Pineapple Sponge

Recipe No. 131 from the U.S. Army’s WWII cookbook — Desserts. Quantities are exactly as printed, for 100 servings; a scaled-down 8-serving version is in the notes.

Ingredients

• Water, cold — 2 quarts (2 No. 56 dippers)
• Gelatin, plain — ½ pound (½ mess kit cup)
• Egg yolks, beaten — 32 yolks (⅔ No. 56 dipper)
• Sugar, granulated — 8 pounds (4 No. 56 dippers)
• Lemon juice — 1 pint (½ No. 56 dipper)
• Salt — ½ ounce (1 mess kit spoon)
• Water, boiling — 3 quarts (3 No. 56 dippers)
• Pineapple, crushed — 2 No. 10 cans
• Vanilla — 4 ounces (8 mess kit spoons)
• Egg whites — 32 whites (? No. 56 dipper)

Directions

1. Pour cold water over gelatin; mix and allow to stand 5 minutes.
2. Mix beaten egg yolk and ¾ sugar. Add lemon juice and salt; mix well.
3. Pour boiling water over gelatin; stir until gelatin is dissolved.
4. Pour gelatin into egg mixture slowly, stirring constantly.
5. Chill until mixture begins to thicken; add pineapple and vanilla.
6. Beat egg whites until stiff; add remaining sugar gradually.
7. Add egg white to gelatin mixture. Pour into pans; chill until firm.

Notes

SCALED TO 8 SERVINGS (the original is ÷12.5): Water, cold — 10¼ tbsp Gelatin, plain — ⅔ oz Egg yolks, beaten — 2½ yolks Sugar, granulated — 10¼ oz Lemon juice — 2½ tbsp Salt — a pinch Water, boiling — 15⅓ tbsp Pineapple, crushed — 2 cups Vanilla — about 2 tsp Egg whites — 2½ whites

— TM 10-412, Army Recipes (War Department, 15 August 1944), recipe No. 131, Desserts. Army measures: 1 No. 56 dipper = 1 qt; 1 No. 55 dipper = 1¾ qt; 1 mess kit cup = 1½ pints. NOTE: a quantity on the scanned page was unclear — check the PDF in the Reference Library.