Proper English Custard Food

A VERY PROPER ENGLISH CUSTARD

Steps:

• Bring milk and cream to a simmer slowly on low heat.
• Whisk the sugar and cornstarch together, add the egg yolks, combine well.
• Slowly whisk the warm milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Add vanilla. Return to the saucepan and stir gently until thickened. Serve hot, or cool to use as a layer in trifles, or fill tart pans.
• Tip. If using it hot, it can be kept warm in a jug set in a pan of hot water with a bit of cling film on top to prevent a skin forming.

HOMEMADE ENGLISH CUSTARD

Steps:

• Put the milk and cream in a saucepan and bring slowly to the boil.
• Meanwhile whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until pale and creamy.
• As soon as the milk and cream mixture comes to the boil, pour onto the egg mixture and beat well.
• Return to the pan and place over a very gentle heat (or in a basin over a pan of simmering water) and stir continuously until the custard has thickened. Serve hot.
• should you need to keep the custard warm, lay a piece of greaseproof paper on the surface to stop a skin forming.

REAL ENGLISH CUSTARD FROM SCRATCH

Steps:

• In a bowl beat the yolks and cornflour by hand with a whisk until well combined.
• Heat the milk and the vanilla in a heavy based saucepan.
• Add the yolk mixture and the sugar.
• Stir constantly (in a figure 8 to get all the sides) over a medium-low heat for about 10 minutes OR until it is thick and coats the back of the spoon. Never let it boil as the bottom of the pan will burn and all you will taste is burnt custard.
• Rest for 10 minutes and serve warm.

TRADITIONAL ENGLISH CUSTARD (CREME ANGLAIS)

Steps:

• Put the cream and the sugar in a pan.
• Slice the vanilla pod lengthways with a very sharp knife. Scrape out the seeds (they are dust-like black specks) and put these in the pan. Roughly chop the seed pod into inch-long chunks and put in the pan, too.
• Bring to the boil, then simmer for five minutes.
• Meanwhile, put the egg yolks in a bowl and whisk slightly to break up.
• When the cream is ready, bring back to the boil briefly then quickly pour over the eggs, whisking as you do it. It is very important to keep whisking at this stage, otherwise the eggs will cook before mixing with the cream. Continue to whisk until the mixture starts to thicken, indicating that the eggs are cooked.
• If this should not happen (sometimes it doesn't if my kitchen is too cold), then place back on the heat and cook very gently, stirring all the time, until it thickens.
• Strain through a fine sieve to remove the bits of vanilla pod (you will still see the flecks of vanilla seeds in the mixture) and serve.

ENGLISH CUSTARD

Steps:

• Place yolks in a saucepan and add sugar. Beat with wire whisk until thick and lemon-colored.
• Meanwhile, bring milk almost but not quite to boil.
• Gradually add milk and cream to yolk mixture, beating constantly. Stir constantly with wooden spoon, making certain spoon touches bottom of saucepan all over. Cook, stirring, and add salt. Cook until mixture has custardlike consistency and coats side of spoon. Do not let sauce boil, or it may curdle.
• Immediately remove sauce from stove, but continue stirring. Set saucepan in a basin of cold water. Let sauce cool to room temperature, then add brandy. Chill an hour or longer.

ENGLISH CUSTARD (SAUCE ANGLAISE)

Steps:

• Place the yolks in a saucepan and add the sugar. Beat with a wire whisk until the mixture is thick and lemon-colored.
• Meanwhile, bring the milk almost, but not quite, to the boil.
• Gradually add the milk to the yolk mixture, beating constantly. Use a wooden spoon and stir constantly, this way and that, making certain that the spoon touches all over the bottom of the saucepan. Cook, stirring, and add the salt. Cook until the mixture has a custardlike consistency and coats the sides of the spoon. Do not let the sauce boil or it will curdle.
• Immediately remove the sauce from the stove, but continue stirring. Set the saucepan in a basin of cold water to reduce the temperature. Let the sauce cool to room temperature. Add the liqueur. Chill for one hour or longer.

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.

PROPER ENGLISH SCONES

Steps:

• 1.Heat oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Tip the flour into a large bowl with the salt and baking powder, then mix. Add the butter, then rub in with your fingers until the mix looks like fine crumbs. Stir in the sugar.
• 2.Put the milk into a jug and heat in the microwave for about 30 secs until warm, but not hot. Add the vanilla and lemon juice, then set aside for a moment. Put a baking sheet in the oven.
• 3.Make a well in the dry mix, then add the liquid and combine it quickly with a cutlery knife - it will seem pretty wet at first. Scatter some flour onto the work surface and tip the dough out. Dredge the dough and your hands with a little more flour, then fold the dough over 2-3 times until it's a little smoother. Pat into a round about 4cm deep.
• 4.Take a 5cm cutter (smooth-edged cutters tend to cut more cleanly, giving a better rise) and dip it into some flour. Plunge into the dough, then repeat until you have four scones. By this point you'll probably need to press what's left of the dough back into a round to cut out another four. Brush the tops with beaten egg, then carefully place onto the hot baking tray.
• 5.Bake for 10 mins until risen and golden on the top. Eat just warm or cold on the day of baking, generously topped with jam and clotted cream. If freezing, freeze once cool. Defrost, then put in a low oven (about 160C/fan140C/gas 3) for a few mins to refresh.