The more I delve into my vintage cookbook collection, the more I find that there were definitive trends throughout the different decades. In the fifties, people seemed to have liked using a pre-measured cake yeast – I still have yet to discover exactly what this measurement was. In the 1960′s, there are absolutely tons of recipes that used boxed mixes and evaporated milk in place of quick mix cakes or whipping cream; however, it is the ingredient that peppers the pages of my books from the 1970′s that delights me the most: marshmallows.

White, fluffy, full of gelatin, and sugar, how could you go wrong?

My guess is that people just weren’t so into baking with gelatin in the seventies and so they turned to marshmallows to set their parfaits, jello salads, and puddings. I’m not really so offended by the extreme use of marshmallows, I kind of adore them actually which is why I fell in love with this recipe for Coffee Mallow Parfaits. Well…that and the recipe has a name that really delighted me.

This is likely the easiest of the recipes that I’ve tested and posted on Baking Vintage thus far and honestly, it is truly delicious. Though there is extra time for cooling and setting needed in the recipe, it comes together remarkably quickly, has a classy presentation and it tastes just like a really delectable coffee-infused chocolate bar.

If you wanted to spice things up a little, you could add subtract a tablespoon of water and add a tablespoon of Bailey’s or Kahlua to the marshmallow, coffee, water mixture; similarly, you could also add crushed Skor or Heath bar pieces to the crushed cookie mixture.

Coffee Mallow Parfaits (adapated from the Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook)

Makes 4 to 6-8 ounce parfaits

24 jumbo marshmallows

1 tablespoon instant coffee granules

1 cup of water

1 cup heavy cream, whipped

½ cup to 1 cup crushed chocolate wafers

In a medium saucepan combine marshmallows, coffee granules, and water. Allow mixture to heat up and for the marshmallow to disintegrate – the liquid will be just slightly translucent and seem quite thin but letting the mixture cool 30 to 40 minutes, will allow it to thicken and begin to set.

After whipping heavy cream into stiff peaks, gently fold the cream into the coffee and marshmallow mixture. Chill for 20 minutes.

In a 8-ounce parfait glass, spoon in the coffee marshmallow mixture so that the mixture come up about an inch. Spoon the crushed wafers on top of the coffee marshmallow mixture. Repeat this process ending with the coffee marshmallow mixture and allow to set in the fridge for at least 30 minutes.

Garnish with whipped cream or a sprinkling of the crushed wafers. Serve chilled.