This custard is indeed heavenly. No other way to describe it. Ready-made custard bought from the supermarket tastes nothing like custard freshly prepared at home.
We attempted to make some custard last night to go with our freshly-made apple crumble and though the apple crumble was delicious, the custard was runny and lumpy. Not quite the divine dessert we were anticipating.
So we decided to try another recipe tonight and Delia came to the rescue. This recipe appears in her book How to Cook Book One. In the recipe she says you can use creamy whole milk instead of cream, however, having tried a recipe with milk last night, I'd say definitely go for the cream and if you don't want to be too indulgent use single cream instead of double cream but make sure you get the cream.
Ingredients
1 vanilla pod
275 ml double cream (or single cream)
3 large egg yolks
1 teaspoon cornflour
1 tbsp caster sugar
Method
1. Split the vanilla pod by cutting it lengthways with a sharp knife and scoop out the seeds using a teaspoon. Breathe in that beautiful sweet warming vanilla smell.
2. Place the cream in a small pot and add the vanilla pod and the seeds.
3. Gently heat the pot to just below simmering point.
4, While the cream is slowly heating, whisk the egg yolks, cornflour and caster sugar in a mixing bowl with a balloon whisk.
5. Once the cream has heated, remove the vanilla pod ( and put it aside - I'll come back to the pod a little later)
6. While still whisking the egg mixture in the mixing bowl, slowly add the hot cream mixture, whisking the whole time.
7. Once the egg and cream mixture have been well mixed together, return to the pot on a gentle heat and continue whisking.
8. Your arm may get a bit tired at this point so if you have help in the kitchen a good idea to take turns whisking. You need to keep whisking over the low heat until the custard is thick and smooth. I was loosing heart at one point thinking this mixture is never going to thicken but just below simmering point it suddenly gets all thick and gloopy. Mmm!
9. If you overheat the mixture you can return it to the mixing bowl, whisk until it becomes smooth again and then transfer back to the pot.
10. Once it's lovely and thick it's ready to serve with apple crumble...or trifle..or any other dessert.
If you want to enjoy the custard a bit later, place the mixture in a jug or bowl and cover with cling film. When you're ready to serve, remove the cling film and place the bowl in a pan with a small amount of simmering water.
As for the vanilla pod, rinse the creamy mixture off, place on a sunny window sill to dry and once dry pop it in your sugar bowl for deliciously sensual vanilla-flavoured sugar!
2 comments:
Since I have single cream in the fridge I will give this recipe a go. It does sound easy enough for my simple brain to follow. Talking about homemade stuff being better than shop bought - I totally agree with you. Today, after a long morning of preparing my home for winter, I decided to make my own pasta. Never done it before, and I can't believe how quick and simple it was and more importantly it was absolutely delicious. I was using a rolling pin, but I think I will have to invest in a pasta making machine now. Have you made pasta before?
I've never made pasta before only because I've always thought it was too difficult. But if you say it is quick and simple then I'll definitely give it a go. Do you have a recipe we could try? Oooo pasta-making machine, serious stuff!
And oh yes, let me know what you think of the custard recipe.
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