Proper Custard

Around this time two years ago my family and I did a trip over to the UK to visit various relatives and to attend my cousins wedding. We went and saw my Aunt Liz in Pitlochry, central Scotland, where my dad grew up. She shared her recipes for scones and a delicious fish pie. On our final night she made us a clootie dumpling, which is like a pale christmas pudding. It was very tasty, made especially so by the custard she prepared fresh to accompany it. I think that was the first time i had had proper custard and it was a revelation. After experiencing its rich, creamy and eggy taste i could never go back to the stuff in cartons. 

Ingredients:

275ml double cream

3-4 organic/good quality egg yolks 

1 tblsp castor sugar

1 tsp corn flour 

2 drops vanilla extract.

Method:

First, heat the cream in a small saucepan up to boiling point. While it is heating, thoroughly blend the egg yolks, cornflour, sugar and vanilla together in a small basin. Pour the hot cream into the eggs yolk mixture, stirring all the time. Return the mixture to the saucepan, heat very gently (still stirring) until the custard has thickened, which should take a minute or two. If it does over heat and start to look granular, don;t worry, if you remove it from the heat and continue to stir it, it will become smooth as it cools.

Thanks Liz!