cooking · Dessert

My Mother’s Kitchen: Prune Whip Delight

Long time joke was “Prune Whip Delight”. It was the answer to everything “Well, you don’t like dinner? Here, let me go make you some Prune Whip Delight!” Funny is…as an adult this is a tasty treat. As 10 not so much 😉 I threaten Ford with it all the time. Someday I will have to make it for him 😉

Anyone else recognize this little cookbook? It is a copy of Peanuts Cook Book. But might have had to been born before the early 80’s to recognize it 😉

My brother and I had a copy of it when we were kids. It was such a fun cookbook! Anyhow…one of the two recipes for Prune Whip were in it. If you ever see a vintage copy at a garage sale or thrift shop, pick it up. Your kids will love you.

There was also another recipe out there, in the Better Homes & Gardens New Cook Book (1953 Edition). That is a book I need to get a new copy of once again!

Prune Whip

Ingredients:

  • 1 lb dried prunes
  • Water to cover
  • 1/3 cup granulated sugar
  • ½ pint heavy whipping cream
  • Sugar to taste
  • ½ vanilla extract

Directions:

Soak prunes for at least an hour in the water. The sugar and bring to a boil. Let simmer, covered on low, until prunes are puffy and tender.

Cool and cut each prune in quarters. Chill in refrigerator.

Beat whipping cream until it begins to thicken, add ½ to 1 teaspoon sugar and vanilla, beat until stiff. Fold in the chilled prunes.

Serves 6.

Notes: Back when these kinds of recipes came out prunes were like dates and well…all dried fruit. The stuff was hard as bricks and stale as can be. Today dried prunes are moist right out of the package. So in theory one can cook them in a lot less time. An hour simmering now would result in prune purée. Still good though. Oh and the original directions mention pitting. Oh thank you food manufacturers for removing that step!

~Sarah

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