This here’s about them Victorian desserts. My oh my, them folks back then, they sure did love their sweets. Lots of sugar and things, you know. Not like today, with all them fancy diets. They had all sorts of goodies, like that fudge stuff. Sticky and sweet, just melts in your mouth, goodness me!
And marzipan! That almond paste thing. They shaped it into all kinds of little fruits and what not. Looked pretty, but I always thought it tasted a bit like playdough. But hey, to each their own, right?
Then there’s them Liquorice Allsorts. Black and all colors, kinda chewy. They started making those in 1899, a long, long time ago. Time sure does fly. Imagine, people been eating those for more than a hundred years. That’s something, ain’t it?
- Fudge, that sticky sweet stuff
- Marzipan, made from almonds
- Liquorice Allsorts, all chewy and colorful
- Jelly Babies, little gummy candies
- Brandy Balls, for the grown-ups, I reckon
- Pear Drops, hard candies that taste like, well, pears
- And them Coconut Ice, sweet and kinda flaky
They had Jelly Babies too. Them little gummy candies, shaped like babies. Don’t ask me why, I just don’t know. And Brandy Balls, oh boy, them were strong. I s’pose they was for the grown-ups, not for little kids like we was.
They’d have these big dinners, with soups and meats and all kinds of things. And the table all covered in flowers and fancy dishes. Like in them movies, you know? Real Victorian food, it was. Just like a picture book. A whole lot of food, that’s for sure. More food than you could shake a stick at! They sure knew how to eat back then. I reckon folks ate better back in those days. Real food, not like the stuff you get in boxes at the store.
Pear Drops, them hard candies. And Sherbet Lemons, they were sour, made your mouth pucker. And Cough Candy, I guess that was for when you was sick. Lots of different candies, they had. More kinds than you can think of. My grandma used to keep a jar of hard candies on the shelf. We’d sneak one when she wasn’t lookin’. Goodness, those were the days.
Rhubarb and Custard, that’s another one. Sounds kinda funny, but I guess it tasted good. And Aniseed Twists, they tasted like licorice. And Marshmallows, fluffy and white, just like little clouds. We used to roast them over the fire. Sticky and gooey, they were a real treat, them marshmallows.
They had Candy Floss, too. That pink fluffy stuff on a stick. You see it at the fair. And Fruit Pastilles, them little chewy candies with fruit flavors. Lots of fruit flavors, they liked their fruits, I reckon. Fruit was good for you, my mama always said. She always told us to eat our fruits and vegetables. She was right, of course.
They’d have picnics, too. With baskets full of food. Fruit turnovers, them little pies with fruit inside. And cheesecakes. And puddings, all steamed and sweet. They called ’em “cabinet” puddings. Don’t know why, but that’s what they called ’em.
They even made cakes that were all fluffy, they called it a Victorian-style cake. Guess that’s what they liked back then. If you have a party with a Victorian theme, you gotta have one of these cakes, I reckon. Just wouldn’t be right without it.
They had all kind of pies, too. Apple pie, berry pie, you name it. And them Bundt cakes, all fancy-shaped. Lord knows how they made those. All them fancy shapes and swirls. We didn’t have nothing like that when I was a girl. We just had plain old cake. But it was good, though. My mama could bake a mean cake, I tell ya.
If you want to make a Victorian dessert, you could try a tart. Like a little pie, with fruit and all. You know, with a pastry crust and some fruit filling. That’s what they had back then. Lots of different kinds of tarts, I imagine.
They sure did love their sweets, them Victorian folks. More sweets than you could ever eat. All kinds of candies and cakes and pies and puddings. Just thinking about it makes my mouth water. Maybe I’ll go bake a cake now. A simple one, though. Nothing too fancy. Just a good old-fashioned cake, like my mama used to make. Yeah, that’s what I’ll do.
Those Victorians, living way back when, with their fancy ways and their big houses. But one thing’s for sure, they knew how to make a good dessert. That Raspberry Summer Pudding sounds good, all those berries. Must be tasty. And them fancy pastries, croissants and opera cakes. So many desserts, so little time, as they say!
