5.12.2012

Mother's Prune Whip



Happy Mother's Day!

My mother made this dessert frequently when we were kids. She died about 12 years ago and I remember right up to the end, she loved her dish of stewed prunes. Every time I took her to the market, dried prunes were on her list. And as soon as we returned, they would be simmering on the stove. When I was a child, we had them often with lunch and to this day, I automatically think of stewed prunes when I have mac and cheese. She must have served them together frequently.  Always amusing how the things we had in childhood stick with us forever.
Prune Whip is a really old recipe, but oddly enough, I don't recall ever making it for my own kids. I'd forgotten just how good this really is. The lemon stands out and the custard is a must.


                                                                                                    My mother, daughter and I, 1977

Mother's Prune Whip



  Ingredients:
  3  egg whites

  2  tablespoons  lemon juice
  1   teaspoon  lemon rind
  1/2  cup  sugar
  3  tablespoons  prune juice
  dash salt
  1/2  cup  chopped, stewed prunes
 
  For the custard:
  3 egg yolks

  3  tablespoons  sugar
  1 1/2  cups  milk, scalded
  1   teaspoon  vanilla

Method:

Combine 3 egg whites, lemon juice, rind and 1/2  cup sugar, prune juice and salt. Place in a double boiler over simmering water and beat for 7 minutes. Remove from heat, beat in the stewed prunes and place in custard or serving dishes.

Make a custard sauce to go over it: beat 3 eggs yolks with 3 tablespoons sugar and set aside. Scald the milk, temper the eggs, and then return to the pan over medium low heat and cook slowly whisking, (do not allow to boil or it will curdle) until mixture coats the spoon. Add vanilla and pour over prune whip.



24 comments:

  1. I love prunes and get so much grief about it. ;) Great photo of the three of you... what were you looking at though?

    Happy Mother's Day!

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  2. Everyone's probably going to ask the same thing, Chan: what was I looking at? So I'll answer in the comment section: just as the camera clicked, someone called me from inside the apartment. If we had realized, we'd have taken a second photo.

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  3. What a great photo of the three of you. Prunes are so funny at the market now. They've renamed them and I always have a hard time locating them on the shelf (smile).

    Happy Mother's Day Barbara.
    Sam

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  4. What a nice memory this prune whip is. My mother made it quite often and we grew up liking prunes.

    Wonderful three-generation photo showing a strong family resemblance.

    Have a lovely Mother's Day.

    Best,
    Bonnie

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  5. Happy Mother's Day, Barbara!

    This is a delicious dessert! A lovely combination. So comforting.

    Cheers,

    Rosa

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  6. I think our mothers were healthier because they always ate prunes. They really are delicious. My favorite way to eat them was my mother-in-laws Czech Kolaches filled with prunes. The cherry ones were not bad either.

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  7. This didn't sound so good until I saw all that lemon and the custard. My mom used to make a prune bread pudding. It was so good. Love the photo of the three of you Barbara!

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  8. Prunes don't seem to get the recognition they deserve. Your prune whip looks creamy and delightful!

    A very Happy Mother's Day to you, Barbara!

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  9. Delicious:) Have a nice and wonderful Moms day dear Barbara:)

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  10. I have an embarrassing admission... I had no idea what prune whip was! I think I imagined it was whipped pureed prunes and that didn't sit very well with me. This looks delicious. Love that you associate it with mac and cheese. Memories are amazing, aren't they?

    Happy Mother's Day, Barbara... love the picture!

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  11. Your picture is so poignant because I have a similar picture of me, my Mother and my Grandmother and I am looking off into the distance. But I can't remember why. Happy Mother's Day Barbara.

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  12. Hi Barbara,

    Isn't it wonderful to remember the food we used to eat in our childhood.
    Brings back such happy memories.
    Love the photo of your Mother, you and your daughter.

    Happy Mother's day
    Hugs
    Carolyn

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  13. I love the three generations' pictures! They show the continuity and the sense of family! Such a beautiful dessert to pay a tribute to your mother Barbara! Happy Mother's Day to you!

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  14. What a special lady! Wishing you a very Happy Mother's Day too, Barbara. I bet everyone love this sweet dessert of your beloved mom. Enjoy your day.
    Blessings
    Kristy

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  15. Love that first photo - beautiful, and the prune dessert sounds fantastic.

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  16. That sounds really good. I like prunes, but I don't often make a feature of them!

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  17. I loved your story and it is great that you have now made this dessert, so dear to your mom.
    I will tell you sth that happened to me. My mother, from Spanish origin, always made Spanish tortilla. I never made a tortilla in my life..that was mom's business and she was so good at it. The day my mother died, last year, I had this urge to cook a tortilla. Everybody thought I was crazy...when they saw me peeling potatoes....I cannot tell you why..but that night, the tortilla was there..I couldn't eat it, because I was crying all the time..but it was my tribute! I'm sure mi mama was watching me and she must have smiled!

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  18. Food memories are the best and can transport us to happy times.

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  19. it's not fair that prunes get such a bad rap! sweet post, barbara. :)

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  20. What a lovely photo of the 3 of you..
    3 classic beauties,seems like 77 until now flew by!
    I have never heard of prune whip..I like stewed prunes:)
    I hope your day was lovely~

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  21. A great picture from all of you! I was only 1 year old in 1977!

    That prune dessert with the custrad looks so appetizing, my friend! :) Recipes from mother's are great & legendary too! ;)

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  22. That's such a beautiful story about your mother and her special dessert. Happy belated mothers day, Barbara. I hope you had a lovely one. My mother was traveling back home from New England after visiting her mother and my father's mother, who at 87 has decided to sell their home of 56 years (my grandfather passed in 2009) to move closer to her daughter in Cape Cod. It's very exciting but apparently has been quite stressful for her. Unfortunately we couldn't get the time off to visit mother/grandmothers but hopefully next year!

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  23. You are a beautiful, lovely trio! Great photo. :) I'd never heard of stewed prunes before, but I must say, I am very curious now. It looks delicious!

    Hope you had a wonderful Mother's Day!

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  24. I have a lot of older cookbooks that list prune whip as a recipe! It must have been quite popular at one time (and my grandmother reportedly loved it, though I never tried it). I'll have to give this one a go!

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