Vintage peppermint fluff is a simple and delicious dish from the 1950s. Using only a few ingredients you can whip this dessert up in no time.
The mid-century was prime time for jello based recipes. The reasons it was so popular are actually quite interesting. Gelatin molds weren’t new, the wealthy had been eating them for generations. Back then gelatin was very labor intensive and not something that was widely available.
Once the instant version came along it was still somewhat of a status symbol as jello needed refrigeration to set and refrigerators were still small and expensive.
It was the 1930s when Jell-O started to take off after the sugar rations of WWI had ended. Homemakers were also dealing with the Great Depression and Jell-O helped to add bulk to meals on a budget.
There are whole cookbooks from the time devoted to Jell-O recipes. Jell-O even released a lime flavor that was said to complement savory dishes.
In the 1950s there was a big culture shift. Women were more likely to be in the workforce but they were still expected to be perfect housewives.
During this time many “instant” foods started to flood the market but there was a stigma against using these foods. Women were said to be lazy if they used these time saving items.
Their solution was to make semi-homemade dishes and make them fancy. What’s fancier than putting your meal in Jell-O in some fancy mold? A lot but at that time it seemed quite fancy.
We kind of threw the baby out with the bathwater when gel cookery (a term used for making gelatin based dishes) when out of style. Lamb salad can remain in the past but some of the desserts deserve a second look, like this peppermint fluff dessert.
Related Post: Retro Jello Recipes That Are Actually Delicious
Vintage Peppermint Fluff Recipe
When looking through a 1950s magazine I came across a recipe for peppermint fluff. I love all things peppermint so it seemed like something I needed to try.
It uses strawberry gelatin, which sounded a bit odd with peppermint but it was worth a try. At least there was no shrimp in it!
The recipe is very simple and makes a pretty pink colored dessert. And it’s actually very good. My husband and I both really enjoyed it. The strawberry and light peppermint flavors actually work together nicely. I was also surprised how much peppermint flavor there is with just the crushed candy canes.
I like to serve this dish in coupe cocktail glasses. It’s a nice serving size and they look elegant served that way. I also just serve them as is but the original recipe did suggest serving with chocolate syrup, that would also be delicious.
Vintage Peppermint Fluff Recipe
A very simple vintage recipe. It's a light and fluffy, mousse like dessert.
Ingredients
- 1 3 oz package strawberry gelatin
- 1 cup hot water
- 2 cups heavy cream, whipped
- 1/2 cup crushed candy canes
Instructions
- Dissolve gelatin in hot water; chill until partially set (about an hour.
- Fold whipped cream and candy into gelatin mixture.
- Put back into fridge until set, about 1 hour.
- Serve chilled, can be served with chocolate sauce.
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Nutrition Information:
Yield:
8Serving Size:
1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 262Total Fat: 22gSaturated Fat: 14gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 6gCholesterol: 67mgSodium: 24mgCarbohydrates: 16gFiber: 0gSugar: 11gProtein: 2g
Nutrition information isn’t always accurate.
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