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Recipe Help: Lemon Whip


pamjsa

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I'm hoping you all can help me figure out wat I'm doing wrong with this recipe. It's a favorite of my husband's from his childhood, and the recipe reads like this:

Lemon Whip

1 can Carnation milk (ICE COLD)

1 c sugar

1/3 c. lemon juice

1 small pkg. lemon jello

3/4 c. water

2 c graham cracker crumbs

Reserve 1/2 c cracker crumbs and spread the rest on the bottom of a 9 x 13 Pyrex pan. Dissolve jello in boiling water. Whip milk, sugar, lemon juice and jello until light and fluffy. Pour over cracker crumbs. Sprinkle reserved crumbs over top. Chill until set.

Every time I've tried to make this recipe, what I come up with is a creamy lemon soup--nothing close to light and fluffy, no matter what I do. It does set up after being refrigerated, but it's only about a quarter inch thick and the graham cracker crumbs get mixed into with the lemon soup. My husband remembers the texture being more like a marshmallow--"kind of foamy" is how he describes it--and being as tall as the edge of the 9 x 13 pan.

I've asked both my MIL and my husband's aunt what I'm doing wrong, but they both claim "I just follow the recipe and it always works for me." (I think my MIL kind of enjoys the fact that I can't get this right--she's not much of a cook, but she can make Lemon Whip, which my husband loves. I, on the other hand, apparently cannot.) We live several states apart, or else I'd just buy the ingredients and go to my MIL's house so she could show me what I'm doing wrong.

So far I have tried:

1. allowing the Jello mixture to cool completely before adding it to the milk base (though I suspect the cold milk is supposed to act in place of the cold water that would normally be added to the jello.)

2. putting the Carnation milk in the freezer, to be sure it's really ICE COLD

3. putting the whole mess in the blender and letting it mix forever, on the assumption that maybe I just wasn't beating it long enough.

None of these things have done any good.

Any other suggestions?

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Here are the directions for a recipe similar to yours, found here:

Chill canned milk 3 to 4 hours. Dissolve Jello in hot water. Chill until partially set. Whip until light and fluffy. Add lemon juice and sugar. Whip chilled milk and fold into Jello mixture. Line bottom of 9 x 13 inch pan with crumbs. Pour in Jello mixture. Top with remaining crumbs. Chill. Cut in squares and center each with cherry. Serves 12.

p.s any updates on your family's quest for a more healthful lifestyle? I'd love to hear updates about your son and your running!

Edited by prasantrin (log)
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I've never made this type of dessert but when I googled for similar recipes they all have you whip the evaporated milk (chilled in the freezer first) alone and then add in the lemon, sugar and fruit jelly. Maybe this makes the difference. One referred to whipping the evaporated milk to soft peaks and then whipping in the cool but not set jello.

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Yup, looking back to the lime pie I used to make like that - you beat the canned milk until it is the consistency of whipped cream, then fold in the jello mixed with the rest of the ingredients just as the jello is starting to set.

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As far as I can tell, this dessert is like whipped cream firmed up with gelatin (plus sweetened and flavored with lemon). I checked Shirley Corriher's Cookwise. For whipped cream firmed with gelatin, she says to heat the gelatin just enough to dissolve it, let the gelatin cool to body temperature, then whisk it into the cream (in your case, evap milk). She cautions that gelatin that is too warm will deflate the cream; gelatin that is too cold will turn chunky rather than foamy when it hits the cold cream. She says that gelatin at body temperature or slightly above is ideal.

Hope this helps.

ETA: you add the gelatin to the cream close to the end of whipping in order to firm it, as previous posts have described.

Edited by djyee100 (log)
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(I think my MIL kind of enjoys the fact that I can't get this right--she's not much of a cook, but she can make Lemon Whip, which my husband loves.  I, on the other hand, apparently cannot.) 

So, did your MIL write the recipe out for you? :hmmm:

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(I think my MIL kind of enjoys the fact that I can't get this right--she's not much of a cook, but she can make Lemon Whip, which my husband loves.  I, on the other hand, apparently cannot.) 

So, did your MIL write the recipe out for you? :hmmm:

I wanted to ask the same question, but I didn't have the nerve. :wink:

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What you're missing, as Prasantrin said, is allowing the Jell-O to partially set in the refrigerator before whipping it. The usual line in old recipes is: "Chill until the consistency of unbeaten egg whites" (which takes about 20 to 30 minutes).

Add the sugar and lemon juice to the dissolved Jell-O, let it chill until the consistency of unbeaten egg whites, whip the partly set Jell-O mixture, whip the cold evaporated milk separately (using clean beaters) -- it whips up like cream, then fold the whipped evaporated milk into the Jell-O mixture. Voila! Lemon Chiffon Pie!

SuzySushi

"She sells shiso by the seashore."

My eGullet Foodblog: A Tropical Christmas in the Suburbs

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(I think my MIL kind of enjoys the fact that I can't get this right--she's not much of a cook, but she can make Lemon Whip, which my husband loves.  I, on the other hand, apparently cannot.) 

So, did your MIL write the recipe out for you? :hmmm:

I wanted to ask the same question, but I didn't have the nerve. :wink:

Don't think this didn't cross my mind. :hmmm: But no, the recipe comes from a family cookbook my husband and I compiled in our first years of marriage, and it was submitted by his aunt, not his mom.

I feel so stupid even asking for help with this recipe, because it looks really easy on paper and I'm actually capable of following very complex directions. But I'm giving this one more shot tomorrow, using all the collective wisdom I've gathered here, and if it doesn't work I'll try a different recipe--I found several online for things called "Lemon Whip," although some of them vary quite a bit from this list of ingredients. (My MIL once told me that my Lemon Icebox Pie tasted very similar, so perhaps I'll just follow that recipe and put it in a 9 x 13 pan instead of a pie pan. :laugh: )

prasantrin, I'm touched that you remember that "healthier living" thread--that was some time ago! My son is doing really well. The ADD meds caused him to lose about 20 pounds, initially; since I'd been worried about his weight, that wasn't altogether a bad thing. He's gained it back slowly and is now a very average 11-year-old. He's my shopping pal when we hit the farmers markets--he seems more amenable to eating veggies he has selected, and meeting the farmers who produced the goods also seems to make him friendlier toward produce. Last week he surprised me by asking if we could try growing some pumpkins in our backyard, so we're giving it a shot.

As for me: still running. I can hardly believe it myself. But here I am, at the ripe old age of 44--a girl who had never run so much as a city block--preparing for a 5k. My son still isn't big on the physical activity, but I try to set a good example and hope it sticks.

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there are many ways to do this, though I have never made "jell-o" before, I believe it is still mainly composed of gelatin.

sprinkle the gelatin mix over the water with the sugar and allow it to bloom, put it over heat and stir constantly until its coempletely dissolved, dont boil.

pour into another container and put over ice, stirring often until it begins to thicken.

you can add your lemon juice any time here.

Whip your chilled milk, ad the gelatin and continue whipping. If you want assemble an ice bath under your mixing bowl so in continues to chill while aerating.

you could always put the whole mix in cream syphon too :wink:

Dean Anthony Anderson

"If all you have to eat is an egg, you had better know how to cook it properly" ~ Herve This

Pastry Chef: One If By Land Two If By Sea

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This reminds of the the Evil In Law Fudge (the fudge is evil, not the in laws). Mr. Kim's family makes this (awful, bitter, dry) fudge that apparently only they can make work. I've tried to make it for years and ended up cracking the code for Tootsie Rolls and making really bad ganache, but almost never that damn fudge. And everytime I ask for help I hear, "I don't know why you have trouble with it, it's so EASY!" :angry::rolleyes:

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Well, as I am a mother-in-law, in defense of mothers-in-law everywhere that scribble out recipes for pissy daughters-in-law with chips on their shoulders (not, my dears, that ANY of YOU are those because I can tell by your posts that you are not), let me point out that one generation's "easy" often has to do with something that in that generation everybody was doing and everybody knew how to do.

For example, whipping canned milk.

My mother, a bride during WWII knew it whipped, knew what to do to make it whip properly.

I, on the other hand, was utterly gob-smacked when, at 32, she gave me a recipe very similar to the Lemon Whip we are discussing, and it said very clearly that I should begin by whipping a can of evaporated milk.

I mean, who knew?

Every single WWII bride knew, that's who. And when giving someone a recipe, would never think to write out how best to do it. But when I telephoned her asking for help, she explained it immediately and thoroughly and it was obvious that it was something she had done many times, albeit long ago.

There are many things this current young generation knows how to do that, should they write it out in some sort of shorthand in a recipe, their mothers and grandmothers would be completely stumped at exactly how best to go about doing it.

Edited by Jaymes (log)

I don't understand why rappers have to hunch over while they stomp around the stage hollering.  It hurts my back to watch them. On the other hand, I've been thinking that perhaps I should start a rap group here at the Old Folks' Home.  Most of us already walk like that.

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....I feel so stupid even asking for help with this recipe, because it looks really easy on paper and I'm actually capable of following very complex directions. But I'm giving this one more shot tomorrow, using all the collective wisdom I've gathered here....

Let us know how it turned out.

 

“Peter: Oh my god, Brian, there's a message in my Alphabits. It says, 'Oooooo.'

Brian: Peter, those are Cheerios.”

– From Fox TV’s “Family Guy”

 

Tim Oliver

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For example, whipping canned milk.

My mother, a bride during WWII knew it whipped, knew what to do to make it whip properly.

Well, I must say I'm ashamed. :sad:

My mother was a WWII bride, and if she knew canned milk could be whipped, she certainly never shared that with me.

Fast forward to my adult years where I went to pastry school, and have now spent 18 years in the business. Nobody ever told me that you could whip evaporated milk. I mean, I had cream to work with....why would I want to go to the trouble of whipping evap? This thread is the first I've heard of it, which just means that as much as you think you know, you never know everything. :laugh:

I'm imagining that perhaps during those WWII years, for some reason, it was much easier to obtain (and afford) evap as compared to heavy cream. That, combined with Jello, made for a fun, delicious, inexpensive dessert.

It's pretty easy to come by a pint of heavy cream these days, so I'd probably whip up some cream as opposed to taking the time to chill a can of evap and whipping that. Sure it would be higher fat, but perhaps a bit richer and yummier. :smile:

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For example, whipping canned milk.

My mother, a bride during WWII knew it whipped, knew what to do to make it whip properly.

Well, I must say I'm ashamed. :sad:

My mother was a WWII bride, and if she knew canned milk could be whipped, she certainly never shared that with me.

Fast forward to my adult years where I went to pastry school, and have now spent 18 years in the business. Nobody ever told me that you could whip evaporated milk. I mean, I had cream to work with....why would I want to go to the trouble of whipping evap? This thread is the first I've heard of it, which just means that as much as you think you know, you never know everything. :laugh:

I'm imagining that perhaps during those WWII years, for some reason, it was much easier to obtain (and afford) evap as compared to heavy cream. That, combined with Jello, made for a fun, delicious, inexpensive dessert.

It's pretty easy to come by a pint of heavy cream these days, so I'd probably whip up some cream as opposed to taking the time to chill a can of evap and whipping that. Sure it would be higher fat, but perhaps a bit richer and yummier. :smile:

Absolutely. Which is why, as soon as rich cream was again easily available, nobody ever bothered to whip canned milk again. So it's no wonder that few of us modern gals even know it's possible.

However, I will say that when I'm trying to defat fattening recipes, it is knowledge that comes in handy.

:rolleyes:

I don't understand why rappers have to hunch over while they stomp around the stage hollering.  It hurts my back to watch them. On the other hand, I've been thinking that perhaps I should start a rap group here at the Old Folks' Home.  Most of us already walk like that.

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Success at last!

Like chefpeon, I didn't know evaporated milk would whip on its own--I'd been assuming the addition of gelatin was what gave the milk substance enough to whip. When I disabused myself of that notion, everything became much simpler.

I went to the Nestle website last night--they provide directions for whipping evaporated milk, believe it or not--and today I followed their suggestion to pour the milk into the metal mixing bowl, add the beaters, and put the whole thing into the freezer until ice started to form around the edges. That in itself made a huge difference--the evap. milk got nice and light as soon as I started the mixer. I added the sugar, then slowly added the cooled jello/lemon juice mixture. Thick and foamy after just a few minutes. It's setting up in the refrigerator as I write, and we'll have it as a cool treat when we get home from my daughter's swim meet this evening. (Current heat index: 104. Even for those of us used to the heat, that's too darn hot.)

I think Jaymes is right on the mark in saying are many bits of wisdom that just aren't being passed down generationally. Whipped evap. milk is only one example of this; my husband's grandmother once gave me a recipe card with her recipe for dinner rolls which listed ingredients, then jumped straight to "Put dough in pan to rise." The process of getting to dough was so familiar to her that she couldn't imagine everyone didn't know how to do it.

Well, now I know how to whip evaporated milk. Who'd have thought this was a necessary kitchen skill?

Thanks for your patience and help.

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...my husband's grandmother once gave me a recipe card with her recipe for dinner rolls which listed ingredients, then jumped straight to "Put dough in pan to rise."

:laugh:

I don't understand why rappers have to hunch over while they stomp around the stage hollering.  It hurts my back to watch them. On the other hand, I've been thinking that perhaps I should start a rap group here at the Old Folks' Home.  Most of us already walk like that.

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-and today I followed their suggestion to pour the milk into the metal mixing bowl, add the beaters, and put the whole thing into the freezer until ice started to form around the edges.     

Yep. Ladies of the days of metal-ice-tray refrigerators knew how, all right. You took out one of your ice trays, pulled that tough little handle while the cubes CRRRRACKED their way free, and rinsed the tray in cold water to rid it of any stray ice shards, which might melt and dilute the essential balance of the ingredients. A good drying with a cup towel, and you were set.

Then, you popped two little triangles in the Pet can lid with a church key, poured the off-white stream into the tray, and inserted it back into its freezer slot to chill.

Our original recipe reads: "Chill til slush.".

Lots of the mixers of the era had glass bowls, which needed to be put into the freezer, with the beaters, at least half an hour before commencing with the pie.

Actually, our recipe just like yours was called "Lemon Bisque," and since none of us had ever called a thickened soup anything but soup, our knowledge of bisque rated the word to be exotic and daring, especially when appellated to a dessert.

And the crust was mixed (graham cracker crumbs, sugar, butter) and pressed into the pan in the interim while everything was chilling. A teensy handful of unpressed crumbs were left to scatter daringly atop the finished creation, lending an air of creativity and elan whenever it was presented for serving.

To preserve the mystique, it was also necessary to cut squares and transfer them to the serving plates, since my Mom made the entire thing in the ice-trays' counterpart, a handy aluminum pan about 8x10, which also came as a part of the new Kelvinator's trousseau.

Edited by racheld (log)
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-and today I followed their suggestion to pour the milk into the metal mixing bowl, add the beaters, and put the whole thing into the freezer until ice started to form around the edges. 

Yep. Ladies of the days of metal-ice-tray refrigerators knew how, all right. You took out one of your ice trays, pulled that tough little handle while the cubes CRRRRACKED their way free, and rinsed the tray in cold water to rid it of any stray ice shards, which might melt and dilute the essential balance of the ingredients. A good drying with a cup towel, and you were set.

Then, you popped two little triangles in the Pet can lid with a church key, poured the off-white stream into the tray, and inserted it back into its freezer slot to chill.

Our original recipe reads: "Chill til slush.".

Lots of the mixers of the era had glass bowls, which needed to be put into the freezer, with the beaters, at least half an hour before commencing with the pie.

Actually, our recipe just like yours was called "Lemon Bisque," and since none of us had ever called a thickened soup anything but soup, our knowledge of bisque rated the word to be exotic and daring, especially when appellated to a dessert.

And the crust was mixed (graham cracker crumbs, sugar, butter) and pressed into the pan in the interim while everything was chilling. A teensy handful of unpressed crumbs were left to scatter daringly atop the finished creation, lending an air of creativity and elan whenever it was presented for serving.

To preserve the mystique, it was also necessary to cut squares and transfer them to the serving plates, since my Mom made the entire thing in the ice-trays' counterpart, a handy aluminum pan about 8x10, which also came as a part of the new Kelvinator's trousseau.

:wub:

I don't understand why rappers have to hunch over while they stomp around the stage hollering.  It hurts my back to watch them. On the other hand, I've been thinking that perhaps I should start a rap group here at the Old Folks' Home.  Most of us already walk like that.

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There are many things this current young generation knows how to do that, should they write it out in some sort of shorthand in a recipe, their mothers and grandmothers would be completely stumped at exactly how best to go about doing it.

Like go to the Dominoe's website, login and click to order? :wacko:

I don't think the younger generation knows all that much about cooking, unfortunately. We are losing a lot of wisdom about cooking and more. Or maybe I'm just turning into an old fogey. I did just go out and buy a swimsuit with a skirt, you know (but it's still TWO pieces LOL). I blame it on frequenting this forum and not on getting older. De-Nile....

I am glad to learn that you can whip canned milk. It will come in handy when I am out of cream and too lazy to go to the store. Since I grew up in farm country, and we had a creamery two blocks from our house, I don't think anyone in my area knew you could whip evaporated milk. Gawd I miss that cream.

This thread is just one of the reasons I love eG!

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This sounds similar to a family dessert of ours, called "dog's phlegm" by my dad. The name has stuck, unfortunately. It's just jello and the hot water beaten with a can of E.M. until frothy. It sets into a foamy, creamy dessert. But we never had to freeze or even chill the milk before it turned really frothy and thick.

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It's just jello and the hot water beaten with a can of E.M. until frothy. It sets into a foamy, creamy dessert.

And now that I've cracked the mystery of Lemon Whip, I've been brainstorming about other flavor combinations: plain gelatin and almond (or vanilla) extract added to the whipped milk, then chocolate cookie crumbs to replace the graham crackers. Maybe some toasted coconut on top. Or lime jello and vanilla wafer crumbs. Perhaps with some peppermint extract added as well--Mojito Whip!

The texture of the filling is nice and light--my husband's characterization of it as "foamy" seems right on the mark. It's possible to eat a fairly large square and feel like you haven't eaten much of anything (which may or may not be a good thing. :biggrin: )

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And now that I've cracked the mystery of Lemon Whip, I've been brainstorming about other flavor combinations:  plain gelatin and almond (or vanilla) extract added to the whipped milk, then chocolate cookie crumbs to replace the graham crackers.  Maybe some toasted coconut on top.  Or lime jello and vanilla wafer crumbs.  Perhaps with some peppermint extract added as well--Mojito Whip! 

My mom used to make a coffee mousse pie, made with Knox gelatin, strong brewed coffee, sugar, and a splash of lemon juice (and the whipped EV, of course). I haven't had it in years, but God, that was good! :cool:

SuzySushi

"She sells shiso by the seashore."

My eGullet Foodblog: A Tropical Christmas in the Suburbs

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