116. Vanilla Bavarian Cream

I went back home to my beloved Pittsburgh for Labor Day weekend, so I’ve been off the grid. But don’t worry, although I wasn’t out and about on the Interwebs, I was still cooking. The weather was absolute crap when I was away–rain, rain, cloud, fog, cold, wind, rain, gray–not the best weather for a holiday cookout. But screw the weather! The fam and I prepared corn on the cob, macaroni salad, a roasted beet salad (featuring fresh beets that my brother grows in his alley(yes, his alley)), and PORK RIBS! These ribs were absolutely FABULOUS. If you want to know my brother’s dry rub recipe (Let’s call it the Love Bikes Lip-Smackin’ Rib Rub), let me know and I’ll share it here (ask in the comments and I will provide), but for now let’s get to the main event:

#116 Vanilla Bavarian Cream!

How exciting is #116? Look at it–it is a gelatin-based mix of egg, milk, whipped cream and fruit in a triple-decker Jell-O mold. So no odd ingredients here. Just a lot of labor-intensive steps.

I selected the apricot variation because apricots are delicious, my dad adores apricots and I didn’t get him an birthday gift (Daddy, not to worry, your Xmas gift will be extra-fabulous).

This is how #116 went down:

• 1. prepare custard in makeshift double boiler.
• 2. whip egg whites and then gradually add 1/4 cup sugar to make a meringue
• 3. whip 1 cup heavy cream until it looks like ReddiWhip
• 4. puree 1 cup canned apricots with immersion blender
• 5. Fold custard mix into egg whites
• 6. Fold whipped cream into custard/meringue mix
• 7. Fold pureed apricots into custard/meringue/whipped cream mix
• 8. Pour into spectacular 3-tiered 6-cup mold
• 9. Chill

The whipping and pureeing and folding tuckered me out. For realsies. Especially because I have that whole carpal-tunnel thing. Even though I did get the surgery on my right hand, it still smarts. Yeah, I wasn’t manually whipping the Bavarian cream, but I still had to hold the mixer in the bowl! It made me wonder how anyone EVER made a meringue or whipped cream without the use of an electric mixer. How was that possible? Seriously. I mean it. Whoever did that (or still does that because they are mad) is a superstar. Those poor Colonial Williamsburg butter churner ladies!

So the result of #116:

It chilled overnight and then, after our gluttonous rib-fest, I took the Bavarian cream out from the fridge. Not surprisingly, #116 didn’t slip right out of the copper mold. I liken it to labor–it had to be coaxed–with warm baths, and warm dish cloths, and gentle pushing, tapping, and shimmies. OK, let’s face it, I don’t know the first thing about childbirth. The only one that I have ever been privy to was my own, back in the decade that this blog celebrates. And I don’t remember that. All I know is that with #116 there was a lot of expectation and worry over whether or not I was doing the damn thing correctly and if it would come out alright. And as far as I can tell, that is the gist of childbirth. But without the pain, epidurals, and crying.

I also just realized that I went on a labor metaphor for a dish that was served on Labor Day. I’m a cliche.

But I digress. After a short warm water bath and a warm dish rag wrap, I set the mold on the green cake plate for a while to settle. And although me and my dad (he was an integral part to the birth of my Bavarian Cream baby), poked and prodded, it just slid out of its mold when I least expected it.

I quickly garnished it with the remaining apricots from the half-used can for the filling.

Here it is, in all its apricot-flecked creamy glory:

Look at it! It’s really quite lovely. I mean, on the Dinner is Served! scale, that is.

And it didn’t taste too bad, either. It was fluffy and creamy and light and decadent all at once. And it was slightly sweet with the slightest touch of apricot. In summation: yum. This will be the time when I solicit the people who were in the presence of #116 to give their opinions (if they ever look at this blog).

I am still shocked by my success. I was convinced that this was destined for FAIL and I’d be serving it out of the mold because #116 came out half way and looked like a lump of melting apricot Stilton. But there it is. And me, completely and utterly without make-up and with completely unstyled hair. Not my best look. So I guess I wasn’t totally amiss in my prediction of FAIL.

I know that I’ve been slacking with the posting. But I do have a valid excuse. Football season is about to start (thank you, Jesus!) and I have three THREEEEE!!!!! fantasy football teams and I have to get all my ducks in a row. Team Yinzerella (I think this is my fifth year in fantasy existence) is primed to win at least one of these leagues!

But there are a lot of great meals coming up including #76 Stuffed Bell Peppers, #61 Linguine With Clam Sauce, and #23 Barbecued Chuck Roast. So check back soon for those dinners. Or you could just subscribe to DiS! or become a fan on Facebook (the little thingie is there on the right of this page), that would be super-easy and super-awesome of you.

Recipe from Dinner is Served! 1972 by Marjon Promotions