The Retro Canned Dessert That Delivered A Fruit Float In 30 Seconds

If you don't know what a fruit float is, you're probably not alone. The term describes a few sweet treats that contain some sort of fruit, including one that consists of a scoop of fruity sherbet (which is different from sorbet) topped with sparkling juice or soda. Another is a Filipino-inspired icebox cake that is made by layering fruit with graham crackers and whipped cream. In the 1970s, Libby's released its own version of a fruit float, one that could go from can to serving dish in half a minute. If you lived through this groovy decade and blinked, you might have missed it, as it was only available for a couple of years.

Libby's is most famously known for its canned pumpkin which can be found en masse around Thanksgiving. It's Ina Garten's favorite brand and is perfect for baking. But the company has also been canning various fruits and vegetables since the 1880s. When it decided to dip its toe into the dessert business, Libby's crafted an idea that would undoubtedly appeal to busy families and latch-key kids: dump the contents of the canned product into a bowl, add cold milk, and mix until the consistency reached that of a pudding or mousse. Fruit Float contained pieces of real fruit and came in a variety of flavors such as strawberry, raspberry, peach, pineapple, and mandarin orange. If fans were willing to sacrifice a little more than 30 seconds of their time, Libby's advertised plenty of recipes that could be made with Fruit Float, like pies, frozen pops, icebox cakes, and ice cream floats.

Libby's Fruit Float was discontinued not too long after it was released, so finding a can of this throwback dessert from the 1970s could be difficult (and it would no doubt be well past its expiration date). However, those curious about what this mousse-y treat tasted like could potentially come close by whipping up a copycat version. One Facebook user posted a dupe on a fan page called "Vintage Recipes 1700s-1990s." It calls for a mixture of canned fruit cocktail, vanilla instant pudding mix, milk, and whipped topping. The glaring difference in this recipe is it must chill for a couple of hours before serving, unlike the original Fruit Float which was marketed to be ready in 30 seconds. 

There is also a dessert popular in the United Kingdom and Australia called flummery which looks similar, but also takes a couple of hours to set. You mix a package of fruit flavored gelatin with hot water and let it cool, then combine the mixture with cream or evaporated milk. After setting, you'll have a creamy, pudding-like dessert which you can easily garnish with pieces of fresh fruit to get that Libby's Fruit Float effect.