Eureka! They found the Boston cream pie!

Hey there, time traveller!
This article was published 02/05/2007 (7027 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

CAROL Seniuk was looking for the Boston cream pie recipe that used to be on the side of a graham wafer box. Gertrude Hiebert sent in the actual side of the original Paulin’s box with the recipe that follows, and Dolores Peluk of Beausejour sent an original printed paper version.

Thanks also to Shirley MacFarlane of Gimli, Bernice Novakowski of Beausejour, Kathleen Simard of Stonewall, Jenny De Jaegher of Somerset, Janet Carluck, Rose Chapman, Jan Gate-Shumsky, Therese Dumesnil and Leila Goods, who all sent in copies.

Trish Smith was searching for a chocolate sponge recipe that her mother used to make. She said it was like a firm chocolate mousse, and thought it may have been a Knox gelatin recipe. Thanks to Florence Bouchard for sending in chocolate chiffon dessert, from a 1970s Knox booklet.

Diane Mayes of Pierson wanted a Swedish meatball recipe. Helen Davis shared the following recipe from her grandmother, who was an Icelandic married to a Swede. Thanks also to Edna Mroz of Beausejour, Helen Ledwos of Selkirk, Janet Carluck, Dawn McKeag, Helen Pitura, Maureen Grant and Eva Smith for their recipes. They all looked very good.

This week’s requests include one from Maggie Kopp, who would like to duplicate the baked cheese appetizer from Pasquale’s on Osborne. Margaret Lewis wonders if anyone has the recipe for the soft, pastel coloured mint patties that Eaton’s used to sell at the Grill Room bakery. Her mother used to have a recipe that replicated them (using mashed potatoes, icing sugar and food colouring), but it has been misplaced.

Angela Smith has lost a recipe that was in a Weight Watchers day timer for beef liver nuggets. The liver was cut up, breaded with crouton crumbs and spices, then broiled.

Connie McLeod enjoyed frikadellen on a cruise and hopes someone could help her out with a recipe.

Evelyn Bulmer of Pine Falls and Allyson Sheedy are both looking for the recipe for the Japanese house salad/cole slaw (cabbage in a cold, slightly sweet vinegar dressing) that used to be served at Yamato’s on Stafford.

Vi Mann hopes someone has a copy of a recipe that was in the Free Press a few years ago for “best spare ribs/barbecue” done in the oven, and Kelly Wiebe is looking for one that ran for Marigold’s sweet and sour sauce, made with pickle juice.

If you can help with a recipe request, have your own request, or a favourite recipe you’d like to share, send an e-mail to recipeswap@freepress.mb.ca, fax 697 7412, or write to Recipe Swap, c/o Darlene Henderson, Winnipeg Free Press, 1355 Mountain Ave., Winnipeg, MB, R2X 3B6. Please include your first and last name, address and telephone number. (Please note that your submission may not appear right away, due to space limitations.)

Boston cream pie

32 Paulin’s Honey Graham Wafers

1 ml (1/4 tsp) salt

15 ml (1 tbsp) sugar

125 ml (1/2 cup) butter

Roll graham wafers until quite fine, turn into mixing bowl, add salt and sugar, and stir lightly. Add butter and blend as for pastry. Measure 1/4 cup of crumbs and keep out for top of meringue. Empty remainder of crumbs into a 9-inch pie plate, press and mould to shape of pie plate, using a large spoon. Bake in a moderate oven at 350F for approximately 15 minutes. Meanwhile, prepare filling.

500 ml (2 cups) milk

80 ml (1/3 cup) sugar

45 ml (3 tbsp) cornstarch

Pinch of salt

Butter, size of walnut

7 ml (1 1/2 tsp) vanilla

2 eggs, separated

Pinch of salt (additional)

1 ml (1/4 tsp) vanilla (additional)

30 ml (2 tbsp) sugar (additional)

Heat 375 ml (1 1/2 cups) of milk in the top part of a double boiler. Add sugar. Combine corn starch with the remainder of milk. Stir until smooth, add to heated mixture and stir until mixture thickens. Add salt, butter, vanilla and the beaten egg yolks. Cook two minutes longer, remove from heat, cool slightly, then turn into the baked graham wafer crust. Beat egg whites until they stand in peaks, add salt, vanilla and sugar. Mix well and spread over filling. Garnish with the remaining 60 ml (1/4 cup) of graham wafer crumbs and brown in a slow oven. Cool and serve.

Taste Tester Notes: This is a simple, old-fashioned custard pie. The original box states that approximately 36 wafers equals 500 ml (2 cups) crumbs. Some later versions of the recipe call for 310 ml (1 1/4 cups) of crumbs, and others for 500 ml (2 cups) in a 10-inch pie plate. I tried it with both amounts, and both worked, though using the lesser amount of crumbs makes for a very rich crust. After baking the crust, it seems very buttery and you might think it will fall apart, but it does firm up as it chills. (My preference is 430 ml or 1 3/4 cups crumbs for a 9-inch pan). Check crust after 10 minutes to prevent over-browning. I browned meringue at 325 F for 10 minutes.

Chocolate chiffon dessert

1 envelope Knox unflavoured gelatin

125 ml (1/2 cup) sugar, divided

.5 ml (1/8 tsp) salt

80 ml (1/3 cup) cocoa

3 eggs, separated

375 ml (1 1/2 cups) milk

5 ml (1 tsp) vanilla

Whipped cream

Mix gelatin, 60 ml (1/4 cup) sugar, salt and cocoa in top of double boiler. Beat egg yolks and milk together, add to gelatin. Cook over boiling water, stirring constantly until gelatin is dissolved, about 5 minutes. Remove from heat and stir in vanilla. Chill to unbeaten egg white consistency. Beat egg whites until stiff. Beat in remaining 60 ml (1/4 cup) sugar. Fold chocolate mixture into egg whites. Turn into a 1-litre (4-cup) mould or individual moulds. Chill until firm. Unmould on serving plate and garnish with whipped cream.

Taste Tester Notes: A very good and light dessert. Because of its froth-like texture, it can be a bit delicate to slice and serve. It would be easiest to use individual moulds or dessert cups.

Swedish meatballs

375 ml (1 1/2 cups) bread crumbs

250 ml (1 cup) light cream

225 g (1/2 lb) each of ground steak, veal and pork (or 3/4 lb each of lean beef and pork)

1 onion, chopped fine

8 ml (1 3/4 tsp) salt

2 ml (1/2 tsp) all spice

1 ml (1/4 tsp) nutmeg

45 ml (3 tbsp) margarine

Soak bread crumbs with cream. Mix remaining ingredients, then combine with bread crumbs and mix in 2 eggs. Chill about an hour, so they are easier to roll. Shape into small balls and bake on cookie sheet (with sides) at 400 F for about 12 minutes or until brown (be sure to turn).

Combine 1 can beef broth, 225 ml (1/2 cup) light cream, 5 ml (1 tsp) pepper, 15 ml (1 tbsp) dill in a pot. (I usually double amounts for more gravy). Add meatballs and drippings. Cook over low heat (250 F) for 1 to 1 1/2 hours. To make gravy thicker, add cornstarch. If you need to thin it down, use cream.

Taste Tester Notes: These are delicious. I used 225 g (1/2 lb) each of lean ground beef, veal and pork and omitted the margarine. Some readers noted in their recipes that they use all beef. The crumbs only need to soak a few minutes in the cream (otherwise they can turn into a solid mass). I browned the meatballs all at once in a large non-stick electric skillet, and then added gravy ingredients and continued cooking in the skillet over low heat for an hour. I did double the gravy ingredients, which seemed to make just the right amount of sauce. I thickened it at the end with 30 ml (2 tbsp) cornstarch mixed in to 60 ml (1/4 cup) of half and half. This made 7 1/2 dozen approximately 1-inch meatballs.