SHF 12 - Cooking Up Custard

It's Sugar High Friday time which is extra special this round as it marks the first year anniversary since the Domestic Goddess started this event. Elise from Simply Recipes has a wonderful theme this month called "Cooking Up Custard". Elise has efficiently posted the round-up already so please feast your eyes on those wonderful custard creations.

I must admit that I love custard and my favourite is the Ambrosia Devon Custard that you get from a carton! I love that stuff and somehow my own custard never seem to taste as nice and thick as that. Shameful I know but maybe they do remind me a bit of my days in Devon.

I have three fond memories of custard namely; eating them in trifle during my first Christmas in England, eating it with steamed puddings during hall dinners and my friend Nicki who really loved her custard. When I was quite young, we made a trip to England just before Christmas time since my brother was getting married. I had a great time celebrating Christmas there and was introduced to the yummy trifle. Gosh, I was hooked on trifles ever since I tried that one.

In my first year of university, it was compulsory to stay at catered halls of residence so I was subjected to a whole year of stodgy English food. Some bits I hated like the rubbery lemon meringue pie, the countless fish and chips every Friday but some bits I loved so much like the steamed puddings with lashes of creamy custard. That was one thing they always got it right and the dining hall was always packed whenever they served that dessert. Then there was Nicki who shared a flat with me in my second year. She really loved her custard and she used to just eat them by the spoonfuls with nothing else for dessert. Luckily she was a cross country trekker or else she would have grown double her size.

For my contribution to SHF this month, I got inspired from my latest Flavours magazine. The recipe was actually for Halloween but I could not wait till October to try it out so I grabbed the opportunity to make it for this event. It's also appropriate since it uses all those ingredients I love like taro and pumpkin to make the custard. The recipe is pretty straightforward and although it has quite a fair bit of whipped cream inside, you don't feel it when you are eating it. My taro cream was a bit thick as the taro seemed to have absorbed quite a bit of the milk I cooked it in. If you get that too, add a bit of milk until you're happy with the consistency. Not too sure why also but the colour of my taro is a bit whitish unlike Flavours picture which looks more transculent. Tastewise, it was great and Splashie Boy gave his thumbs up to this dessert.

Creamy Pumpkin, Taro and Coconut Dessert

Taro Cream

6g gelatine powder
25 ml cold water
125g taro
125 ml milk
2 egg yolks
50g caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
200g UHT cream

Soak the gelatine powder in the cold water. Set aside to soften.

Cut taro into small cubes and cook in the milk. When the taro is soft, process the mixture in the blender and strain back into the pan set over low heat. Combine the egg yolks with the sugar in a mixing bowl, beating until light and creamy. Add the vanilla essence and mix well.

Remove the taro mixture from the heat and slowly pour in the egg mixture, beating with a wire whisk. Return to the stove and when the custard is hot, add the softened gelatine and whisk until the gelatine dissolves. Remove from heat, cool and chill in the refridgerator.

Whip the cream and when the custard is almost set, stir in the whipped cream. Pour into glass moulds to fill a third of the glass.

Pumpkin Cream

6g gelatine powder
25 ml cold water
125g pumpkin
125 ml milk
2 egg yolks
50g caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
200g UHT cream

Soak the gelatine powder in the cold water. Set aside to soften.

Cut pumpkin into small cubes and cook in the milk. When the pumpkin is soft, process the mixture in the blender and strain back into the pan set over low heat. Combine the egg yolks with the sugar in a mixing bowl, beating until light and creamy. Add the vanilla essence and mix well.

Remove the pumpkin mixture from the heat and slowly pour in the egg mixture, beating with a wire whisk. Return to the stove and when the custard is hot, add the softened gelatine and whisk until the gelatine dissolves. Remove from heat, cool and chill in the refridgerator.

Whip the cream and when the custard is almost set, stir in the whipped cream. Pour into glass moulds over the taro cream to fill up another third of the glass.

Coconut Cream

6g gelatine powder
25 ml cold water
250ml thin coconut milk
2 egg yolks
50g caster sugar
1 teaspoon vanilla essence
200g UHT cream

Soak the gelatine powder in the cold water. Set aside to soften.

Heat up the coconut milk. Combine the egg yolks with the sugar in a mixing bowl, beating until light and creamy. Add the vanilla essence and mix well.

Remove the coconut milk from the heat and slowly pour in the egg mixture, beating with a wire whisk. Return to the stove and when the custard is hot, add the softened gelatine and whisk until the gelatine dissolves. Remove from heat, cool and chill in the refridgerator.

Whip the cream and when the custard is almost set, stir in the whipped cream. Pour into glass moulds over the pumpkin cream. Serve chilled.