Fruit Custard

Today I made Popcorns from corns. It was amazing. I felt really shame on spending so much money on ACT II popcorns for years. Really??? What did they do exceptional?? They just added the butter with some specific spices and then put in the sachets!!! And that way they fooled and fed the whole nation. Sheessh!!!! What a waste!!

Then I made my egg toast today in a different way!! I added some chopped onions and bell peppers to the whisked eggs. Then I sliced my bread slices in small bite size pieces. Toasted them on the pan till they become crispy on both the sides. I drizzled some oil, and then poured the eggs on top of them. Flipped over when the other side fried. Then I transferred the entire mess in an oven proof pan and almost covered it with some fresh mozzarella. Baked for 3 minutes, sprinkled some pepper and sumac and literally dug in. Yummmm!!!!

When growing up, the only dessert that could compete with my Ma’s Payesh was this fruit custard. Soft and chilled custard with chilled seasonal fruits is healthy and tasty at the same time.  With custard powder it’s very easy to whip up and more insanely easy to assemble with some fruits. Go easy and very fanciful, with fruits. I like only mangoes or strawberries, but you can be as wild as your imaginations are.

Fruit Custard

Serves 4-5

Vegetarian Version

Ingredients:

500ml whole milk / half and half

2-3 tbsp custard powder

Sugar – as per taste

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 cups of small pieces of seasonal fruits of your choice – like mango, apple, pineapple, strawberry, grapes, cherries etc

Method:

Take ¼ cup of milk and keep it in a separate cup. Mix in your custard powder finely, so that no lumps remain there.

Heat up the remaining milk with sugar and vanilla extract. Stir in occasionally to dissolve the sugar.

 As the milk comes to the boiling point, i.e. foams start to form at the edges, pour in the custard powder mixed milk and start stirring.

Stir continuously and you will see the milk thickening slowly. If you want more thickness, then add some more custard powder. However do mix the powder with some cold milk before pouring in as otherwise it will create lumps.

Stir until the mixture resembles the consistency of mayonnaise, and then put off the flame.

Pour it in a bowl and cover with a plastic film.

Refrigerate for 4 hours.

Now assemble the custard. Take 4/5 individual bowls or glasses and create alternate layers of fruits and custard. You can do this in a large bowl too, and then serve accordingly.

Refrigerate until you want to serve.

At the time of serving, top the fruit custards some chopped almonds and raisins. You can also add a drizzle of honey.

Non-veg Version

Ingredients:

3 large eggs

2 cups / 500ml whole milk / half and half

Sugar – as per taste

2 tsp vanilla extract

2 tbsp corn flour / corn starch

2 cups of small pieces of seasonal fruits – like mango, apple, pears, pineapple, strawberry, grapes, cherries etc.

Method:

Break the eggs and whisk them with a wire whisk for 2-3 minutes. It will help to break the bond of the egg yolks.

Take ½ cup of milk and keep it in a separate cup. Mix in your corn starch with the milk finely, so that no lumps remain there.

Heat up the rest of the milk with sugar and vanilla extract. Stir in occasionally to dissolve the sugar.

As the milk comes to the boiling point, i.e. foams start to form at the edges, put off the flame.

Take the milk and slowly pour them into the bowl of whisked eggs. Keep on whisking the eggs continuously, so that the eggs do not get cooked when it comes in contact with the warm milk.

Once everything is incorporates properly, pour the entire mixture into the saucepan again and put that on very low flame.

Keep on stirring, and after approximately 2 minutes, you will see the milk slowly starting to thicken.

Now pour in the kept aside milk mixed with corn starch.

Keep on stirring and do not let the mixture boil and stir till the mixture thickens to the mayonnaise consistency.

Once it reaches there, put off the flame, and pour the entire mixture into a bowl. If you think, some of your eggs have been cooked in the process, then strain the mixture through a sieve, to get rid of the cooked eggs.

Then cover the bowl with a plastic film and refrigerate for 4-6 hours.

Now assemble the custard. Take 4/5 individual bowls or glasses and create alternate layers of fruits and custard. You can do this in a large bowl too, and then serve accordingly.

Refrigerate until you want to serve.

At the time of serving, top the fruit custards with some chopped almonds and raisins. You can also add a drizzle of honey.