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.

Wishing you all pineapples for Christmas!

In a truly inspired moment Ella created this fabulous pineapple with chocolates, a champagne bottle and green tissue paper! Thank you Ella!!! Love it, but some of the chocolates have already disappeared . . .

The Australian Women’s Weekly Picture Cookery: A pictorial guide to home cooking, Sydney c1950

Christmas Trifle

6 sponge cakes; raspberry jam; 1 glass of sherry; 6 rounds of pineapple; 300ml custard; cream; angelica; almonds

Spread the sponge cakes with jam and cut them into cubes. Put these into 6 individual glasses and pour a little sherry over each. Shred the pineapple rings and out them on the cake. Cover with a layer of custard, then top with whipped cream, some pieces of angelica and a few shredded almonds.

100 Delicious Biscuits and Slices, The Australian Women’s Weekly 1972

White Christmas

225g solid white vegetable shortening; 3 cups rice bubbles; 1 cup coconut; ¾ cup icing sugar; 1 cup full-cream milk powder; 25g mixed peel; 25g preserved ginger; 25 glacé apricots; 25g glacé pineapple; ¼ cup sultanas; 25g glacé cherries

Melt chopped white vegetable shortening over gentle heat. Combine rice bubbles, coconut, sifted icing sugar, powdered milk and chopped fruits; mix well. Add melted shortening and mix thoroughly.

Press mixture into lightly greased and paper-lined 18cm X 28cm lamington tin. Refrigerate until firm, cut into bars for serving.

 

Party Prescriptions, compiled for your pleasure. All proceeds 1st Red Hill Scout Group Building Fund, Canberra 1963 

Non-alcoholic Drinks and Punches: Fruit Punch

1 ½ cups water; 1 ½ cups sugar; 600ml cold strained tea; 2 litres chilled water; juice of 6 lemons; juice of 6 oranges; 600ml grated pineapple

To serve: Boil sugar and water for 10 minutes. Cool and add other ingredients. Allow to stand for one hour. Add the cold water. Dip the rims of glasses in a little orange or lemon juice, then in crystal sugar to give frosted appearance. Serve punch in glasses with chipped ice and cherry on top.

Betty Crocker’s Cook Book for Boys and Girls, 1957

Pineapple Meringue Trifle, it's got it all!

The Australian Women’s Weekly Cookery Book, Prize Recipes from our £2,000 Cookery Contest, 1948

Pineapple Meringue Trifle  

One layer of sponge sandwich (18cm in diameter), 450ml milk, 2 tblsp sugar, 2 tbls cornflour, 1 dstsp sherry, 2 eggs, 1 1/2 cups finely chopped cooked pineapple (drained free of syrup), ¾ pint red jelly, 4 tblsp 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 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 very moderate oven (190°C) 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.

Coral Queen Trifle

440g can Golden Circle Crushed Pineapple, a one-layer sponge cake cut into slices, jam for spreading, 1 banana, 2 passionfruit, coconut, 500 ml custard sauce, cold.

Cut cake into slices and spread with jam. Drain pineapple and place layer in serving dish. Follow with a layer of cake, top with the remaining pineapple and sprinkle with coconut. Add sliced banana and passionfruit pulp and pour over custard sauce. Chill til serving time and garnish with whipped cream and chopped lime jelly.