I’m always looking for looking for nice breakfast foods, so decided to try a hundred-year-old recipe for Jelly Omelet. For the omelet, the eggs are separated and the whiten beaten, which results in a light and fluffy omelet. I’ve seen many recipes in old cookbooks that call for beating the egg whites when making an omelet, and I’ve previously made several of them – and they always turn out wonderfully. By comparison modern omelets seem heavy. Modern recipes seldom call for beating egg whites. I can’t figure out why the older method of making omelets seems to have largely been lost over time.
To make a Jelly Omelet, the cooked eggs are spread with jelly prior to folding to make the omelet. I used currant jelly – though other jams, jellies, or marmalades could be used. The sweet tartness of the currant jelly was a nice complement to the eggs.
This recipe is a keeper, and I anticipate that I’ll make it again. I have lots of jellies that I made last summer, and this is a tasty way to use some of the jelly.
Here is the original recipe:
Here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:
Jelly Omelet
4 eggs, separated
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon sugar
4 tablespoons hot water
1tablespoon butter, melted
jam, jelly, or marmalade
additional sugar to sprinkle on top of omelet (optional)
Preheat oven to 375° F. Place egg whites in a bowl, and beat the egg whites until they form stiff peaks. Set aside.
In another bowl, whisk the egg yolks, then stir in the salt, sugar, hot water, and melted butter. Fold in the beaten egg whites.
Heat a large oven-proof skillet (or use an omelet pan) on the top of the stove using medium-low heat. (If needed to prevent sticking, liberally grease the skillet before heating.) Pour the egg mixture into skillet, and gently cook for 1 minute. Turn the pan 90° to help ensure that the omelet cooks evenly, and gently cook for another minute. Then move the skillet to the oven, and bake for about 8 – 10 minutes or until the egg mixture is set. Remove from oven, and loosen the edges of the omelet from the skillet with a knife or spatula, then turn onto a plate. Thickly spread jam, jelly, or marmalade onto one half of the omelet, and the fold in half. If desired, sprinkle sugar on top of the omelet. Serve immediately.
A Hundred Years Ago 
I’m definitely going to try this. I think anytime a step is eliminated from a recipe it is due to convenience. Trying to save a minute or two in the morning.
Yes, I think you’re right. Not beating the egg whites definitely would streamline the recipe. With some shortcuts, I can’t see any difference in the finished product (for example, if I skip shifting flour) – but in this case there definitely is a difference in texture. An omelet made with the beaten egg whites is lighter.
I tried this technique this week and I was amazed at how HUGE the omelet was. I needed to tweak the cooking time and heat. Delicious!
It nice to hear that you enjoyed the omelet. It’s helpful to know that you tweaked the cooking time and heat.
We were taught to beat the egg whites separately in Home Ec. when making an omelet. My mother never did that step and thought it should be reserved for “fancy” occasions. This looks very tasty – I’ll have to give it a try!
Thanks for sharing the memories. Now that you mention it, this omelet does seems fancier because the texture is lighter than the typical omelet.
Haha! I always forget that your name for what we call jam is jelly, so you can imagine what I thought this omelette would be like, wibble-wobbling with gelatine! But yes, it definitely sounds worth a shot – with lashings of jam, of course!
Another example of a word that has a different meaning on each side of the Atlantic. Your description of your first thoughts when seeing this recipe – “wibble-wobbling with gelatin” are so vivid – and made me thankful that “jelly” refers to a different food here.
!!
Jam and jelly are used interchangeably by some people in the U.S., but in our household, jelly is more like gelatin and less like fruit, and jam is more like pureed fruit. Aside from that, I wish this recipe had included the recipe for the Thin White Sauce.
I guess it’s regular white sauce with extra milk?
I enjoyed seeing this 100-year-old recipe, Sheryl. Very interesting that the egg whites and egg yolks were done separately in these old-fashioned omelets.
I also find it fascinating since the old-recipes makes very nice light omelets – though I suppose people prefer the modern recipe because it is quicker to make.
Occasionally, my mom would make a sweet soufflé omelet, pretty much this technique, and fill it with strawberries and cream! So good!
mmm. . . the souffle omelet sounds wonderful. Just reading your description makes me hungry.
We’ve always separated the eggs when making an omelet.
I think that your family used the more traditional method for making omelets.
I’ve never heard of Jelly omelettes before.
The Jelly Omelet was tasty.
I had never either, but it makes me want to try one! After I get finished with my keto diet and lose 10 more pounds!
I guess the extra step might be worth it. I will have to try this method.
You should give it a try. I think that you will like the resulting omelet.
Now to remember!
I’d never even heard of a jelly omelette until we were watching an old episode of Hazel where she was making them for the family. I guess now I have to try it!
I’d also never heard of a jelly omelet until I saw the recipe in the old cookbook. It’s fun to hear that it was mentioned in an old episode of Hazel. It must have been a more popular food in the past than it is now. The jelly omelet was very tasty; not sure why people don’t seem to make it much anymore.
I’m watching that episode now! That’s why I looked this up.
That Hazel episode is playing again and is why I looked it up too.
i have never heard of this until an old episode of Hazel popped up on tv. Is this regional? Jelly and omelettes are kept separate on my plate and probably still will be.
Anyone know what a ‘chopped olive sandwich is? Betty …on Father Knows Best…. begrudgingly asked for one when pressed to make an order in a restaurant. As if it was common fare. Never heard of it except of muffuletta.