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Lydia Pinkham's peanut butter fudge

Lydia Pinkham’s Peanut Butter Fudge

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This recipe was originally published in “Fruits and Candies” around 1920, a publication printed by Lydia Pinkham’s company after her death in 1883.

Find out more about Lydia Estes Pinkham and the important part she played in Women’s health in the US in the late 1800’s.

Ingredients

2 cups white sugar (note to metric users, these are American 240ml cups so keep that in mind when measuring)

6 teaspoons of peanut butter (2 US tablespoons or 1 and 1/2 UK or Australian tablespoons)

1/2 cup or 120ml of milk

1/2 teaspoon of vanilla

Butter or margarine to grease your dish

You’ll also need a candy thermometer or a cup of ice water

Method

Cook together 2 cups granulated sugar, 2 tablespoons peanut butter and 1/2 cup of milk over a gentle heat until it reaches 235-245 degrees F/ 113 – 118 degrees C or forms a soft ball when dropped into ice water.

Add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla, pour into a clean bowl and beat until creamy.

Pour into a buttered dish and when nearly cold cut into small squares.

fancy cheese on crackers

Cookie Press Cheese Appetizers

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Cheese Appetisers, originally published in the Mirro Cooky Press instruction and recipe booklet c1950 (I figured I’d spell appetisers both ways to keep everyone happy :P)

Ingredients

Cream cheese, at least 250gm or 8 1/2oz

Crackers or toast cut into fancy shapes

Optional decorations – food colouring

stuffed olives

paprika

 Method

Mix the cream cheese until it’s soft. Add a few drops of food colouring if you like.

Put the cheese into your cookie press and add the disc of your choice.

Press the cheese shapes onto a baking tray that is not non-stick and sprinkle with paprika.

Put in the fridge for a couple of hours to set.

Using a flexible knife, remove the cheese shapes from the tray (see the video for the technique) and put each one on a cracker.

Garnish with a slice of stuffed olive or dried fruit.