On this episode of Baking Yesteryear: Our deepest dive into a most mysterious dessert! – Recipes below 🙂
MY COOKBOOK: https://geni.us/BakingYesteryear
– 1909 MICHIGAN FEDERATION RECIPE:
“Whites of 6 eggs beaten stiff, 2 cups sugar, 6 tablespoons cracker crumbs, 2 teaspoons baking powder, 1 cup chopped English walnuts, 1 cup cut dates. Bake in slow oven 1/2 hour. Serve with whipped cream”
– My BAKING YESTERYEAR RECIPE:
• Whites of 3 eggs
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 cup (200g) granulated sugar
• 1/2 cup (65g) fine graham cracker crumbs
• 1/2 cup (75g) chopped, dried apricot (or dates, figs etc..)
• 1/2 cup (60g) chopped walnuts
METHOD:
1.) Preheat the oven to 325ºF (165ºC).
2.) Line the bottom of a 9-inch (23-cm) springform pan or pie pan with a circle of
parchment paper. Lightly grease both the parchment and sides of the pan.
3.) Beat the egg whites and salt to stiff peaks.
4.) Gradually beat in the sugar, 2 tablespoons at a time, until stiff and glossy.
5.) Gradually fold in the graham cracker crumbs, then fold in the dried fruit and
walnuts.
6.) Turn into the pan, smooth the top, and bake for 35 to 40 minutes. The top
should be a pale gold color when done.
7.) With the pan remaining in the oven, turn the oven off and leave the door ajar
for 30 minutes. After which, transfer to a wire rack and cool in
the pan for 20 minutes.
8.) Free the sides of the pan with a sharp knife and invert onto a serving dish or
cutting board. Remove the parchment paper before cutting and serving.
00:00 Recipe from 1909
9:55 Recipe from 1961
18:09 Googling recipes!
25:31 The internet’s most popular recipe
29:26 Recipe from my Cookbook!
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I've spent the last hour reading your comments, and I just wanted to say thank you so, so much for the kind words & love for the video. I'm obsessed about baking these old relics, and it means a lot that you're all willing (and seemingly like) to hear me yap about them. Thank you.
Maybe it's the foods of the gods because they're unknowable and distant.
I cannot thank you enough. I can't bake breads or desserts to save my life, but I spent hours in my grandma's kitchen watching her cook, and then eating the best foods. She was straight Appalachian and had to turn out good food with minimal ingredients for her family and the farm hands back in the day (Depression, etc.). I'm sure she did not own measuring cups or spoons and I saw her cook in a fireplace, wood oven, wood burner and ovens. When you went back to the 'roots' of the recipe instead of just using what the internet said made me happy. Most of the recipes from back then were more 'what we had on hand' and less Instacart.
I loved this! Instead of adding the flour mixture to the mix ins I usually use just the sugar. I think I stole that from a King Arthur Flour recipe for a blueberry lemon cake.
Not my ADHD self singing "Oh, Black Betty! Pam the pan!" When you started fumbling about with those words.
Wait… NAtional BIScuit COmpany…
Nabisco….
HOLY FORKING SHIP BALLS.
How have I never figured that out before?! 😱😱😱
Absolutely love these longer videos!!
I believe the gods dined on ambrosia, and ambrosia is a standard fruit salad kind of thing here in the south. Nothing likes this.
I wonder whether calling things ambrosia/food of the gods was an earlier, cleaner version of calling things Better than Sex Cake.
I had a pie like that in college in late 1960s Positive that Ssltines were used. Delish!
It's possible that the older recipes intended for the cook to use saltine crumbs, also known as soda crackers (or called 'common crackers' back then.) It would explain why there was only a miniscule amount of or no salt, and also would have balanced out the whole taste and texture instead of adding unnecessary sweetness as graham crackers do. Dates and walnuts improve almost any desert,imo.
This is exactly why I love really old recipes. Recipe books kind of started in the 1400s and were fairly common by the 1600s but the writers seem to assume that anyone reading them would already be quite familiar with the recipe and would just be checking ingredient lists for reference. Yes, plenty of recipes didn't even state quantities once upon a time! It's confusing and frustrating sometimes, but experimenting and tweaking to get the best results is what makes them such a unique challenge. Love this experimental/deep dive format, keep them coming!
This looks similar to a recipe ive seen.. instead put a large dollop every few inches on a baking sheet.. itll look a bit like a meringue.. serve each in a bowl as base with the topping …
I stuck through the whole video bc I love that you've explored into what Food for the Gods was supposed to be. As a half Filipino I've seen a few iterations of this (and I despise cooked raisins!!), but yours actually looks even more like a special dessert with how that topping came out. Damn, bro. You're invited to our picnics now 🤣 in fact, all of them. Hope you're not busy lol
Great video. Salamat!
Much prefer the long form content.
Awesome thanks Dylan I hope I find your cookbook at Canada!
Are you even capable of being boring, Dylan? I suspect not. 😉😘
oh! My Gram taught me recipes like that! XD How much butter Gram? oh, about the size of a walnut… 😉
I loved how you did this recipe. I wondered what you thought of the Hummingbird Cake?
I was going to make a comment about the amount of bananas, but you beat me to it😂 32:54
My favorite waffle recipe also calls for mixing batter and then folding in beaten egg whites at the last second. It really does make them perfectly fluffy!
In defense of 'crumbled up crusty things with whipped cream', that is basically Eton Mess, possibly my favorite spring/summer dessert ever! (Although the weird eggy chewiness of this recipe does sound Not Good)
This is my first video I've watched of yours and you sir have a fan for life. I like your approach to cooking; you remind me of Julia Child – “This is my invariable advice to people: Learn how to cook- try new recipes, learn from your mistakes, be fearless, and above all have fun!.” (33:15 – 33:39)
(32:15 – 32:25) <– It is so true, but how to prove…?
Hello Dylan. Ordered your book! Looking forward to receiving it during Summer…😊
You and Max Miller are the ultimate cooking history teachers 👌🏻💞
So Glad to see you again. Happy it was only your book keeping you away. Missed you!!
"Gentles and Lady-men" is now my favorite way to address a crowd other than "Ladies and Mentle-gents"
I've already preordered the cookbook! I can't wait. My daughter and I think you are hilarious and amazing. When I told my wife about the book, she said she'd make some of the recipes if I ordered it. It will be so great!
I may try this with dried cranberries.🤔
What is the oldest bread pudding recipe you have come across?
I would love to see your channel and Tasting History do a collab!
Amazing!!! I love the attention to history and verity of recipes!! Loved the video!! 🥰
Fascinating
I do appreciate the mention of the alternatives to graham crackers for us in the commonwealth. Americans treat them as so ubiquitous.
My grandmother always made a jello salad that she called Ambrosia (Food of the Gods). It had walnuts, grapes, and marshmallows. I would be interested in substituting the grapes with dates and possibly adding crumbled meringue instead of marshmallows. Kind of a fusion of classics.
Well I did notice the mass of bananas in the back, but didn’t say anything but now that you mention it…. Why so many??
Always put the shells in the carton. Flour those nuts.
Honestly, all I want on Food Network now is to see Hollis and Miller get their own shows and reintroduce us to the Food Network we grew to love. One that is less Grocery Games and more Barefoot Contessa.
Odin would be proud and well feed
I’m at 6:36 but I’m guessing this is a variation of angel food cake.
As soon as I saw the title, I wondered if you were going to mention a Filipino version of this recipe. A few of my relatives made Food of the Gods during my childhood, so this was straight up nostalgia for me. I am intrigued to try out your version though, looks hella yummy 🤤
Thank you for who you are! The excitement you bring to my cell phone screen is immense and makes my brain and taste buds swell with anticipation.
my best guess for the teacup of sugar is a cup of sugar and a a large kitchen spoon is pretty obviously a table spoon. this is based on the fact that brown sugar is made in the ratio of 1cup of sugar:1 table spoon of mollases… essentially that recipe has you making dark brown sugar <3
Dylan I am obsessed with cookbooks to I have over 3000. Most are very old thank you so much for everything you do to make us laugh and even learning along the way
Cool whip is flavortown my good man. Great video, otherwise. Every time you post it proves Hank Green isn't the only man in Wyoming and for that I thank you.
Yeah, I grew up on the Philippines recipe.
Also, all these dates you're eating… The porcelain gods will come calling.
Insure is also right, lovely. Both are acceptable in this context. ❤️❤️❤️
I can't wait to get your cookbook . I've never watched one of your longer videos. This is amazing!!!!! It's like a whole new world!!! Thank you for sharing. I adore old recipes and cookbooks.
These long form videos feel a bit like Good Eats with Alton Brown, only with history and not science.
I hope young cooks who are just starting out find your videos. You impart so much knowledge in a fun and interesting way. I have been cooking and baking nearly every day for the last 55 years, and I love learning new things. Thank you for sharing your thoughts and experiences with us.