Delia Smiths Custard Recipes

PORTUGUESE CUSTARD TARTS

Steps:

• First make the custard, which is so easy: place the custard powder and sugar in a bowl and mix it to a smooth paste with the milk and egg yolks. Then heat the crème fraîche in a saucepan and, when it begins to bubble, pour it in to join the custard powder mixture. Whisk everything together, then return it to the saucepan and, still whisking, bring it up to a simmer. When it begins to boil it will become thick, so remove it from the heat, add the vanilla extract, then pour it into a bowl and allow to cool. When the custard is cold, brush the pastry rounds with some of the beaten egg and transfer them (using a palette knife) to a well-greased baking sheet. Now spoon some of the cold custard into the centre of each one, leaving a 2.5cm border all round. Bring up the edges of the pastry to form into tarts, pinching and sealing the folds. Brush the pastry with more beaten egg, sprinkle with cinnamon and bake for 15-20 minutes till the pastry is dark golden-brown. The filling will puff up quite a lot, but it will soon sink back as it cools. Finally, brush each one with caramel sauce to give a shiny glaze over the filling and pastry. These are best eaten as fresh as possible. NOTE: Jus-Rol pastry rounds may be difficult to find, however if you use block puff pastry, Lindsey recommends rolling it to the thickness of a £1 coin, with a 6 inch diameter

DELIA SMITH'S CUSTARD

Steps:

• Split the vanilla pod lengthways and use the end of a teaspoon to scoop out the seeds. Place the pod and the seeds in a small saucepan, along with the cream. Now place the pan over a gentle heat and heat it to just below simmering point. While the cream is heating, whisk the egg yolks, cornflour and sugar together in a medium bowl using a balloon whisk. Next remove the vanilla pod from the hot cream. Then, whisking the egg mixture all the time with one hand, gradually pour the hot cream into the bowl. When it's all in, immediately return the whole lot back to the saucepan using a rubber spatula. Now back it goes on to the same gentle heat as you continue whisking until the custard is thick and smooth, which will happen as soon as it reaches simmering point. If you do overheat it and it looks grainy, don't worry, just transfer it to a jug or bowl and continue to whisk until it becomes smooth again. Pour the custard into a jug or bowl, cover the surface with clingfilm and leave to cool. To serve it warm later, remove the clingfilm and sit the bowl over a pan of barely simmering water.

EGG CUSTARD

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 150C/130C fan/gas 2. Beat together the eggs, vanilla and sugar with a wooden spoon until combined. Mix in the milk and cream and pour into a medium-sized dish. Finely grate over a generous grating of nutmeg.
• Half-fill a roasting tin with water to make a bain-marie. Place the dish in the tin so that the water comes about three-quarters of the way up the sides of the dish. Bake for 45-50 mins, or until just set with a slight wobble in the centre. Serve warm or leave to cool in the fridge overnight. Serve with poached fruit.