~ Down Memory Lane ~
Knickerbocker Glory
The Ultimate Ice Cream Sundae
Knickerbocker Glory
Down my memory lane are tall hedges with berries, grassy banks covered with primroses and violets; bluebell woods, babbling brooks and tree houses. Hot summer days with the drowsy humming of bees, sandwiches wrapped in greaseproof paper and bottled “pop” in bottles with pot lids and rubber seals………packets of crisps with a little blue bag of salt in the bottom and milky way chocolate bars. Old woollen rugs and wicker baskets, Thunderbirds on Saturday evening and afternoon tea with fresh boiled eggs. My parents young and laughing at our childish antics, stinging nettles and dock leaves, sticky boiled sweets in fluff filled coat pockets……….sea shells with sand still on them and crabs in jam jars. Tinned salmon and vinegar with soggy lettuce leaves and salad cream……..wibbly wobbly jelly and ice cream in wafers. Ice cream sodas and little cheese triangles……..Mr Whippy ice cream vans and Wimpy Bar burgers…..
……99’s and fruit flavoured ice lollies called “Rockets” and “Cornish Mivvys”. Old cars with deep seats of leather, pinnies and hair nets on grandmothers and aunts; buckets and spades, sand castles and sun hats……….sleeping in the back seat of the car and fish and chip treats; Winceyette nighties, blankets and eiderdowns with floral cotton curtains, “Gonks” and teddy bears. Gingham table clothes and “Homemaker” crockery…….spangles and walnut whips with a walnut inside as well as on top……walking to school and then going “to tea” at a friend’s with bread and butter with jam. Tartan flasks and tartan rugs…….sweet tea and Mr Kipling’s Fancies. Empty roads and cycling along quiet country lanes, butterflies, bird song and the smell of sweet hay. Biscuits in tins, Bluebird toffees in tins……..fruit cake in tins…….
Tupperware, trifles and ice cream with jelly…….as well as KNICKERBOCKER GLORIES!
A taste of childhood and uncomplicated days, and a coveted dessert, a knickerbocker glory was reserved for special days such as birthdays and holidays at the seaside, but that didn’t stop me for asking or one every time I saw one on the menu! I also had a penchant for banana splits and ice cream sodas too…..the nearest I got to these decadent ice cream treats was when my grandfather gave me a threepenny piece or maybe a sixpence if I had been good, for the ice cream van when it came around………a real treat. Trips out to the shops with my grandmother often resulted in being treated to a ice cream wafer – a block of ice cream between two wafers, not what I would have picked, but I never turned one down! Other desired ice cream treats were those little tubs of whipped ice cream with nuts and syrup on top…….or a 99, whipped ice cream with a Cadbury’s flake stuck in it……..STILL a favourite even today.
This post may be dripping in nostalgia, but that’s what happens when you are asked to make an ice cream recipe that reminds you of your childhood, as Kavey did for her March Bloggers Scream for Ice Cream challenge……the theme was a nostalgic “… recreate a favourite childhood ice cream experience or flavour….” and this is what I have come up with! I was a trifle disappointed that I had no wafers, but never mind, the flavours were all there with the tinned fruit cocktail and little cherries bringing it all together. I made this for myself after my husband sneered at the idea of such a frippery being served after dinner, not a problem for me as I polished off the last of the ice cream! I have posted a recipe for this knickerbocker glory, such as it is, it’s really just a list of suggestions as I feel that this extreme ice cream sundae is a moveable feast ingredient wise…….don’t eat it all at once and have a fabulous Sunday, see you tomorrow with another retro treat! Karen.
- The theme for March is to recreate a favourite childhood ice cream experience or flavour.
Knickerbocker Glory – Ice Cream Sundae
Print recipe
| Prep time | 5 minutes |
| Allergy | Milk |
| Dietary | Vegetarian |
| Meal type | Dessert |
| Misc | Child Friendly, Serve Cold |
| Occasion | Barbecue, Birthday Party, Casual Party |
| Region | American |
| By author | Karen S Burns-Booth |
Ingredients
- Vanilla Ice Cream
- Tinned Fruit Cocktail
- Fresh Strawberries
- Strawberry Syrup (Ice Cream Sauce/Syrup)
- Whipped Cream
- Hundreds and Thousands (Coloured Sprinkles)
- Ice Cream Wafer
Note
The knickerbocker glory is a very elaborate ice cream sundae that is served in a large tall glass, particularly in the United Kingdom, and contains ice cream, mixed fruit, chocolate or fruit syrups, cream, chopped nuts or hundreds and thousands and a wafer. It sometimes has meringues and alcohol in it too. Some references claim the ice-cream desert to be a British concoction, however, in "An A-Z of Food and Drink" (Ed. John Ayto. Oxford University Press, 2002) offers this: 'A knickerbocker glory is an elaborate ice-cream dessert consisting of layers of ice-cream, jelly, fruit, and cream served in a tall glass. It has no connection with nether garments; the term was presumably inspired by Diedrich Knickerbocker, the mock-Dutch name invented by Washington Irving for the fictitious author of his History of New York . This subsequently became synonymous with the descendants of the original Dutch settlers in New Amsterdam, and eventually with New Yorkers in general - so a knickerbocker glory is essentially a tribute to New York. The term is first recorded in the 1930s.
Directions
| Step 1 | Take a tall glass and pour some strawberry syrup in the bottom and add a spoonful of tinned fruit. Place once scoop of ice cream in top and then add some fresh strawberries and more tinned fruit and syrup. |
| Step 2 | Continue to build the sundae this way, with maybe three scoops of ice cream in total, and end by squirting whipped cream on the top before sprinkling with hundreds and thousands or chopped nuts. Serve with a wafer and a long spoon! |
| Step 3 | You can vary this recipe to suit - different fruit and sauces, it is a moveable feast, along as you have a combination of ice cream, fruit. cream and sprinkles, the sky's the limit! |
Knickerbocker Glory
Knickerbocker Glory
Kavey says
Fabulous! Love love love your long list of nostalgia-inducing memories, so many in common too… not leas the knicker bocker glories we both made for this challenge. I forgot the wafers though, even though I’d talked to mum about them and she’d reminded me, I still forgot!!!
Karen says
Thanks Kavey – LOVED your theme this month and was glad to be able to join in FINALLY!
What Kate Baked says
The name of this most delightful of nostalgic treats brings such a smile to my face! And what lovely summery memories you’ve captured Karen!
Karen says
Thanks Kate! I love a bit of nostalgia now and then…..:-)
bakingaddict says
A nostalgic post indeed… brings back fond memories. love your knickerbocker glory, wish I could dig into one now!! I always love going to American dinners so I can have a proper ice cream sundae, now I know I can just come to yours 🙂
Karen says
I used to love the old fashioned ice cream parlours, all those milk shakes and ice cream sundaes…..
Dominic says
I adore your KBG’s!!! They remind me of my childhood too! I love this post and all the wonderful photos!! All beautifully retro! Happy Sunday xxx
Karen says
Thanks Dom – a wicked Sunday treat indeed!
Neesie says
A brilliant post Karen…oh so many fantastic childhood memories that I’d forgotten.
I love the photo’s too. Who is the lady in the apron ~ anyone you know?
I’m trying to remember why they were called ’99’s, but I can’t for the life of me remember…oh my…sad state of affairs. ;D
Karen says
I don’t know the lady in the apron, but I love the photo anyway! I have NO idea why they were called 99’s, but I am on a mission to find out now! I will let you know……Karen
Jenny @ BAKE says
This looks amazing! I don’t think I’ve had a knickerbockerglory since my 8th birthday party!
Karen says
I was just like a naughty little girl, scoffing it whilst my husband looked on in disbelief!
Jennifer says
What a walk down memory lane – ooh Knickerbocker Glory what a name! The first ice cream soda I can remember having was at my Grandmother’s house – it was her 70th birthday and she had gathered all the youngest grandchildren for a tea party. What lovely memories.
Karen says
What lovely memories……precious indeed! Thanks for your lovely comments too, Karen
thelittleloaf says
You know I don’t think I’ve ever eaten a knickerbocker glory? I just remember reading about them in books! It looks lovely though, and I loved your nostalgic memories – this ice cream challenge has been so much fun 🙂
Karen says
I LOVE them, a combination of fruit, ice cream and cream with sauce and sprinkles…..pure bliss!
Celia Lindsell says
I have to say it is one of the things I miss living in France – the great ’99. I adore them and you just cannot get the same thing here.
Karen says
I know, NO 99’s en France – need to bring some flake bars back with me! 🙂
Janice says
Loved your memories, many of which I share! I laughed at the Cornish Mivvys and don’t get me started on Olde English Spangles – hee hee. I don’t think I ever had a Knickerbocker Glory in a cafe. My treat was a Banana Split and I remember ordering one in a posh hotel restaurant, it wasn’t on the menu but they made it for me anyway and it was so good!
Karen says
Thanks Janice…….it’s funny how certain recipes can bring back a flood of memories, just a tin of fruit cocktail with ice cream and I was away down that memory lane!
Kentish Keg-Meg says
This was such a joy to read. Took me right back to my childhood with those Cornish mivvys. In my holiday from school I used to work in a cafe at the seaside and was given the job to make Knickerbocker Glories. At the end of the day I was allowed to use up any fruit left and make myself a super duper Knickebocker Glor.
Karen says
Thanks Keg-Meg! I also worked in a cafe in the school holidays, and we used to sell Cornish Mivvys too….BUT no super duper Knickerbocker Glories at the end of the day, so lucky you!
Javelin Warrior says
Wow… I’ve never seen an icecream treat quite like this before. The closest would probably be Cold Stone Creamery with all their mix-ins, but it doesn’t rival this! It looks absolutely refreshing and you’re right – it screams nostalgia…
Karen says
Thanks! 🙂 Certain foods just bring back such happy memories……and this is one of them!
Choclette says
I’d forgotten all about knickerbocker glories and banana splits and the rest until I read Kavey’s round-up. It’s quite strange how the memories come flooding back. Great post Karen. I’d also forgotten about crisps with the little blue packet of salt – very sensible idea.
Karen says
Yes, much better to have the salt to serve yourself, I much prefer crisps that way!