Old Bisquick Dessert Recipes

Mrs John Jerome Finlay is featured on the dessert pages. Who was Mrs.John Jerome Finlay? According to this 1933 Bisquick recipe book, Mrs. Finlay was Jane Scriven before her marriage. She was one of the most popular girls in Chicago, a Member of Junior League and on the Committee for Enchanted Island at the World's Fair. Mother of 3 year old Barbara... models clothes at all important charity affairs. Finds time to make her husband's favorite recipes herself.

Mrs John Jerome Finlay finds time to make her husband's favorite recipes herself. Chief among them is Deep Dish Apple Pie.

Deep Dish Apple Pie

Line just the sides of a 9-inch round baking dish 2 or 3 inches deep, with Bisquick pastry. Pare, core and slice 12 medium sized cooking apples and mix 1 cup of sugar and 2 tsp. of cinnamon with them. Fill the unbaked crust with the apples, dot with 2 tablespoons butter. Sprinkle with a little water, cover with top crust and bake. Individual casseroles 2 inches deep may be used in place of the larger dish.

Bisquick Pastry

Cut 4 tablespoons of shortening into 1 cup of Bisquick. Leave this additional shortening in rather large pieces -- about the size of peas. Add just enough ice water to make dough stay together - about 3 tablespoons. This will make pastry for 1 crust for an 8 inch pan. For a 2 crust pie, double the recipe.

Fresh Fruit Cobbler

Wash fruit (cherries, peaches, apricots, or berries) and remove pits from cherries, apricots or peaches. Peel peaches or apricots. Heat 3 cups fruit with 1 cup sugar (1/2 cup for sweet fruit), and 1 cup water. Blend in 1 tablespoon cornstarch dissolved in a little cold water and cook for 3 minutes.

Pour into the bottom of buttered baking dish. Dot with 1/2 tablespoon butter and 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon. Let cool while preparing Bisquick Shortcake top. Cover with Bisquick Shortcake dough and bake 30 minutes in a moderately hot oven 400 F.

Canned Fruit Cobbler

Use one #2 can of sweetened berries or other fruit. Mix a little of the fruit juice with 1 tablespoon cornstarch. Stir this into the remaining juice heated and add fruit or berries. Place in pudding dish, cover with Bisquick Shortcake dough and bake same as Fresh Fruit Cobbler. (If canned fruit is not sweetened, add sugar to taste.)

Fresh Fruit Rolls

• 4 medium sized apples (or 3 cups berries or other fruit)
• 1 1/2 cups sugar
• 2 cups water
• 1 tablespoon butter
• Sugar and cinnamon

Prepare syrup by putting sugar and water in a 6x12 inch pan 2 inches deep. Cook about 5 minutes over a slow fire. While syrup is cooking make up the biscuit dough. Roll dough into an oblong shape, 1/2 inch thick. Spread with finely chopped apples or any desired fruit and roll up like a jelly roll. Cut this long roll into pieces, about 1 1/2 inches wide. Place pieces cut side down in the pan of hot syrup. Dot with butter and sprinkle with cinnamon and sugar. Bake in a hot oven (450 F) until the crust is golden brown, about 25 minutes. Serve the slices of roll with some of the syrup and with cream also if desired.

Note: Fresh cherries, blackberries, raspberries, blueberries, cranberries, peaches, are just as delicious as apples in this dessert. Canned fruit may be used by draining it and adding the juice to the syrup. Amount: 10 to 12 servings of delicious dessert.

Dessert Dumplings

Add 1/4 cup sugar to 1 1/2 cups Bisquick. Stir in 1/2 cup milk. Beat well and drop into hot sauce, in a wide kettle. Cover tightly and cook over low flame (or over asbestos mat*) to keep from burning. Cook 10 minutes. *Obviously asbestos mats do not exist any more.

For Caramel Dumplings Caramelize 1/2 cup sugar in a heavy pan. Add 2 tablespoons butter and 1 cup of water. Cook until dissolved (about 10 minutes), stirring occasionally. Drop in dumplings. Cover tightly and cook.

For Applesauce Dumplings Pare, core and cut up 9 apples and cook with 3/4 cup of water and 3/4 cup of sugar until apples are mushy. Drop in Dumplings. Cover tightly and cook.

For Peach or Apricot Dumplings Bring to a boil 1 cup sliced fruit, 1 cup juice (or one #2 can) and 1 tablespoon butter. Drop in Dumplings. Cover tightly and cook.

Fruit Puffs

• 3/4 cup berries
• 6 tablespoons sugar
• 1 cup Bisquick
• 1/2 cup sugar
• 1 egg
• 1/2 cup milk

Grease 6 little custard cups or pudding molds well. Place 2 tablespoons berries and 1 tablespoon sugar in the bottom of each mold. Combine Bisquick with sugar and mix well. Beat egg and add milk. Combine with Bisquick mixture. Pour batter over berries in molds, filling each cup a little less than 2/3 full. Tie waxed paper* over the top of each cup. Steam 1/2 hour. Serve with cream or any desired pudding sauce. This makes 6 individual puddings.

Note: Blackberries, raspberries, huckleberries, blueberries, cherries or sliced peaches may be used.
* I have no idea how they tied the wax paper on.

Fig Roll with Lemon Sauce

Cook 3/4 cup sugar, 1 cup water, and 1 cup fig juice (drained from figs) in a pan 2 inches deep, for about 5 minutes. Make biscuit dough by using the recipe for Bisquicks. Roll out into rectangular piece, spread with the one cup drained, chopped cooked figs and roll into a long roll. Cut into pieces about 1 1/2 inches wide. Place cut side down in pan of hot syrup; dot with butter; bake until the crust is golden brown, - about 25 minutes in a hot oven, 450 F. Lift out on platter and pour syrup over the hot rolls. Serve with sharp lemon sauce*.
* They did not include the recipe for sharp lemon sauce.

Bisquick Pumpkin Dessert Recipe

• 1 cup Bisquick baking mix
• 1/2 cup quick cooking oatmeal
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 1/4 cup firm butter or margarine
Mix until crumbly and press into a 13x9x2 pan. Bake 10 minutes at 350°.

• 1 can pumpkin
• 1 can evaporated milk
• 2 eggs
• 3/4 cup granulated sugar
• 1/2 tsp salt
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 1/2 tsp ginger
• 1/4 tsp ground cloves
Mix above together and pour over baked layer and bake 20 minutes.

• 1/2 cup chopped pecans
• 1/2 cup packed brown sugar
• 2 tablespoons firm butter
Mix these until crumbly and sprinkle over filling. Bake until set for 15 to 20 minutes.

Make a Spiced Whipped Cream to top it off.

Beat 1 cup chilled whipping cream in a chilled bowl until soft peaks form. Beat in 1 tablespoon of sugar, 1 teaspoon grated orange peel, and 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon until stiff peaks form.

Cherry Crunch Bisquick Dessert

• 1 can cherry pie filling
• 1 can black cherries-no seeds, drained
• 3/4 cup Bisquick
• 1/2 cup chopped nuts
• 1/4 cup sugar
• 1/2 tsp. ground cinnamon
• 1/4 cup firm butter or margarine

Mix pie filling and black cherries in an ungreased square 8 in baking dish. Mix the Bisquick mix, nuts, sugar, and cinnamon. Cut in the margarine until crumbly, sprinkle over cherry mixture.
Bake in 375 oven until brown, about 35 min. Serve with a scoop of ice cream on top.