern blancmange is sometimes colored as well. In the > early days, > blancmange would have been largely white, due to the ingredients used, > and it may have been heavily spiced on occasion, since access to > spices was a status > symbol. > > To make a variation on 17th century blancmange, start by toasting two > cups of almonds. While the almonds are toasting, gently heat two cups > of half and > half and mix the dairy with one quarter cup of sugar until the sugar > dissolves. Grind the almonds with the half and half until the mixture > is smooth, and > force it through a small grained sieve or > cheesecloth > into a bowl. You will end up with approximately one and one half cups > of liquid, to which you should add four drops of > almond extract > or essence. > > Next, dissolve three teaspoons of gelatin in one third cup warm water, > and allow it to sit for approximately 10 minutes. Stir the gelatin > into the almond > mixture, and stir the bowl over a bath of ice so that the blancmange > begins to firm. Next, whip one cup of cream, and fold it into the > blancmange. Pour > the pudding into molds to set under refrigeration for several hours, > and turn it out onto plates to serve, garnished with > fruit > or a sauce of your choice. > > > > --~--~---------~--~----~------------~-------~--~----~ Access the Recipes And More list archives at: http://www.mail-archive.com/recipesandmore%40googlegroups.com/ Visit the group home page at: http://groups.google.com/group/RecipesAndMore -~----------~----~----~----~------~----~------~--~---
