Spanish Cream

Today dear ol' Mom makes a guest chef appearance on the blog. Spanish Cream is a recipe that has been in our family for decades and had been made hundreds of times I'm sure. This particular dessert was served after Easter lunch and often appears as a light dessert at Meb's table after a heavy meal. It is also easily adapted for dieters or diabetics by using a sugar substitute and possibly low fat milk. I also use this recipe as a part of a simple trifle by layering it with cake slices and fresh fruit, then topping the whole thing with whipped cream.

1 tbsp gelatin powder (1 envelope or 3 sheets)
½ cup milk

Stir gelatin in milk and set aside to soften.

In a double boiler heat to scalding

1 ½ cups milk

In a medium sized bowl, whisk together

2 egg yolks

Slowly pour in the scalded milk, whisking continuously. Return the mixture to the double boiler and add

1/3 cup sugar
¼ tsp salt

Continue to cook until the mixture thickens slightly and coats the back of a metal spoon. i.e. a finger drawn across a spoon that has been dipped into the mixture leaves a distinct line.

Remove from heat and stir in
½ tsp vanilla extract
Softened gelatin

Stir until the gelatin is dissolved. Chill in the refrigerator, stirring occasionally until the gelatin becomes partly set.

Whip to firm peaks

2 egg whites

Fold partly set gelatin mixture through the whipped egg whites until well combined. Pour into serving dish and allow to set completely for a couple of hours or overnight. Top with whipped cream and your favourite fresh or frozen fruit. Makes a very nice filling between cake layers with fruit for a trifle as well.