Grandma's Recipes #22 - Broken Glass Torte

Broken glass torte is a staple of Northeast Wisconsin potlucks.  It looks pretty in a bowl, and can be made with the jello flavors of your choice, although I think lime, cherry, orange, and lemon are most popular.  Grandma had two recipes for this classic in her box, which are very, very similar.

Broken Glass Torte Large Bowl
Graham cracker crust 11 x 15 pan
3 small packages jello - red, yellow, and green (top) or orange, red, and green (bottom)
1 can crushed pineapple w/ 1/2 c pineapple juice
1/2 cup cold water
1 package gelatin
2 packages Dream Whip or 1/2 pint of whipped cream
2/3 c sugar

Dissolve each package of jello in 1 1/2 c boiling water.  Put in large bowl (bottom) | flat dish (top). When set, cut in small squares.  Pour 1/2 pineapple juice out of can of pineapple.  Boil pineapple juice, cold water, and gelatin to dissolve.  Whip 2 packages dream whip or 1/2 pint of whipped cream with 3/4 c sugar.  Mix cream, juice mixture, jello and crushed pineapple by hand.

Grandma's Recipes #18 - Cherry Jumbo Torte

Cherry Jumbo Torte
2 cans sour cherries and juice
1 dry white or yellow cake mix
3/4c butter, melted
1 cup pecans, cut
Whipped cream

Put cherries in a 9x13" ungreased pan.  Put dry cake mix on top.  Top with pecans.  Pour melted butter over the top.  Bake at 350 for 50 minutes.  Serve with whipped cream.

Grandma's Recipes #9 - Apple Torte with Meringue Topping

This is another recipe that I don't remember ever having, but it's been clearly well-loved.  This is another one to come back to this fall.  Unfortunately, the bake time in the last instruction is really, really difficult to make out.  I think it's 20 minutes, but will gladly take input from others if they're able to make it out.  

2 c           flour

2 Tblsp    sugar

1 c           butter

Dash        salt

12            large apples sliced

1 c           sugar

1 tsp        cinnamon

2 regular or 1 large vanilla pudding

5 or 6       egg whites

1/2 c        sugar

Combine flour, 2 Tblsp sugar, butter, salt.  Spread in 9x13" pan.  Combine apples, 1 cup sugar, and cinnamon.  Put over crust.  Bake at 375 for 45 minutes.  Remove from oven.  Cook pudding following directions.  Pour over apples.  Beat egg whites into stiff peaks.  Add 1/2 c sugar, 1 teaspoon at a time.  Spread over pudding.  Return to oven.  Bake 20(?) minutes or until brown.

Grandma's Recipes #5 - Refrigerator Cheese Torte (No bake)

Refrigerator Cheese Torte (no bake)
2 Tblsp   gelatin (plain)
1/4 cup   cold water
2             eggs, separated
1tsp        salt
1/2 cup   milk
1 cup      sugar
1 lb        cottage cheese
2 tsp      vanilla
1 cup     whipped cream

Soften gelatin in cold water.  Put slightly beaten egg yolks in a double boiler together with salt, milk and sugar.  Cook until mixture thickens, stirring occasionally.  Remove from heat, add to the mixture the gelatin.  Stir gelatin until dissolved.  Cool before gelatin hardens.  Beat in cottage cheese and vanilla with egg whites.  When this begins to thicken, fold in beaten egg whites and whipped cream.  Chill 4 hours.

Grandma's Recipes #4 - Poppy Seed Torte

Poppy seed and banana tortes were an ever-present dessert at every family get together.  I found two different recipes in Grandma's recipe box.  I have no idea which one was the most commonly used.  I wasn't a huge fan of the gelatinous goo, so I also won't be the one taste testing to find out.  I'll leave that to my wonderful cousins.  As usual, [gray brackets] indicate things I had to add or substantially edit to make it easier to follow.



Poppy Seed Torte #1 (top)

Crust:
2 cups      crumbs [graham cracker]
1/2 cup     butter
2 tsp         butter

[Combine crumbs and 1/2 c butter.  Grease 9x13" pan with 2 tsp butter.  Spread crumbs across entire pan and press firmly.]

Filling
1/3 cup      sugar
3 Tbsp       corn starch
2 cups        milk
8                eggs, separated
1/2 cup      poppyseeds
2 pgks       gelatin in 1/2 c cold water
1-1/2 tsp    cream of tarter
1/2 c          sugar

Cook 1/3 c sugar, corn starch, milk and 8 egg yolks until thick [to make custard].  Add poppyseed and gelatin / water.
Beat 8 egg whites until stiff with cream of tarter.  Add 1/2 c sugar and beat until stiff, then mix with custard.  Pour over crumbs and refrigerate.


Poppy Seed Torte #2 (bottom)
2 large vanilla pudding as directed
6 eggs, separated
2 tbsp gelatine
1/2 cup poppy seeds
1/2 sugar
9x13 graham cracker crust

Cook [pudding, egg yolks, gelatin and poppy seeds] until thick.  Beat 6 egg whites.  Gradually add 1/2 sugar.  Beat till stiff.  Fold in custard.  Pour over 9x13 graham cracker crust.  Chill.