Why should the almonds be blanched and moistened with water?

Blanching lets the skin be rubbed off easily, and a little water afterward keeps the almonds white – important in a dessert meant to be snow white ("blancmange"). Dry them on a cloth before they are ground in an almond mill and pounded with a little of the milk.

How long does the dessert need to set?

Count on around 5 hours in all. The mixture is brought to a boil while whisking, strained, and filled into a moistened, sugar-dusted mold, which is set on ice or in the cold until firm. Then it is turned out.

Can I use something other than almonds?

Yes. Erken suggests lemon, orange, nuts, or liqueur (1 liqueur glass to 1 liter of cream), or fruit purée. If you use fruit purée, there should be as much purée as cream, but then the gelatin must be increased to 12 sheets.

How much gelatin is used in the basic recipe?

6 sheets of gelatin, which are soaked, snipped up, and dissolved before being mixed into the almond mass with milk, cream, and sugar.

Blancmange

Blancmange (a classic French almond pudding) from Erken's Stor kokebok (1914): ground blanched almonds pounded with milk, mixed with milk, cream, and sugar, brought to a boil with gelatin, strained, and set in a moistened, sugar-dusted mold. Variations with lemon, orange, nuts, liqueur, or fruit purée.

Source: Henriette Schønberg Erken, Stor kokebok, 1914-utg. s. 461 (falt i det fri)

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About the dish

A classic French almond pudding in Erken's dessert chapter from Stor kokebok (1914). Erken also gives variations with lemon, orange, nuts, liqueur, or fruit purée.

How to make it

1
Prepare the almonds
Blanch the almonds and moisten them well with water so they turn white. Dry them on a cloth.
2
Grind and pound
Grind the almonds in an almond mill and pound them well together with a little of the milk.
3
Mix
Mix the almond mass, the milk, the cream, and the sugar. Add the soaked, snipped, and dissolved gelatin.
4
Bring to a boil
Bring everything to a boil while whisking, and strain the mixture.
5
Mold and chill
Fill the mixture into a moistened, sugar-dusted mold. Set it cold (on ice or in the refrigerator) for at least 4 hours until firm, and turn it out.
6
Variations
Instead of almonds you can flavor it with lemon, orange, nuts, or liqueur (1 liqueur glass to 1 liter of cream), or with fruit purée – as much fruit purée as cream, but then 12 sheets of gelatin.

Changes from the original

"Del." has been converted to dl, gelatin sheets kept as sheets (about 2 g per sheet). Bitter almonds can be replaced with a few drops of bitter almond essence, since bitter almonds are not sold today. The setting time in the refrigerator has been specified.

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Frequently asked questions

Why should the almonds be blanched and moistened with water?: Blanching lets the skin be rubbed off easily, and a little water afterward keeps the almonds white – important in a dessert meant to be snow white ("blancmange"). Dry them on a cloth before they are ground in an almond mill and pounded with a little of the milk.
How long does the dessert need to set?: Count on around 5 hours in all. The mixture is brought to a boil while whisking, strained, and filled into a moistened, sugar-dusted mold, which is set on ice or in the cold until firm. Then it is turned out.
Can I use something other than almonds?: Yes. Erken suggests lemon, orange, nuts, or liqueur (1 liqueur glass to 1 liter of cream), or fruit purée. If you use fruit purée, there should be as much purée as cream, but then the gelatin must be increased to 12 sheets.
How much gelatin is used in the basic recipe?: 6 sheets of gelatin, which are soaked, snipped up, and dissolved before being mixed into the almond mass with milk, cream, and sugar.

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