Prune Whip (Vintage)
intro
A light, fluffy nostalgic vintage dessert of sweet stewed prunes folded into billowy egg whites, gently baked and served chilled for a simple, fruity treat.
Ingredients
Steps
Stew the dried prunes
Place 225g pitted dried prunes and 240ml cold water in a small heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium-low heat. Bring to a gentle, low simmer (do not boil hard), then cover and cook for 12 minutes, until prunes are fully soft and plump, stirring once at the 6-minute mark to prevent sticking.
Puree cooked prunes
Remove the stewed prunes from heat, stir in 50g granulated sugar and 15ml fresh lemon juice until the sugar fully dissolves into the warm liquid. Let the mixture cool for 10 minutes, then transfer all prunes and cooking liquid to a blender or food processor. Blend on high speed for 30 seconds until completely smooth with no remaining lumps. Scrape the puree into a medium mixing bowl and set aside to cool fully to room temperature, about 15 additional minutes.
Whip egg whites to peaks
First confirm your stand mixer bowl and whisk attachment are completely free of grease, oil, or traces of egg yolk (wipe with a paper towel dipped in white vinegar if unsure). Add 4 room-temperature large egg whites and 1/8 teaspoon fine sea salt to the bowl. Beat on medium speed for 1 minute until the whites are frothy and opaque, then increase speed to medium-high and beat for 3-4 minutes, until stiff, glossy peaks form that hold their shape straight up when the whisk is lifted.
Fold prune puree into whites
Stir 5ml pure vanilla extract into the fully cooled prune puree until evenly combined. Scoop 1/3 of the whipped egg whites into the prune puree, and stir vigorously to lighten the dense puree (this makes folding easier without deflating the rest of the whites). Add the remaining egg whites in two equal batches, folding gently with a rubber spatula in slow, over-and-under sweeping motions to preserve trapped air, until no streaks of white egg white remain in the light lavender mixture.
Bake the prune whip
Preheat your oven to 160°C (325°F). Transfer the fluffy prune whip mixture to a 1.5L (6-cup) glass baking dish, and smooth the top very gently with a spatula (do not press down to pop air bubbles). Set the baking dish inside a larger metal roasting pan, then carefully pour hot tap water into the roasting pan until the water reaches 2.5cm (1 inch) up the outer side of the baking dish. Bake for 20 minutes, until the top of the whip is set, slightly puffed, and soft-springy when touched lightly with a finger.
Chill before serving
Carefully lift the baking dish out of the hot water bath, and set it on a wire rack to cool to room temperature for 20 minutes. Cover the dish tightly with plastic wrap, then transfer to the refrigerator to chill for a minimum of 2 hours before serving. Scoop into individual small dessert dishes, and serve plain or with a splash of vanilla custard if desired.
Tips
2.Never stir or overmix when combining egg whites with prune puree: overfolding pops the trapped air bubbles that give prune whip its signature light, fluffy texture, resulting in a dense, heavy final dessert.
3.Always let prune puree cool fully to room temperature before folding into egg whites; warm puree will cook and deflate the delicate egg whites, causing the whip to lose volume and become runny.
OMG I made this for my grandma’s 85th birthday dinner last weekend and everyone RAVED! I was so nervous prune whip would feel too old-ladyish but it was so light and fluffy, not too sweet at all. I topped it with a little dollop of freshly whipped cream and toasted almond slivers, chef’s kiss. Only thing was my cook time ran a little longer than the recipe said, maybe my oven runs cool?
Found this while digging for vintage potluck recipes for our church’s 1950s themed social, and it was a total showstopper! So many people came up to ask for the recipe, even the teens who turned their noses up at “prune dessert” went back for seconds. Heads up for anyone making this ahead: it holds up really well in the fridge for a full 24 hours if you cover it tight, no weird watery separation at all.
Game changer! I was looking for easy, lower-sugar desserts to add to my weekly meal prep and this fits the bill perfectly. It’s so light I don’t feel sluggish after eating it, and the prunes add such a nice deep, fruity flavor without needing tons of added sugar. Quick question: can I freeze leftovers for later?
Y’all, my 7 and 9 year old turned their noses up so hard when I told them we were having prune whip for dessert… until they tried it. My kids loved it so much they keep asking when we’re making “that purple fluffy stuff” again! The only tweak I made was adding a tiny splash of vanilla extract because my kids go crazy for vanilla. 10/10, way easier than I thought it would be for a vintage recipe.
So excited to find a classic vintage dessert that’s naturally gluten free! I brought this to my friend’s gluten-free potluck last week and even the people who don’t eat GF were going back for thirds. Wait, did anyone else’s whip deflate a little when they folded the prunes in? I think I overmixed it a little bit, oops.
Made this for a fancy dinner party I hosted last weekend, paired it with a port wine reduction drizzle on top, and my guests thought I’d spent hours on it! Little do they know it was one of the easiest desserts on the menu, most of the time was just waiting for it to chill. Is there a way to make it a little firmer so I can plate it with a ring mold?
This tastes just like the prune whip my great-aunt used to bring to every family reunion down in Georgia! I haven’t been able to find a recipe that got the texture right for years — most of them are either too runny or too dense, but this one is perfectly light and airy. Thank you so much for sharing this gem!
Wait, I never thought prunes could taste this good?? I only had a bag in the pantry because my doctor recommended them for fiber, and I decided to give this a shot on a whim. SO good, I ate half the batch while watching TV last night, no regrets.
Super easy recipe for a total beginner like me! I’ve never made anything with whipped egg whites before and I was terrified I’d mess it up, but the instructions were so clear and step-by-step, it turned out perfect first try. The chill time felt forever but it was so worth it.
Brought this to our neighborhood block party last weekend and it was gone in 10 minutes flat! Everyone kept guessing what the “secret fancy fruit” was, no one believed it was just prunes. Served it in little individual cups with a shortbread cookie on the side, perfect portable serving.
Perfect for anyone watching their added sugar intake! I didn’t even add the full amount of sugar the recipe called for, the natural sweetness from the prunes was more than enough for me. I’ll definitely be making this on repeat this summer when I don’t want to turn the oven on for heavy cakes.
This is exactly the prune whip they used to serve at the old luncheonette my grandma worked at in the 60s! I haven’t had it since I was a little kid going to visit her after school, and the first bite took me right back. Total nostalgia bomb.
Made this for our Easter dinner this year as a lighter alternative to all the heavy chocolate and caramel desserts, and it was such a hit! My cousin who hates all “healthy” desserts ate two full servings. I topped it with a little fresh whipped cream and a sprinkle of orange zest, chef’s kiss combo.
Tasty, but mine came out a little lumpy because I didn’t puree the prunes smooth enough before folding them in. My bad, I was rushing to get it in the fridge before my kid’s soccer game. Flavor was still great though, I’ll definitely make it again and take the time to blend the prunes properly next time.
So happy this works with vegan aquafaba instead of egg whites! I swapped the egg whites for whipped chickpea brine, added a tiny pinch of cream of tartar, and it fluffed up exactly the same. No one at my vegan dinner party could tell the difference, such a great flexible base recipe!
Perfect light dessert for 100+ degree Arizona summers! I don’t want to eat anything heavy when it’s this hot out, and this hits the spot every time. I keep a batch in the fridge all week long for a quick sweet treat after work.
Added this to my weekend brunch menu last month and it’s now a permanent staple! It pairs so well with quiche and fresh fruit, way more interesting than the usual fruit salad or muffins I used to serve. Guests always comment on how unique and delicious it is.
Love how cheap this is to make! I already had most of the ingredients in my pantry, only had to pick up a bag of prunes which were like $3 at the grocery store. Tastes like a fancy restaurant dessert but costs pennies per serving, perfect for feeding a crowd on a budget.
Full transparency, I made fun of my wife when she said she was making prune whip for dessert. I thought it sounded like something out of a bad old cookbook that no one actually likes. I was so wrong. It’s light, fruity, not too sweet, I ate three bowls. I will never doubt her vintage recipe picks again.