Custard

This is something I've been wanting to try for a while, as custard is a gateway recipe to a number of other dishes... like ice-cream.

Baked custard is also something my nan used to make for us, and it gives me all kinds of comfort feels.  This is for a pouring custard, as it's a hot day and I didn't want to use the oven.

I pulled the original recipe from Mrs Beeton's.

Original "Cup Custard" recipe.

1/2 pint milk
Vanilla
1 egg + 1 yolk
1oz caster sugar
2 tblspn double cream.

Adapted recipe

250ml half cream, half water.
Vanilla
1egg + 1 yolk
30gms Natvia
2tblspn double cream.

Instructions:

Warm Milk
Mix eggs and sweetner to liquid.
Pour milk over eggs and strain into metal bowl rinsed with cold water.
Place metal bowl over saucepan of water (double boiler)
Cook til eggs thicken, whisking continuously.
Do not boil.
When custard coats spoon, pour into cool bowl and add vanilla and cream.
Stir while cooling to avoid skin forming.

Results

Overall, I would call this a success. It's not somjething that I've tried before, and it came out with good texture and is very close to the commercial pouring custards.

My only two reservations are that it seems a bit sweet - I would probably cut the natvia down to 20gms on my next attempt - and the texture is a little grainy. I think I may have slighty overcooked the custard and curdled the egg proteins slightly. Next time I will have a bowl of ice nearby to dunk the bowl in as soon as it starts to thicken, to see if the texture is improved.

I might also look at trying a baked custard, substituting the cream/water for coconut milk or adding cinnamon or other flavours instead of vanilla (melted chocolate?).