Vanilla Cream Cheese Custard Food

BASIC VANILLA CUSTARD

Steps:

• Have eggs ready in a bowl, and set aside where it will be within reach.
• Using a whisk, combine milk, sugar and cornstarch in a medium saucepan over medium heat on stovetop. Allow milk to scald (heat to the point when tiny bubbles form around edges of pan). Whisk occasionally to prevent cornstarch from clumping on bottom edges of pan.
• Remove milk mixture from heat, preferably to a burner that's turned off.
• Mix about 2 tablespoons of scalded milk mixture into eggs using whisk, then introduce eggs into milk mixture in a slow stream, whisking milk mixture constantly.
• Immediately return pan to heat and whisk gently until custard thickens, another two or three minutes. Do not allow to boil. (If you find that you have egg white strands in custard, feel free to pass it through a fine-mesh sieve into a different bowl now.)
• Remove pan from heat and stir in vanilla.

VANILLA CREAM CHEESE CUSTARD

Steps:

• In a medium bowl, whisk together ½ cup of the milk, the egg yolks, 1/3 cup sugar and the corn starch. Whisk until well blended.
• In a small sauce pan, heat the remaining 2 cups of milk with the remaining 1/3 cup sugar and the scraped vanilla seeds with the pod. Heat to a simmer then remove the pod and discard.
• While whisking, slowly drizzle the hot milk into the bowl with the egg and sugar mixture, making sure to whisk continually.
• Pour the entire custard mixture back into the pan and heat just until it thickens up, which should be very quickly.
• Reduce to low heat, add the softened cream cheese and beat with the whisk while cooking for about one minute to form a thick creamy custard.
• Pour into a large serving bowl (or individual ramekins). Cover with plastic wrap, pushing down on the plastic wrap so that it touches the surface of the custard (this will prevent a skin from forming on the top.) Refrigerate and cool completely before serving.
• Spoon into individual serving dishes once chilled. Or, as we show in our photos, place the chilled and thickened custard into a large pastry bag fitted with a star tip and pipe into individual serving dishes or martini glasses. Garnish with fresh strawberries if desired.

VANILLA CUSTARD

Steps:

• Heat milk in a 2 1/2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat until hot but not boiling.
• While milk heats, whisk together yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a heatproof bowl until smooth.
• Add 1 cup hot milk to yolk mixture in a stream, whisking, then add remaining milk, whisking constantly. Transfer mixture to saucepan and cook over moderately low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and registers 170°F on thermometer, 6 to 10 minutes (do not boil).
• Immediately force custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl and stir in butter and vanilla. Chill custard, its surface covered with wax paper, until cold and thickened, at least 3 hours.

VANILLA CREAM OR SAUCE

Steps:

• Heat 2 cups milk in a heavy saucepan over low heat until simmering, about 5 minutes.
• Beat remaining 1/2 cup milk and cornstarch together in a bowl using a whisk until dissolved; add sugar and egg yolks and beat until smooth. Slowly pour milk mixture into simmering milk while gently whisking the simmering milk; simmer, stirring frequently, until thickened, about 3 minutes. Remove saucepan from heat and stir vanilla extract into sauce.
• Pour the sauce through a wire mesh sieve into a bowl to remove any cornstarch lumps. Place a piece of plastic wrap on top of the sauce, ensuring the plastic wrap is touching the sauce to prevent a skin from forming; cool to room temperature, about 20 minutes.
• Move sauce to refrigerator and chill completely cold, at least 30 minutes.

VANILLA ICE CREAM (BASIC CUSTARD STYLE)

Steps:

• Beat eggs very well with a mixer, gradually add sugar beat until thick and lemon colored.
• Stir in milk and heat, stirring until thickened.
• Remove from heat and cool mixture.
• Add cream and vanilla, cover and chill mixture.
• Pour into ice cream maker and follow manufactures directions.