Knickerbocker Glory

Originally inspired by my visit to New York in July 08, the array of (enormous) desserts was irresistible… Some of the flavours in this version are not too familiar, but capture the essence of my visit to New York.

The knickerbocker glory is a very elaborate ice cream sundae that is served in the United Kingdom. It goes well beyond the banana split, itself a rich dessert. The knickerbocker glory was first described in the 1930s and contains ice cream, jelly, fruit and cream. Layers of these different sweet tastes are alternated in a tall glass and are topped with kinds of syrup, nuts and whipped cream. Though a British treat, the name "Knickerbocker" is distinctively American and associated with early New York state and city histories. Before they were called New York, the state and city were Nieuw Amsterdam. They were settled by the Dutch in the 1600s and 1700s. A knickerbocker was a descendant of the original settlers from Holland. The name comes from the fictional Diedrich Knickerbocker, who "wrote" Washington Irving's History of New York. Knickerbockers, or knickers, are also old-time knee-length men's pants that nowadays are seen on the rare golfer. How the name became connected to the sundae is not known.