I don't know why, but recently I have been dreaming about eating blancmange; something my grandmother used to make us as kids which I have fond memories of.
Supposedly anyone under the age of 80 has little idea what blancmange is. I beg to differ! But for those of you who don't know, blancmange (pronounced "blaw-mawnzhe") literally meaning white dessert in French, is an English summer jelly-like milk dessert stiffened with cornflour and set in a mould. It is often coloured pink.
So, as this week on Torie Jayne I am showing you all things vintage in a homage to Vintage at Goodwood I decided I would make some blancmange. I was strolling down the baking aisle in my local supermarket ready to pick up the ingredients I needed to make one when I noticed a box of strawberry, vanilla, raspberry and chocolate blancmange. So yes, I cheated and bought a box from Pearce Duff, which turned out not to be exactly cheating as the brand started in 1847. I borrowed a couple of vintage moulds from my mother who had had them passed down to her from her mother.
After seeing this vintage Birds advert, I decided to make mine in tiers of flavour.
If you want to make one from scratch, I found this recipe from 'Modern home cookery in pictures' contributors, Blanche Anding and Joan Robins; photographs by Tanner circa 1955.
Cornflour Blancmange
Ingredients
1 1/4 oz cornflour
1 pt milk
2 oz sugar
Pinch salt
Flavouring
Cooking instructions
- Smooth the lumps (if any) out of the cornflour and shake with a very little of the milk.
- Put the rest of the milk on to boil with the sugar and a pinch of salt.
- When almost boiling pour the hot milk on to the slaked cornflour and mix well.
- Pour all back into the saucepan and boil for three minutes, stirring all the time.
- Rinse a mould or small moulds with cold water and pour in the cornflour mixture.
- Allow to set and then turn out.
- If flavouring is used it should be added after boiling and just before pouring the blancmange into the mould.
Have a sweet day!
