Recipe 52/16 - Raspberry Blancmange

I don't think this can count as an actual recipe, but I bought a lovely vintage jelly mould last week and I wanted to see something made in it! The obvious choice would be jelly... I did look at some proper jelly making recipes but none of them were what I was looking for and I did think buying jelly cubes and adding boiling water really couldn't be counted as a recipe. 

So what else can you make in a jelly mould? A classic old fashioned Blancmange - even the box looks like it hasn't changed since the 1950s which goes perfectly with my vintage mould. The recipe is extremely basic but as you had to actually measure out a couple of ingredients, and mix and simmer in a saucepan I did feel like I was making something properly.

You will need:

1 pint of milk

2-3 tbsp sugar (I only added 2 and it definitely could have done with 3)

1 sachet of blancmange powder (chocolate, strawberry, raspberry or vanilla)

1. Empty the contents of one sachet into a basin.

2. Add the sugar plus 3 tablespoons of the milk.

3. Mix to a smooth paste.

4. Take the remaining milk and heat in a saucepan until warm.

5. Add a little of the warm milk to the paste, mix, then add the rest and stir well.

6. Return it to the saucepan.

7. Bring to the boil, then stirring continuously, simmer gently for at least a minute.

8. Rinse your mould with cold water (I just put mine in the fridge) and pour in the liquid.

9. Allow to cool to room temperature and pop in the fridge for at least three hours until set (I left it overnight)

10. Serve chilled and eat within two days.

I wasn't sure how, or even if, it would come out of the mould in one piece so I did it very slowly... and it came out beautifully! Then I was too busy admiring it and wobbling the plate to notice that the other side had a little crack in it (maybe I wobbled it a bit too much but it was so cute) that got bigger and bigger until the whole thing collapsed into a big pink mess! Sadly I didn't get a photo of it before it collapsed.

Apparently whole milk gives the best results as semi skimmed milk is too watery to hold it together. It didn't taste too good either but I don't think the appearance made it look too appetising. Oh dear, maybe next time!