Both today and a hundred years ago, some tasty recipes are embedded in advertisements. Food companies hoped to sell more of the advertised ingredient, and they carefully tested recipes before including them in an advertisement. I recently saw a Jell-O advertisement in a 1925 magazine that included a recipe for Apple Snow Jell-O (Gelatin), and decided to give it a try.
Apple Snow Gelatin contains strawberry gelatin topped with whipped lemon gelatin that is embedded with very small pieces of grated apple. It is refreshing with prominent notes of citrus in the foamy “snow” topping, but had almost no apple flavor (which was unexpected since the recipe title refers to “apple snow”). The grated apple pieces do create a slightly chewy texture. The recipe is fun and easy to make.
Here’s the original recipe:
The recipe does not call for putting any lemon juice on the grated apples to avoid discoloration, but I was concerned about potential discoloration, so I used a little lemon juice. I stirred the lemon juice and sugar into the grated apples, then let them sit for a few minutes while I whipped the lemon gelatin. I then drained the grated apple mixture before adding to the whipped gelatin.
Here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:
Apple Snow Gelatin
1 3-ounce box of strawberry gelatin
1/2 3-ounce box of lemon gelatin (Use other half of the box to make another recipe or plain lemon gelatin.)
2 cups boiling water + 1 cup boiling water
1 medium apple
4 tablespoons sugar
1 teaspoon lemon juice
Step 1. Put strawberry gelatin into a bowl, then add 2 cups boiling water. Stir until the gelatin is dissolved. Let cool slightly then fill small dessert serving glasses 3/4 full with the liquid. (The number of glasses needed will vary depending upon their size. Refrigerate at least 3 hours or until the gelatin is set.
Step 2. In the meantime, put lemon gelatin int0 a bowl, then add 2 cups boiling water. Stir until the gelatin is dissolved. Pour into a mixing bowl. Refrigerate until the gelatin is just beginning to thicken (about 1 – 1 1/2 hours).
Step 3. Wait until the gelatin is cool and just barely beginning to thicken, then peel and core the apple. Grate the apple. (I used a box grater.) Put the grated apple, sugar, and lemon juice in a small bowl, and stir to mix the ingredients. Set aside.
Step 4. Beat the lemon gelatin that is beginning to thicken with electric beaters until the gelatin is very foamy.
Step 5. Drain the grated apple mixture using a strainer. Gently press the grated apples to remove any additional liquid. Then gradually add the grated apples to the whipped lemon gelatin. The grated apples have a tendency to clump, so just put a small amount into the whipped gelatin at a time, and stir before adding more. If there are still clumps of grated apple in the gelatin, beat the gelatin for just a couple seconds to evenly disperse. (If there is a need to beat to disperse clumps of grated apple, take care not to beat more than a few seconds or the grated apples will be pulverized and lose their texture.) Refrigerate the whipped gelatin with grated apples until set (at least an additional 2 hours).
Step 6. To serve: Scoop some of the whipped lemon gelatin mixture on top of the strawberry gelatin.
This does look like a fun recipe!
I enjoy whipping gelatin. The texture is so different from regular gelatin. I’m currently thinking of ways I might use a whipped gelatin topping on other desserts.
So I am thinking, and I could be wrong, that the citric acid in the lemon Jello is enough to keep the apples from browning.
You may be right. I didn’t want to take chances on the apples darkening, but I may not have needed the lemon juice.
You are reminding me that I might do a run on my blog about my mom’s recipes. Kept in a red notebook along with lottery numbers.
You should do it. I know that I would enjoy reading posts about her recipes, and you would probably enjoy rekindling some food memories as you worked on the posts.. It’s so much fun that your mother combined recipes and lottery numbers in the same notebook.
I think you should post the lottery numbers also!!
Becky, that is an interesting take on this. I think they were random but maybe they might be the winning numbers some day and somewhere!
These are fancy words for a dessert showpiece. Sounds good!
It’s yummy.
Interesting. I’ve never seen flavoured gelatine here. I’m sure we don’t have it. Does it taste ‘artificial’?
Yes, it does.
😒
Wow, I’m amazed that you don’t have Jell-O or other flavored gelatins on your side of the Atlantic. We’ve discovered another food difference between our countries. As to whether it tastes artificial – I suppose that it does, but I’ve eaten Jell-O my whole life, so it just tastes like Jell-O to me.
We’re not great cookers-with-gelatin here. I’m certainly not. A bit faffy!
That is an unusual dish. I wonder what made someone think of it.
Some recipe authors are so creative.
Maybe the varieties of apples were more flavorful then?
Could be – Today it seems like there are only 5 or 6 varieties of apples that are typically sold in stores. A hundred-years-ago, many types of apples with a wide range of characteristics were commonly raised. Some of these heirloom varieties are still raised by people who care about preserving them, but I seldom see heirloom apples at the store or at the farmer’s market that I frequent.
This is a little taste of history in every spoonful – yummy!
🙂 I really enjoy exploring food history.
Fabulous! Thanks for sharing.
It’s wonderful to hear that you enjoyed this post.
I’m thinking of trying this without the apple, just having a fun whipped Jello topping on red Jello. Actually a number of flavors of Jello might work.
This would work fine without the grated apple. As you noted, it’s fun to think about different combinations of gelatin flavors that might work well. The underlying basic ideas in this recipe have a lot of potential for adaptation.
Sheryl this recipe is very pretty! Almost festive! It doesn’t look too difficult either!!
It does make a nice presentation, and is very easy to make.
Sounds like just the thing for the holidays!
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Wow, thanks for letting me know. I’m very humbled. There are a lot of wonderful food blogs out there, and I’m incredibly honored that they selected A Hundred Years Ago. I hadn’t realized that it was featured until I saw your comment.
Note to other readers: Here’s the article that Anne is referring to: 11 Delicious Food Blog Examples to Savor and Learn From
A Hundred Years Ago is #3 of the list.
I admire your blog and am so happy you’ve been honored in this way.