- 1 packet unflavored gelatin
- 1 tablespoon water
- 1/3 cup boiling water
- 1 cup tap water
- 1 cup instant non-fat dry milk
powder
- 1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon vanilla
- 2 to 3 teaspoons lemon juice
First take the cup of tap water and pour
it into a large deep bowl. Put this bowl of
water into the freezer while you do
everything else. I use a metal bowl because
the water chills faster. Next place the
unflavored gelatin into a small cereal bowl.
Add one tablespoon of water and let is
soften up. Add the boiling water to the
gelatin mixture. Stir it with a fork for
several minutes, to dissolve the gelatin
completely. Let it sit and cool down some.
Meanwhile measure the oil, vanilla and lemon
juice all into a small container. Set it
aside. Also measure the sugar and set aside.
When the water in the freezer has ice
crystals forming on it, take it out and
place it on the counter. Pour in a full cup
of dry milk powder. Using electric beaters
(you have to have electric beaters to make
this recipe), whip the mixture at high speed
until it forms stiff peaks. This will take a
full five minutes.
Continue beating, and gradually add the
sugar. When it is fully incorporated,
gradually add the cooled gelatin mixture.
When this is fully incorporated, gradually
add the oil, vanilla, lemon juice mixture,
in a small stream. The texture of the
topping will change a little bit, becoming
bright white and creamier. This is normal.
Now place the bowl into the freezer again
for about 10 or 15 minutes. It will chill
and thicken. Stir it with a wire whisk right
before serving. You may serve it right away,
or keep it in the fridge for a few days. Be
sure to stir it before serving, because it
tends to thicken up while it sits. Stirring
it will make it creamy again.
I discovered a variation of this recipe as a
teenager in a 1973 edition of The American
Heart Association Cookbook. When I made it
the first time, I was quite impressed with
the results. Over the years, I modified the
recipe, adding the vanilla and lemon juice,
and increasing the recipe, to make enough
for my large family. It doesn't taste the
same as the non-dairy whipped toppings you
find at the supermarket. It actually tastes
much better. The dry milk powder gives it a
dairy flavor which, to my taste buds, is
much more satisfying than the chemical fluff
available in the freezer at the market. It
costs about 60 cents to make. An equivalent
amount from my store is $2.39. Big savings.
This recipe is quite easy after you've made
it a couple times, and find the rhythm of
it. Serve it anywhere you would regular
whipped topping, and even use it in fancy
pudding or gelatin creations. It holds up
nicely. Great as a topping for Cream Pies.
If you are trying to cut down on
cholesterol, this recipe will work as well
as real whipping cream on most deserts.
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