Egg Custard

Egg custard has been a family favourite in my family since I was a little girl.  Mum loved to make it when we were recovering from an illness.  Wind the clock forward a few decades and I've continued to make this delicious custard for Darren,  our girls and myself.  We don't wait until someone is sick though.  If we have too many eggs or milk that needs using in a hurry then egg custard is our dessert of choice.

2 eggs
600 mls of milk
2 tablespoons of sugar
2 tablespoons of cornflour

Extra 100mls of milk


Add the eggs,  milk and  sugar to a medium saucepan and whisk well to combine over a low / medium heat.

Using the extra milk in a cup,  add the cornflour and blend well until there are no lumps.  Add this mixture to the saucepan and whisk in well.

Continue whisking the ingredients and bring to a slow simmer.

Turn off the heat when the custard thickens.

NOTES -

*  Be careful that the heat isn't too high as the milk will catch on the bottom of the saucepan and burn.  That's why I like to whisk continually while it heats.

*  This recipe can be doubled if you need to use up more milk or eggs.

*  Great eaten hot or cold by itself or with fruit.

Cobbler Dessert

This is a wonderful Winter warming dessert.  I originally heard about this dessert on the Oprah show years ago when she popped into her neighbour's house unannounced.  They were having this dessert with their meal that night.  So I googled it and came up with my version of this American favourite. 

1 x 410 gram tin of fruit in juice or stewed fruit
1 cup of SR flour
1/3 of a cup of sugar ( white or raw )
About 1  1/2 cups of milk - enough to make it a slightly runny batter

optional extras - 
chopped walnuts
cinnamon and sugar to sprinkle on top,
sultanas or other dried fruit.

Lightly grease a medium casserole dish.

Empty slightly drained tin of fruit into a casserole dish, cutting up any large pieces.
In a mixing bowl mix the flour, sugar and milk until it's a smooth, slightly runny batter.
Pour evenly over fruit and sprinkle with nuts,  cinnamon and sugar.
Bake on 180 degree Celsius for 40 mins. Serve with cream,  ice cream or custard.

NOTES -

*  A couple of weeks ago I made a cobbler using stewed apple from the freezer.  It was a big hit with the family.  Darren said it tasted like apple pie.

*  Other fruit I've used with success are plums ( make sure you take the stone out ), peaches,  apricots and pears.

*  This dessert can be cooked 2 - 3 days ahead of time and reheated as needed.

*  If you don't have any tinned fruit,  grab a couple of apples ( even the wrinkly ones ),  peel,  cut and slice into a casserole dish.  Cover with cling wrap and cook in the microwave on high for about three minutes.  Then pour the batter over the top.

Fruit Crumble Topping Mix For Desserts

Jessica's favourite homemade dessert is apple crumble.  She could happily eat it at least once a week.  She's been known to eat leftovers for breakfast the next day.  When you think about it,  it does make a healthy breakfast too.  Having this bulk mix on hand in the pantry helps to get a quick dessert in the oven.


1 cup of plain flour
2 cups of rolled oats
1/3 cup of brown sugar ( MOO )
1 teaspoon of cinnamon ( approx ).

Mix all ingredients well and store in an air tight container.

To serve use 3/4 cup of mix and add two tablespoons of melted butter to a bowl.

Mix well and pour over cooked apple, or any tinned / stewed fruit and bake in the oven as per your recipe

This dry mix recipe can be doubled or tripled to suit the container size you'll store it in.

Apple Rose Pastries

I first saw a tutorial for Apple Rose Pastries on facebook a few weeks ago.  They are easy,  tasty and very impressive looking.  After looking at the tutorial a few times I thought I'd give it a go.  I've made a few changes as I came across some problems when making them.  Here's my version of a delightful dessert -

2 sheets of puff pastry
3 medium red apples
1 1/2 tablespoons of jam - any flavour,  store bought or homemade
1 cup of boiling water
flour for the bench
juice of half a lemon
cinnamon -optional
icing sugar - optional

Cut the apples in half and neatly cut out the core.
Thinly slice the apple halves discarding the small end pieces

Place and spread out the apple slices in a large microwavable bowl
Pour the boiling water over the apple and add the lemon juice.  Stir slightly.
Cover the bowl with cling wrap and punch a couple of holes in it.
Microwave on high for 3 minutes or until the apple is cooked and soft ( not mushy )
Drain the water and let the apple cool.

Defrost the pastry until it's almost room temperature. 
Lightly flour your kitchen bench and roll the pastry out with a rolling pin until it's longer by about 20%.  Make sure your rolling pin is lightly floured too.
Cut the pastry sheet into 5 long strips.

Warm the jam in the microwave until it's easy to spread
Spread the jam over the top half of each pastry strip

Layer the apple pieces over the jam. Make sure the apple overlaps each other.

Sprinkle with cinnamon and fold the bottom half of the pastry up towards the top.

Starting at one end,  roll the pastry up taking care that the apple doesn't fall out.
Pinch the pastry end to the rose.
Place each rose in a lightly greased muffin tin

Cook at 180 degrees Celsius for 40 minutes
Sprinkle with icing sugar and serve with cream or icecream

Makes 10 apple roses.

NOTES -

*  The original tutorial said to cut the pastry in 6 strips.  I found the pastry too firm to roll it out this thin.  I think the pastry in the tutorial was American and might be more flexible.

*  The apple slices must be cool or it will soften the pastry too much making it hard to work with

*  Make sure the jam is just warm or it will soften the pastry.

*  The original recipe used cold water to cook the apples.  This takes too long to heat up in the microwave

*  The apple roses can be made and cooked ahead of time.  I found them easy to reheat in the oven on a baking tray.

Making Your Own Yoghurt

About 4 1/2 years ago I met a lady at a bakery.  It was closing time and we were there to pick up the left over bread to give to needy people.  It was the first time I'd met this lady.as she was filling in for a friend.  We started talking about things we make from scratch.  I said I had a yoghurt maker and loved making yoghurt cheaper than store bought.  She told me about a website called The Cheapskates Club where you could find a recipe for making one litre of yohurt for about $1.  As soon as I arrived home I just had to check out the website.  I've been a member ever since and the rest is history. 

I never saw that lady again but I'll be forever grateful for passing on such valuable information.

The recipe below is my adapted version of the Cheapskates one.  I hope you enjoy it.

2 tablespoons of natural yoghurt
1 1/2 cups of full cream powdered milk
dash of vanilla extract
4 tablespoons of sugar ( optional if you don't want t sweet )
tap water
boiled water

As you boil the kettle, put tap water into the Easiyo container up to the 500 ml mark ( the one you make the yoghurt in, not the thermos part )
Add milk powder, natural yoghurt, sugar and extract.
Blend with a hand blender
Top up the container to the 1 litre mark with tap water
Put lid on and hand shake
Fill Easiyo thermos to the top of the red insert with boiled water
Put cthe yoghurt ontainer in and put thermos lid on
Leave on the bench for 10 - 12 hours
Take container out and put in fridge. 

NOTES -This yoghurt keeps for up to two weeks after it's made. 

 If you are making it unsweetened,  once it's set,  save two tablespoon of the yoghurt and freeze it to start another batch.  

 Flavour can be added by using jams,  toppings and pureed fruit once it's been made.

Full cream milk powder must be used for it to set.  Low fat milk powder doesn't have enough fat.  

The Easiyo system retails for about $20 and can be bought at Big W and Woolworths.  It makes a fantastic present for all occasions.

 

Chocolate Self Saucing Pudding

 

1 cup of Self Raising flour

75 grams of butter – melted
Approx. ½ cup of milk
1/3 cup of sugar
2 tablespoons of cocoa powder – sifted

 Sauce

½ cup of sugar
2 tablespoons of cocoa powder
Approx. 800mls of boiling water

 Mix flour,  sugar and cocoa powder together in a medium bowl.  Add the melted butter and milk and mix to form a very thick batter.  Spoon into a deep casserole dish and smooth off the top.

Into a large measuring jug add the cocoa powder,  sugar and boiling water.  Stir until sugar has melted.  Pour gently over the batter.

Bake in the oven at 180 degrees for about 40 minutes.  Serve with cream or ice cream

Just out of the oven

Ready to eat.

.