Woman’s Home Companion Cook Book – Part 12
The chapter on Desserts and Dessert Sauces reads:
“Some people look ahead to the last chapter to make sure the book ends happily; others ask what there is for dessert before beginning dinner. Those who ask about dessert have reason on their side, for a dessert should be planned to complement the meal. It the main course is a sumptuous and filling one, top it off with something light and easily digested. When the rest of the meal skimps on calories and protein, you have a chance to do your bit nutritionally with a really satisfying sweet.
Nowhere in the realm of food preparation is there a wider choice for the planner of menus. The biscuit desserts, shortcakes, pandowdies and Dutch apple cake offer variety for seasonable fresh as well as canned and quick-frozen fruits. Bavarian creams, charlottes and refrigerator cakes are cooling and pleasing on a summer evening; on cold winter evenings spicy hot puddings have their turn. The many different gelatine desserts are year-round favorites, while custards, tapiocas and other milk desserts help use the milk quota.
In the range from bread puddings to strawberry shortcake, you can find not only the proper nutritive balance but the dessert that balances in time and expense. If meat for the main course has strained the budget, choose an inexpensive dessert, attractively served; if other courses are time-consuming, let the dessert be one that takes only a few minutes to prepare.
Here again, if all is to end well, ‘Follow directions carefully’. Overcooking or too hight a temperature will curdle the custard. The texture of gelatine desserts depends upon the proper proportion of gelatine to liquid and the temperature at which it congeals; the successful shortcake must be made with a light tender biscuit.
Remember that cold desserts should be served well chilled, and hot desserts should be hot when they reach the table.”
The chapter has 49 pages of desserts including Apple Pandowdy, Floating Island, Coffee Jelly, Spiced Apple Snow, Prune Soufflé, Molasses Coconut Pudding and sauces such as Gold, Benedictine, Foamy, and Hard.
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I always read the dessert section on a menu before I decide what to have for starters and my main course
By: Tandy on March 5, 2012
at 08:00
Love that you read the dessert section first Tandy. Have a super week ahead.
xo
By: thecompletecookbook on March 5, 2012
at 13:37
These are among my favorite posts of yours, Mandy. This one, however, leaves me wanting more. Your final note, “The chapter has 49 pages of desserts … ” is the reason. I bet they’re wonderful! Thank you for sharing another section with us.
By: ChgoJohn on March 5, 2012
at 08:24
Hi John. I must say there are some wonderful sounding desserts – maybe I should work my way through them all for you – just for “testing” purposes of course. Have a lovely week.
By: thecompletecookbook on March 5, 2012
at 13:38
May I propose a deal? When we eventually do get together, for every unique pasta I make for you, you will reciprocate with one of the 49 desserts. We’ll worry about joining a gym or diet plan when we’ve run out of dessert/pasta options. Deal?
By: ChgoJohn on March 5, 2012
at 14:25
Deal! Deal! Deal! Right, now just to work on when we are going to get together…
By: thecompletecookbook on March 5, 2012
at 14:51
“Life is short, Eat dessert First!”
By: Bam's Kitchen on March 5, 2012
at 10:50
Great plan Bam! Have a super week ahead.
By: thecompletecookbook on March 5, 2012
at 13:38
Good that you finally share the dessert part!
By: Angie@Angie's Recipes on March 5, 2012
at 14:04
does seem to be a favourite all around Angie. Have a great week ahead.
By: thecompletecookbook on March 5, 2012
at 14:49
Cold desserts cold, hot desserts hot. I got it! Love these posts.
By: Rufus' Food and Spirits Guide on March 5, 2012
at 14:41
Exactly right Greg. Have a good week.
By: thecompletecookbook on March 5, 2012
at 14:51
I may have to hold you to that deal you made with John! I’d love to offer something to “sweeten” that deal, but better not promise! I would love to see you make something from this book..
By: Just A Smidgen on March 5, 2012
at 16:11
Smidge, can you just imagine how much fun we would all have! Think we would all put on loads of weight though! Have a super day.
By: thecompletecookbook on March 6, 2012
at 07:33
I like the opening line and I like this book’s philosophy on desserts. As you know…love the woman’s home companion cook book series.
By: Kristy on March 5, 2012
at 16:31
Thanks Kristy, it’s lovely that everybody enjoys these posts so much. Thankfully I still have a few chapters to share. Have a super week.
By: thecompletecookbook on March 6, 2012
at 07:38
I hate directions and no I will not ‘Follow directions carefully’!!!
By: sportsglutton on March 5, 2012
at 18:43
That’s okay, I don’t mind Jed.
Have a super week. 
By: thecompletecookbook on March 6, 2012
at 07:40
“Nowhere in the realm of food preparation is there a wider choice for the planner of menus…” Isn’t that the truth? I, too, love these posts and I’ll second that notion for you to work your way through all 49 and share postings with us, even if we can’t join you and John for tasting!
By: bitsandbreadcrumbs on March 5, 2012
at 22:28
Oh how I would love for all of us to get together to work through these recipes together – we could divide the 49 pages up easily and be enjoying dessert for breakfast, lunch and dinner.
Have a super day. 
By: thecompletecookbook on March 6, 2012
at 07:46
Lovely chapter! I´m not a dessert person but when I´m out and I know they make good desserts, I will have a sneaky look at them while I´m deciding what else to eat
And I like to make them for my guests and enjoy planning what will complement the meal.
By: Chica Andaluza on March 5, 2012
at 23:11
I am not that much of a dessert person either, although there are certain favourites that I find hard to resit like lemon meringue pie and pecan nut pie. Have a great day Tanya.
By: thecompletecookbook on March 6, 2012
at 07:48
Oh, Mandy! This is lovely. It reminds me of Julia Childs’ Mastering the art of French cooking…
By: Bluejellybeans on March 6, 2012
at 12:14
Hi Giovannna, so glad you enjoyed the read. I look forward to catching up with your posts when we get back home next week. Have a super day.
By: thecompletecookbook on March 6, 2012
at 14:16
Sounds like a pretty great chapter! I would probably read it first
Have a lovely week.
By: Tricia @ Saving room for dessert on March 6, 2012
at 15:32
Have a super week too Tricia.
By: thecompletecookbook on March 7, 2012
at 08:40
And some of us Guys…look beyond the Title: Woman’s Home Companion …
And not just cause we feel left out of the HOME equation…
Great Book…
By: sonsothunder on March 7, 2012
at 06:09
The olden days were a funny time hey Paul, where men and woman had very distinct roles to play.
By: thecompletecookbook on March 7, 2012
at 08:49