Brandied Custard Food

HOMEMADE CUSTARD

Steps:

• Put the cream and milk into a large pan and gently bring to just below boiling point. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk the yolks, cornflour, sugar and vanilla. Gradually pour the hot milk mixture onto the sugar mixture, whisking constantly.
• Wipe out the saucepan and pour the mixture back into it. Heat gently, stirring with a wooden spoon (see Steps 1 and 2, for stirring tips) until the custard is thickened, but before any lumps form. Eat hot or cold.

BRANDIED PEACH CUSTARD PIE

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 450 degrees.
• For the peaches: Over high heat, in a saute pan, heat the butter. When the butter is hot add the sugar. Stir until the sugar is dissolved. Add the peaches and saute for 5 to 6 minutes, or until the sugar starts to turn dark amber in color. Incorporate the brandy into the peach mixture. Carefully ignite the brandy and flambe the peaches. Remove from heat and allow to cool, about 10 minutes.
• For the custard: In a mixing bowl, whisk all the ingredients together until fully incorporated. In an unbaked pie crust, spoon the brandied peaches over the pie crust. Place the crust in the oven and pour the custard into the shells. This prevents spilling the custard in the oven. Bake for 1 hour or until the custard sets. Place foil around the crust for the first 30 minutes and then remove. This keeps the crust from getting too brown. Allow to cool for about 30 minutes. Place a slice of the pie on the plate and garnish with powder sugar, whipped cream, and fresh mint.
• For the crust: In a mixing bowl, combine the flour, salt and sugar. Add the shortening and work it through with your hands until the mixture resembles coarse crumbs. Add the water, 1 tablespoon at a time, and work it in with your hands until you have a smooth ball of dough. Wrap the dough in plastic and refrigerate for at least 30 minutes. Remove the dough from the refrigerator and place it on a lightly floured surface. This recipe will make two pie crusts.
• For the individual crust: Divide the dough into fourths. Roll out the dough on the floured surface into a circle about 5 inches in diameter and 1/8-thick.
• For the whole pie crust: Roll out the dough on the floured surface into a circle about 14 inches in diameter and 1/8 inch thick. Gently fold the circles of dough in half and then in half again so that you can lift it without tearing it, and unfold into a 9-inch pie pan.

BRANDIED CUSTARD CREPE FILLING

Steps:

• In a 2-quarter saucepan, combine the milk, sugar, and cornstarch and cook until thickened (or microwave for 5 to 7 minutes).
• Add ¼ of the hot milk mixture to the beaten eggs and blend well.
• Add the egg mixture to the remaining hot milk mixture in the saucepan and add stir over medium heat (or microwave for 2 minutes or until thick). Remove pan from heat; stir in the brandy (if using) and vanilla. Chill completely.
• For use as a crepe filling - Recipe makes enough filling for 10 crepes. Place 3 tablespoons of custard in the center of each crepe. Add about 1/3 cup of sliced strawberries, if you wish. Then gently roll each crepe and place on a plate. Top each crepe with whipping cream and fresh strawberries.

BRANDIED CUSTARD

Steps:

• In a saucepan over medium heat, whisk together cream and milk with 2 tablespoons sugar, vanilla bean pod and pulp.
• In a bowl, whisk egg yolks with remaining sugar. When cream heats to just below a simmer, drizzle half of it into egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Add yolk mixture back into saucepan, whisking constantly.
• Cook sauce over low heat, stirring with a wooden spoon, until it is thick enough to coat back of spoon, about 5 minutes. Strain mixture into a bowl and stir in brandy. Serve warm or cold over baked apples, garnished with nutmeg.

BRANDIED CARAMEL CUSTARD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Mix one-half cup of sugar with the water in a heavy saucepan, preferably nonstick. Cook over medium-high heat until the sugar has dissolved and turns a rich amber color. Pour the caramel into the bottom of a four- to five-cup baking dish, tilting the dish so the caramel coats the bottom evenly.
• Beat the eggs and egg yolks together. Beat in the remaining onehalf-cup sugar, the nutmeg and cardamom. Stir in three tablespoons of the brandy, the milk and cream. Pour the mixture into the baking dish, place in the oven and bake 20 minutes.
• While the custard is baking, mix the remaining tablespoon of brandy with the raisins. After the custard has baked for 20 to 25 minutes, scatter the brandied raisins over the top of the custard. They will sink in.
• Continue baking the custard 15 to 20 minutes longer, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Allow the custard to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate at least six hours or overnight. To unmold, run a knife around the edges and unmold onto a plate that has a rim to catch the caramel syrup.

SHERRY TRIFLE WITH BRANDY CUSTARD

Steps:

• Put yolks and sugar in the bowl of an electric mixer fitted with the whisk attachment; beat on medium-high speed until mixture is pale and thick, 2 to 3 minutes. On low speed, beat in flour and salt. Gradually beat in half of warm milk.
• Pour milk-yolk mixture into remaining milk in pan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking. Cook, stirring, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Pour through a fine sieve into a bowl.
• Transfer to an ice-water bath; let cool, stirring occasionally. Stir in vanilla and brandy. Place plastic wrap on surface. Refrigerate until ready to use, up to 3 days.
• Beat cream just until stiff peaks form. Fold into pastry cream. Place 7 ladyfinger halves at bottom of a 12-cup trifle dish; spread with one quarter of jam. Pour in one quarter of sherry. Spoon one quarter pastry cream on top. Sprinkle with one-third each almonds and amaretti. Repeat layering 3 more times (last layer does not need almonds and amaretti). Refrigerate 3 hours or overnight.

BRANDIED APPLE CHALLAH FRENCH TOAST

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325˚ F. Line a large rimmed baking sheet with foil; set aside. Slice the challah into eight 3/4- to 1-inch-thick pieces. Whisk the eggs and half-and-half in a large shallow dish, then whisk in the granulated sugar, salt and vanilla until the sugar is dissolved and the custard is smooth. Put the confectioners' sugar in a fine-mesh strainer.
• Add 4 slices of bread to the custard and let soak, turning once, until saturated but not falling apart, 1 1/2 to 2 minutes. Meanwhile, melt 1 tablespoon butter in a large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add the soaked bread, letting the excess custard drip off, then immediately dust with some of the confectioners' sugar. Cook until the bottom of the bread is golden, 2 to 3 minutes, then flip and dust with more confectioners' sugar. Continue to cook, flipping twice more and dusting with more confectioners' sugar each time, until both sides are browned and caramelized, about 5 more minutes; add 1/2 tablespoon more butter when the skillet is dry. Transfer to the baking sheet. Add 1 more tablespoon butter to the skillet and repeat with the remaining bread, custard and confectioners' sugar; add 1/2 tablespoon more butter to the skillet when needed. Transfer the baking sheet with all the French toast to the oven and bake until cooked through, about 10 minutes.
• Meanwhile, wipe out the skillet and add 4 tablespoons butter; increase the heat to medium high. Add the apples and cardamom and cook, stirring, until softened and lightly browned in spots, 3 to 4 minutes. Add the honey, lemon juice and 2 tablespoons water and continue to cook until the sauce has thickened slightly, 2 to 3 minutes. Add the brandy and carefully tilt the pan or use a long lighter to ignite. Cook until the apples are glazed and soft but not falling apart, 1 to 2 more minutes. Remove from the heat, add the remaining 1 tablespoon butter and swirl to melt and slightly thicken the sauce.
• Divide the French toast among plates. Spoon the apples and sauce on top.

BRANDY CUSTARD

Steps:

• Bring milk and cream to the boil in a saucepan.
• Whisk together egg yolks, sugar and cornflour.
• Pour milk and cream mixture over egg, sugar and cornflour mixture slowly, whisking to combine.
• Pour mixture back into the saucepan and heat gently, whisking regularly.
• Mixture should thicken within 5 minutes. Don't allow mixture to boil.
• Once thickened, remove from heat.
• Add brandy and whisk through to combine.
• Serve immediately or allow to cool a little before covering with plastic food wrap and storing in the fridge.

BRANDIED PEARS

Steps:

• Peel the pears. Slice them in half down the middle, and remove the stems and cores.
• Add water, sugar and brandy to a small pot on the stove top. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat, and whisk to dissolve the sugar in the sauce.
• Add the pears, and allow these to simmer for a few minutes, or until they are soft enough to easily pierce with a fork.

BRANDIED FRUIT CLAFOUTI

Steps:

• Combine the apricot slivers and raisins in the brandy; cover and let the mixture blend overnight (refrigerated or not).
• The next day, drain off the brandy from the raisins; preheat oven to 400 degrees F and butter and sugar a 9-1/2 inch round baking dish (preferably Pyrex or ceramic).
• Spread the apricot/raisin mixture in the bottom of the prepared dish and sprinkle with 1/2 teaspoons cinnamon and 1/4 teaspoons nutmeg.
• In a large bowl with a mixer, beat together the eggs and sugar until foamy.
• Add melted butter, almond and vanilla extract; then slowly add milk, flour, lemon zest, coriander, nutmeg and cinnamon.
• The mixture will be very runny, not thick at all.
• Pour the egg mixture over the apricot/raisin mixture in the dish; sprinkle with a bit more nutmeg, then bake in a preheated 400 degree F oven for about 30 to 35 minutes, or until top is puffed and golden (the puffiness goes down as it sits -- ).
• Serve warm.