This week’s video recipe is a delicious dessert suitable for those on a soft or puree consistency diet, and should give you some extra ideas about how to vary the flavours and consistency of some of your regular dessert ideas.
A basic custard is the starting point for lots of desserts and sweet treats from many food traditions around the world.
The ingredients are simple – egg yolks are beaten with sugar until thick and pale golden in colour, and then warm milk is slowly added and well combined. the mixture is then heated through until the protein in the eggs starts to thicken the custard into a rich and velvety sauce. There are a few tricks to getting things just right and many accomplished cooks wouldn’t think of reaching for the custard powder instead.
I’ll be honest, when I have the time I prefer to make my custard from scratch. Not all of us have the luxury of being able to stand over the stove and stir gently simmering custard until it reaches the perfect texture. Never fear, the clunki.com shortcut recipe team are here!
This recipe can be ready to pop in the fridge in as little as five or six minutes, but it is definitely at it’s best after some extra steeping time – if you can manage it.
NOTE – this recipe was inspired by a fantastic post on one of the clunki.com team’s favourite foodie websites, food52.com. Check out the inspiring Nutella Pudding recipe here.
White Chocolate and Almond Parfait
Ingredients
For the almond flavoured milk
½ cup almonds
2 cups milk
For the custard
2 tablespoon custard powder
1 tablespoon sugar
1 tablespoon milk
1 quantity almond milk
2 tablespoons butter
100g white chocolate, plus a little to grate
To serve
1 cup frozen berries
Squeeze of lemon
Teaspoon sugar
Small glasses, or cups
Method
Place a large saucepan over medium heat.
Add ½ cup almonds to the dry pan and gently stir until just starting to roast. This process helps to intensify the flavour of the nuts.
When the almonds are gently golden and smelling fragrant remove from the heat and add 2 cups of milk. Place the saucepan back on the heat and bring to a boil. Remove from the heat and set aside to cool. If you are patient enough to make this recipe ahead of time, leave the milk and almonds to cool over night in the fridge.
Either strain the milk through a sieve to remove the almonds or use a blender to process the almonds and milk until a very fine texture. I prefer to leave the finely processed almonds in the milk as the almonds help with the thickening of the pudding. The almonds can make the finished parfait quite grainy. If this is a problem for your swallow, please strain the nuts from the milk. Set aside to cool a little.
In a saucepan combine custard powder, sugar and 1 tablespoon of milk and stir well until a thick paste. Slowly add the almond milk and stir well to ensure no lumps.
Place the saucepan over a low to moderate heat and stir until well thickened. Set aside to cool.
Microwave oven method
Alternatively, transfer the custard powder and milk mixture to a microwave safe jug and microwave for 2 minutes on high. Remove from the microwave oven and stir very well. Return to the microwave oven and heat until the custard is thickened.
While the custard is still hot stir in 100g of white chocolate and 2 tablespoons of butter. The butter and chocolate will help the pudding set more firmly than a regular custard.
To serve
Puree 1 cup of frozen berries adding a squeeze of lemon and some sugar to taste.
Spoon a little of the berry puree into some cups or glasses, top with the almond pudding mixture and place the cups into the fridge to chill and set. Overnight is ideal, but the pudding will be set and ready to eat in about an hour.
Finely grate some white chocolate over the puddings to serve, adding an extra drizzle of pureed berries.
