Blancmange

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

1. Smooth the lumps (if any) out of the cornflour and shake with a very little of the milk.
2. Put the rest of the milk on to boil with the sugar and a pinch of salt.
3. When almost boiling pour the hot milk on to the slaked cornflour and mix well.
4. Pour all back into the saucepan and boil for three minutes, stirring all the time.
5. Rinse a mould or small moulds with cold water and pour in the cornflour mixture.
6. Allow to set and then turn out.
7. If flavouring is used it should be added after boiling and just before pouring the blancmange into the mould.

Have a sweet day!