1920: Jell-O, America’s Most Famous Dessert
The Genesee Pure Food Company, LeRoy, N. Y.
When fruit was plentiful and cheap [the housekeeper] could save on desserts by serving peaches, oranges, berries and apples; now, with high prices for fruit of all kinds, she is serving fruity desserts of Jell-O…. One package of plain Jell-O, that is one made of Jell-O and hot water, will serve six persons. In whipped form of almost any kind, one package will serve from nine to twelve persons. Certainly, it is worthwhile to know these things…
How to Add Fruit
When Jell-O has been dissolved and become cold, fruit and nutmeats can be placed in it in layers or rows, or arranged in any of the fanciful shapes seen in demonstrators’ exhibits, in the following manner:
Pour a little of the Jell-O in the mould, set it in a cold place, and when hardened arrange on it the fresh or canned fruit or the nutmeats chosen for the dessert. Add just enough cold Jell-O to hold the fruit in place and let it harden. Then pour on the rest of the Jell-O, or add more layers of fruit in the same manner as the first one.
New Style Bavarian Creams
Of all forms of whipped Jell-O the Bavarian creams are most popular, and they may well be, for in no other way can these favorite dishes be made so easily and cheaply. Jell-O is whipped with an egg-beater just as cream is, and does not require the addition of cream, eggs, sugar or any of the expensive ingredients used in making old-style Bavarian creams….
Raspberry Bavarian Cream
Wash one box of raspberries and sprinkle with four tablespoonfuls of sugar. Dissolve a package of Raspberry Jell-O in three-fourths pint of boiling water and when cold and still liquid whip to consistency of whipped cream. Then fold in the raspberries and juice. Set in a cold place to harden. Serve with whipped cream and garnish with fresh berries…. Read “How to Whip Jell-O”
How to Whip Jell-O
…Begin to whip the jelly when it is cool and still liquid–before it begins to congeal–and whip till it is of the consistency of whipped cream. Use a Dover egg-beater and keep the Jell-O cold while whipping by setting the dish in cracked ice, ice water or very cold water. A tin or aluminum quart measure is an ideal utensil for the purpose. Its depth prevents spattering, and tin and aluminum admit quickly the chill of the ice or cold water. Add cream or whatever else goes into the dessert after–not before–whipping the Jell-O.
When fruit is to be added, drain the juice from it at the start and measure it. Then dissolve the Jell-O in just enough boiling water to make a pint of liquid when the juice is added. Add the cold juice after dissolving the Jell-O in the boiling water. Whip when cold and still liquid, and then let the Jell-O congeal enough to hold the fruit in place before adding it….You will find that whipped Jell-O is delicious without anything at all added to it, or it can be made up with fruit, fruit juices, nutmeats, cream or a selection from a dozen other good things….
14-page booklet.
