Pineapple Meringue Trifle

The Esk Valley Cookery Book: Treasured Recipes of the Country Women of the Esk Valley, Tasmania, Country Women's Association and The New Idea 1930s. Recipe contributed by R Farrell, Longford.

Pineapple Meringue Trifle

One layer of sponge sandwich (7 inches/17cm in diameter); ¾ pint/425ml milk; 2 tblspn sugar; 2 tblsp cornflour; 1 dstsp sherry; 2 eggs; 1 ½ cup finely chopped pineapple (drained free of syrup); ¾ pint/425ml red jelly; 4 tblspn extra sugar (for meringue); chopped blanched almonds; and a few strawberries to garnish

Cut sponge into cubes, arrange a layer on bottom of ovenware dish. Blend cornflour with some of the milk, add balance of the milk and sugar, stir until boiling. Simmer 3 minutes. Cool slightly, add beaten egg yolks, cook a few minutes over low heat without allowing to boil. Add sherry.

Pour half over cake in dish. Cover with half pineapple. Add another layer of cake, custard, pineapple. Beat egg whites to meringue consistency with extra sugar, pile around edge of dish.

Place in a very moderate oven (325°F/160°C gas, 375°F/190°C electric) until meringue is set and very lightly browned,

Allow to become cold, then chill in ice chest or refrigerator.

Set jelly in shallow tin; when quite set, chop and pile in centre of trifle. Garnish with chopped almonds and a few strawberries.

Pineapple and custard 1

Foster Clark’s Cookery Book, Progress in the Kitchen, A Collection of Well- tried and Delicious Modern Recipes, c1934 Sydney

“Progress in the Kitchen

THE hand of progress is nowhere more apparent than in

the kitchen. The manufactured food products have

eliminated many of the laborious and expensive cooking

processes which were formerly an indispensable part of

the housewife's labours. The use of custard powder as a

substitute for eggs has now become more or less an every day

matter in the household, but the culinary possibilities of a

custard powder which can be absolutely relied upon for its

purity, strength and flavour, are far from being generally

realised.” The authors

Pineapple Custard

1 medium sized pineapple; 4 oz sugar; 1 pint Foster Clark’s Custard; Curacao; cream

Peel and slice the pineapple and arrange in a shallow dish. Sprinkle thickly with sugar and leave overnight on ice. 

Next day mix a little Curacao with the syrup which will have formed, and cover the pineapple with custard, made according to directions, and also flavoured with Curacao. The custard should be cold, and whisked until creamy before it is poured over the pineapple.

Whipped cream can be piled on top of the custard if desired, but it is quite a delicious dish without this.

Fruit Trifle

5 sponge cakes (I used some leftover pieces of cake); tinned or fresh fruit – apricot, pineapple, peaches or pears; 1 pint (2 cups) Foster Clark’s Custard (or any custard)

Split the sponge cakes and arrange in a dish with alternate layers of fruit, leaving a layer of fruit for the top.

Soak the sponge cakes thoroughly with fruit juice flavoured with sherry or maraschino.

Make the custard according to directions, and when nearly cold pour over the fruit.

Strawberry, Pineapple and Orange Conserve

Jams and Pickles, Supplement to the Australian Home Journal 1930s

Strawberry, Pineapple and Orange Conserve

Peel, core and shred fine 1 pineapple.

Pick over stem and wash 1 quart (4 cups) of strawberries.

Remove the peel from 3 large navel oranges, keeping it as whole as possible. 

Remove the pulp of the oranges with a sharp knife, discarding as much of the pith as possible and saving all juice. Boil the peels in plenty of water until very tender, then remove and with a spoon scoop out the bitter white inside leaving just the orange outer part. With a sharp knife cut the skins in tiny thin strips about ½” (1cm) long.

Now put the pineapple in a large enamel pan and add a pint (2 cups) of water. Boil for 20 minutes.

In the meantime, put the orange pulp and juice in another enamel pan with 2 ½ cups of sugar and boil for about 15 minutes.  Then add the rind and continue cooking slowly.

When the pineapple is cooked add the strawberries and 4 ½ cups of sugar. Bring to the boil, then add the orange and let it all boil together for 22 minutes, no longer.

Skim the jam while cooking, and stir carefully to prevent sticking.

Put in sterilised jars and the next day seal with wax.

More tips from the 1930s:

4 of the same: Pineapple and Tomato Jam

HB's Guide to … Fruit Preserving – Jams, Jellies too! The Australian Home Beautiful Centre Section, December 1959 by Jen Bowring

Jams: Tomato and Pineapple

Ingredients: Eight lb. ripe tomatoes, four and a half lb. sugar, one large pineapple, one level tsp citric acid

Method: Scald and peel tomatoes and cut up. Cut pineapple into small pieces, remove centre and boil together with one lb. sugar for 20 minutes. Heat rest of sugar and add when hot to boiling jam. Boil quickly for one hour, then add citric acid and boil for a few minutes longer.

Laurel Recipe Book and Household Guide, 5th Edition 1951,Vacuum Oil Company Pty Ltd, Melbourne

Jams, Jellies, Pickles, Sauces: Tomato and Pineapple Jam

6lb tomatoes to 1 pineapple; 4 1/2lb sugar; 1 level tsp citric acid

Scald and peel tomatoes, cut up and remove hard piece near stalk. Cut pineapple into small dice. Boil together with 1lb of sugar 20 minutes. Heat 3 1/2lb of sugar in oven, add to biling jam and boil for further ¾ hour. Few minutes before taking jam off, add citric acid.

“Carry On” Cooker Book Tenth Edition, Mrs King, Proceeds in aid of the Totally and Permanently Disabled Soldiers’ Association NSW, Sydney 1949

Jams, Jellies and Preserves: Tomato and Pineapple Jam

Grate 4lb pine and peel about 4lb tomato. Boil till pine is cooked, adding gradually 8lb sugar. The proportion of tomato may vary according to taste. Yellow tomatoes are very suitable for this jam.

Sydney Harbour Bridge Souvenir Cookery Book 1932 Mr John Morgan (Pastrycook)

Pineapple and Tomato Jam

Take 6 large pineapples, peel and cut into small pieces, take 15lb of tomatoes, plunge into boiling water, so that the skins come off easily; mix with the pineapple and stew gently till the latter is soft, then add ¾lb sugar to each lb of the mixture, and boil till it is done. If liked omit the tomatoes, but the above are very nice mixed.

Some advice from Mr John Morgan (Pastrycook):

Sydney Harbour Bridge Souvenir Cookery Book 1932 

Mr John Morgan (Pastrycook)

Pineapple Sandwich (Sponge)

Use an ordinary sponge mixing, baked in sandwich tins, and fill with the following mixture: Grate sufficient pineapple to fill a cup, take the same quantity icing sugar and cream. Beat the cream to a strong whip, and work in the pineapple and sugar a little at a time. When all are blended spread between the sandwiches. Ice with boiled icing, and decorate with pieces of pine and angelica cut to resemble leaves. 

I feel quite sure that the author, Mr John Morgan, would not approve of my decorations for Jane's birthday cake !!!! As he said:

“Practice makes perfection, and in nothing is this more true than in cake decorating.”

And this is one of his own prize winning creations (of which he was obviously VERY proud):

“It may be mentioned that the cake that won the championship of Australasia was electrically illuminated, there being 11 six-candle-power electric bulbs concealed in the threadwork upon the cake, and the brilliancy therefrom when all the lights were switched on gave forth a glorious sparkling lustre, surpassing even the glittering golden treasures that were found in the tomb of King Tutankhamen” Mr John Morgan.

And some more of Mr John Morgan's fabulously inventive cakes:

Electric Pineapples

I hope anyone who saw "Saving Mr Banks" admired the performance of the pineapple - I seriously hope it wins a Best Supporting Fruit and Vegetable Award at the Oscars on Sunday! Anne.

Electrical Association for Women Cookery Book and Electrical Guide Compiled and published by Mrs F. V. McKenzie
2^nd Edition 1938 Sydney Australia  

“If further advice is required or you have any electrical problem please write or call at the rooms of The Electrical Association for Women . . . and you will find friendly advice and practical assistance awaiting you.

Will you please add me to your list of friends?"

F. Violet McKenzie.

I suspect Mrs McKenzie would have LOVED Facebook!

Pineapple Pudding   

2 tblsp butter, 3 tblsp sugar, 2 eggs, ½ cup milk, 2 tblspn breadcrumbs, 1 cup grated pineapple, 1 dstspn lemon juice

Beat butter & sugar to a cream, add egg yolks, milk, breadcrumbs, pineapple & lemon juice. Fold in the stiffly beaten whites. Place in a buttered dish & cook in a moderate oven (220°C) about 300 minutes.

This dessert didn’t taste too bad but was a very odd consistency, I thought it would turn into a soufflé but no, it was like a sauce, if anyone out there tries it and achieves a delicious pudding please let me know! Anne.

Ices, Etc. – Cherry and Pineapple Cocktail       

225g fresh cherries; 1 cup pineapple cubes; ½ cup pineapple juice; 1 tblspn lemon juice; sugar

Remove stones from cherries and mix with pineapple cubes, etc Pour juices over, and chill thoroughly.                            

That was it, pineapple and cherries, enjoyable because these cherries from Pete's Fruit and Veg were absolutely delicious! Anne.

Country Club Punch

1 cup sugar; 950ml water; ¼ cup strong tea; 4 lemons; 4 oranges; 1 cup grape juice; small tin crushed pineapple;  475ml ginger ale

Boil sugar & water for 8 minutes, add tea and chill. Add fruit juices & pineapple, & keep in refrigerator for at least 2 hours before using. Add ginger ale & ice cubes just before serving. Serve with orange quarters, slices of lemon & some maraschino cherries.

“Electricity, this wonder of our age, was looked upon as a miracle, and yet we have advanced so far that cooking in an electric oven has become quite common practice, quite simple to anyone of ordinary intelligence, making it possible for anyone to lay claim to the truly feminine virtue of being a good cook. .  .

Food well chosen, nicely cooked and well served may tickle the palate of anyone. Man does not like monotony but appreciates variety in his every-day diet. How often some housewife or other has said: “What shall I prepare for dinner?” It is with a view to answering this question, and to help every housewife who has an electric range that Mrs McKenzie has devoted much care and thought to the preparation of this book.”

Frances McKay.

And for some useful advice,