Californian Jello Ring

Cooking time: few mins. to dissolve gelatin
Preparation time: 10 mins. plus time for prunes to plump
Main cooking utensil: bowl, saucepan

For 4 servings you need:
2 cups boiling water
1 cup dried prunes
1 envelope unflavored gelatin
Juice of 1/2 lemon
sugar substitute to taste

Decoration:
vanilla ice cream or
fruit snow, see Card 28
2 oranges

Approximate calories:
Prunes – 225 for 1 cup
Gelatin – 34 for 1 envelope
Ice cream – 100-150 for 1/2 cup
Oranges – 70 for 1 medium

1. Pour the 2 cups boiling water over the prunes. Leave for several hours to stand until plump, then drain, reserving the liquid.

2. Pit most of the prunes and cut into halves or quarters. Save a few for decoration.

3. Soak gelatin in 1/3 cup of the prune liquid, dissolve in bowl over hot water.

4. Mix together with lemon juice and enough prune juice to give 2 cups. Stir in sugar substitute to taste.

5. Add prunes and pour into mold rinsed in cold water.

TO SERVE: Turn out of the mold by dipping for 30 seconds in warm water. Arrange segments of orange around. Fill center with ice cream or fruit snow, Card 28, and top with prunes. Slimmers should avoid ice cream or have a very limited quantity.

TO VARY: Use strained boiling tea in place of water.

TO STORE: In refrigerator before being filled with ice cream.

^* Fruit Snow (from Card 28)
This is another very low calorie dessert. Cook fruit with a minimum of water and sugar substitute to taste. When a smooth purée (it can be sieved, beaten with a wooden spoon or puréed in a blender), allow to cool. To each 1 1/4 cups of purée, fold in 1 very stiffly beaten egg white.

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© Copyright Paul Hamlyn Ltd. 1967