The Best Custard Squares Food

CUSTARD SQUARES

Steps:

• Roll your sheets of pastry very thin. You are looking for 2 squares/rectangles that are approximately 30cm x 30cm each. Prick them well all over and then place on baking sheets (roll on baking parchment and then slide the whole lot onto the baking sheet for ease of use) and bake at 210C for 10 - 12 minutes (or until golden brown and cooked through). Leave the pastry sheets to cool while you make the custard.
• Put 2 Cups of milk into a pan with the butter and heat to melt.
• Mix the cornflour, icing sugar and eggs to a smooth paste with the remaining 1/2 cup of milk.
• Remove the milk and butter from the heat and whisk in the egg mixture then return to the heat.
• Cook over medium heat until the mixture thickens and then for a further 5 minutes, stirring constantly (a wooden spoon works well here). Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla. Leave the custard until cool.
• Place one sheet of pastry on a piece of baking parchment on a tray or board and cover with all the cool custard. Place the other pastry sheet on top and press down slightly until both sheets have adhered to the pastry.
• Sift the cocoa and icing sugar together, then stir in the milk to make a smooth, spreadable icing.
• Ice the whole lot with Chocolate icing and then place in the fridge for a couple of hours so that the whole thing is a little easier to manage. Cut into squares with a serrated knife and serve. Store any remaining squares in the fridge in an airtight container (don't worry, they won't last long!).

CUSTARDY APPLE SQUARES

Steps:

• Center a rack in the oven and preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Butter an 8-inch square baking pan.
• Slice the apples from top to bottom using a mandoline, Benriner or a sharp knife, turning the fruit as you reach the core. The slices should be about 1/16 inch thick-elegantly thin, but not so thin that they're transparent and fragile. Discard the cores.
• Whisk the flour and baking powder together in a small bowl.
• Working in a large bowl with a whisk, beat the eggs, sugar and salt together for about 2 minutes, until the sugar just about dissolves and, more important, the eggs are pale. Whisk in the vanilla, followed by the milk and melted butter. Turn the flour into the bowl and stir with the whisk until the batter is smooth. Add the apples to the bowl, switch to a flexible spatula and gently fold the apples into the batter, turning everything around until each thin slice is coated in batter. Scrape the batter into the pan and smooth the top as evenly as you can-it will be bumpy; that's its nature.
• Bake for 40 to 50 minutes, or until golden brown, uniformly puffed- make sure the middle of the cake has risen-and a knife inserted into the center comes out clean. Transfer the cake to a rack and allow to cool for at least 15 minutes.
• Using a long chefs knife, cut the cake into 8 squares in the pan (being careful not to damage the pan), or unmold the cake onto a rack, flip it onto a plate and cut into squares. Either way, give the squares a dusting of confectioners' sugar before serving, if you'd like.

CUSTARD SQUARES

Steps:

• Mix the ingredients for the bottom layer together and press into 9x13 pan.
• Bake at 325 for 15-20 minutes.
• Mix custard in a little cold water before adding to boiling water.
• Boil til thickens.
• Spread over the base.
• Top with whipping cream.
• Sprinkle coconut over top.

VANILLA CUSTARD SLICES

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Roll out 250g of the pastry on a sheet of baking parchment to about 25cm square. Scatter over half the almonds, then press them in very gently, dust with half the icing sugar and lay over a second sheet of baking parchment. Lift onto a baking sheet, and sit another baking sheet on top like a sandwich. Fill a few small tins with baking beans (or something similarly heavy and ovenproof, like uncooked rice). Bake for 30 mins, then have a quick peek - it will probably need another 5 mins to be well browned and crisp all over.
• Remove from the oven, take off the weights and top baking tray, then carefully lift off the top sheet of parchment and leave to cool. Repeat with the remaining pastry - you can do both sheets at once if you have enough baking sheets and tins, but they might not cook as evenly with two in the oven, so it is safer to do one at a time. Cool both completely.
• Put the gelatine in a bowl of cold water to soften, then put the remaining custard ingredients in a big saucepan. Set over a low heat to start, whisking continuously to mix well, then increase the heat a little until the custard is gently boiling. Keep whisking the whole time - the custard will thicken and lump unevenly, but keep cooking and whisking until it is smooth and very thick.
• Remove the custard from the heat and take out the vanilla pod. Squeeze out the water from the gelatine sheet, then stir it into the custard until it has dissolved.
• Line the base and sides of a 20cm square tin with baking parchment - criss-crossing two big strips will give you the neatest corners. Using a big, sharp knife and a ruler - or the base of your tin if it is removable - trim one pastry sheet to a shade under a 20cm square, so it will sit inside the tin, almond-side down. Spread over the custard as evenly as you can. Trim the second pastry sheet in the same way, but then divide the square into eight 10 x 5cm rectangles (so it will be easier when you cut the slices later). Sit them on top of the custard, almond-side up, putting them back together a bit like a jigsaw puzzle. Gently press down on the pastry so it doesn't break but sticks to the custard, then cover and chill for 4 hrs or so, but better still overnight.
• To serve, lift the slice from the tin and cut all the way through where the pastry top is already cut. Dust the slices with a little more icing sugar and serve. Best eaten within 24 hours, when the pastry is still good and crisp.

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.

CHILI-CORN CUSTARD SQUARES

Steps:

• Heat 1 1/2 tbsp oil in heavy skillet over medium-high heat. Add finely chopped onion and saute until soft and beginning to brown, stirring often, about 12 minutes. Cool.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Spray 8x8x2" square metal baking pan with nonstick spray.
• Whisk flour, cornmeal, baking powder, and salt in small bowl.
• Blend sharp cheddar cheese and crumbled queso fresco cheese together in medium bowl. Whisk egg, 1/3 cup of blended cheeses, 1/2 cup sour cream, creamed corn, and remaining 2 tbsp oil in large bowl. Add flour mixture; stir to blend. Stir in jalapeno and caramelized onions. Transfer batter to prepared pan, Sprinkle remaining 1/3 cup of blended cheeses over top.
• Bake until puffed and tester inserted into center comes out clean, about 35 minutes. Cool completely. Can be made 2 hours ahead. Let stand at room temperature.
• Cut into 1" squares. Place on platter. Top each square with dollop of sour cream, then small spoonful of salsa.

CHEF JOHN'S LEMON BARS

Steps:

• Place an oven rack into middle position in oven and preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C). Lightly oil an 8x8-inch baking dish.
• Place 1 cup flour and butter in a mixing bowl and mash with the back of a spatula or wooden spoon until thoroughly combined. Mix in 1/4 cup confectioners' sugar, vanilla extract, and salt; mash mixture together until mixture looks like a slightly crumbly cookie dough.
• Moisten your fingers with a little water and press dough into bottom of prepared baking dish. Use a fork to prick holes all over the crust.
• Bake crust on center rack in the preheated oven until crust edges are barely golden brown, 22 minutes.
• Beat eggs and egg yolks together in a bowl; whisk in white sugar and 2 tablespoons flour until smooth. Add lemon juice and lemon zest; whisk for 2 minutes. Pour lemon custard over crust.
• Bake on center rack until custard is set and top has a thin white sugary crust, 25 minutes. Let cool completely before cutting into bars. Dip knife into very hot water, run around the edge, and cut into 16 squares. Dust cookies with 1 teaspoon confectioners' sugar.