Apple snow, a dessert of the 70´s

Apple snow made with Portuguese Reineta apples

It's bound to happen, the inevitable leftover egg white syndrome.What can you do with 8 egg whites? I have just made a batch of ice cream involving yolks and cant bring myself to throw the whites away.I am not very meringue-minded so that is not an option, and have to say I am not partial to a coconut macaroon.So put in this situation, what would my mother have done? She would, I am sure, have made a dessert called Apple Snow.

A recent Word of Mouth post in the  Guardian newspaper rekindled some of the strange names accredited to English recipes including "Apple snow" "Spotted dick" "Eton Mess"and "Jam roly-poly."

The very name takes me back to the late 1970s as it was a pudding I had regularly, when in my teens. I was not sure if that was a general thing or just our family. If anyone else had Apple Snow in the 1970s I would love to hear from them. As soon as anyone says ‘Apple Snow’ it conjures up memories and images for me of David Bowie, Marc Bolan and platform shoes!Apple Snow makes me think of flares and the sounds of the 70s – and that is why I still love it. Its an easy and fun dessert and one that is well worthy of a revival.Its a way of using up all those windfalls, if you have them.

Apple Snow is made up of cooked, pureed apples mixed in with whipped cream(optional), egg whites and then sweetened to taste. You can adjust the amount of cream according to your taste. I actually think it is best to be fairly light on the cream as that allows the texture of the whipped egg whites to come through. The grated zest and juice of a lemon gives it that extra zing.So come on chaps, purée those apples and get beating those egg whites to show your support for the return of Apple Snow.

A traditional apple snow

I used Portuguese apples, Reinetas,because they cook beautifully.If you use Granny Smith apples your apple snow will have slightly greener colour to it.

 

700g (1.5lbs) cooking apples, Reinetas or Granny Smith

200g (6oz) caster sugar

Juice of 1/2 lemon

2 egg whites

Whipped cream (optional) trust me you don´t need it

Slivers of toasted almonds

Core the apples, cut them into thick slices and put them with a very little water in a covered pan. Cook until soft;sieve and measure off 300ml (10 fl oz / 1/2 pint ) of purée.Add sugar and lemon juice.Cool completely.Whisk the egg whites until stiff and fluffy.Pile into tall glasses and decorate with toasted almond slivers or amaretti biscuits.