Custard

I don't know what it is about custard that makes it so appealing to me. I know that the texture often turns people away from it (like my hubby). I think it tastes like home. It is simple, yet elegant and reminds me of my grandmother and mother. In any case, it is a fairly easy thing to make and calls for very simple ingredients. I make maple custard here at home and I cook individual portions in my Pampered Chef 1 cup Prep-Bowl set. You don't need to use the syrup at all or you can use honey, coffee, chocolate sauce or even a caramel syrup. This recipe serves 6.

Maple Custard

4 eggs
1/3 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
pinch of salt
2 1/2 c. milk (can use half evaporated mixed w/half water, but generally I use 1%)
Freshly grated nutmeg
6 Tbsp. maple syrup

Preheat oven to 350.

Line a 9x13 glass pan with a large cloth or dishtowel and place custard cups inside.

Add one Tbsp. of syrup to the bottom of each custard cup.

Whisk together the eggs, sugar, vanilla, salt and milk. Spoon mixture into custard cups and grate nutmeg lightly over the tops. Very carefully pour boiling water into the 9x13 pan until it reaches almost the whole way up the custard cups and place it into the preheated oven.

Bake for about 30 minutes or until knife inserted into center comes out clean. Cool. Can be inverted onto plate or eaten out of cup.

Pies

I made a total of 5 pies this year. Three of them were brought over to my in laws and two were left here to go with our leftovers from Thanksgiving dinner. I was so excited that despite the awful squash bugs that decimated all my summer & winter squash plants, I was able to salvage a few small sugar pumpkins, cook and freeze them, and I had enough to make a the pie for Thanksgiving and also one more. I also have acorn squash from the garden which will likely end up in a couple of pies as well.

I always make my own crusts. I have never bought them. I do, however, use boxed cook & serve pudding mixes for both the chocolate cream and lemon meringue. If you have a recipe for a chocolate pudding or lemon pudding that tastes as good as boxed stuff, PLEASE share. I would be more than happy to try any recipes that come my way.

I figured while I'm giving recipes for the pies I made, I will add my recipe for baked apples. When my nephew is on leave from the Marines, I always make them for him. They are super yummy and if you want a dessert that isn't too awful for you, they are a good choice. A little scoop of frozen vanilla yogurt on the side is DIVINE.

Pie Dough

2 c. flour
2/3 c. shortening (unsalted butter, veg. shortening or a combo of the two)
Pinch of salt
Approx. 6 Tbsp. ice water

Place flour and shortening cut into pieces into food processor. Process until the butter is cut up into the flour (pea sized mixture). Running the processor, add ice water one Tbsp. at a time until the dough comes together. Turn out onto a piece of plastic wrap and refrigerate for about an hour. This recipe will yield two 9-10" pie crusts.

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To change this pie up, I sometimes use crushed ginger snaps for the crust instead of using a standard pie dough.

Pumpkin Pie

1 1/2 c. pureed pumpkin, unsweetened/unspiced
3/4 c. brown sugar
1 tsp. cinnamon
1/4 tsp. ground cloves
1/4 tsp. ground nutmeg
1/4 tsp. ground ginger
1/2 tsp. salt
2 eggs, beaten
1 c. evaporated milk
1/2 c. water

Preheat oven to 425.

Combine all ingredients in a med. sized bowl and pour into an unbaked, chilled 9" pie crust. Bake until knife inserted in center comes out clean (about 40 minutes).

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If you like creme brulee or flan, this next pie is for you!

Custard Pie

2 1/2 c. milk, scalded (this is the point before the milk boils - it will start steaming and little bubbles are usually around the outside of the pan)
4 eggs, slightly beaten
1/2 c. sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
Dash of fresh nutmeg

Preheat oven to 475.
Beat eggs, sugar & vanilla together. Slowly add in scalded milk, stirring constantly. Pour into a 9" unbaked pie shell. Bake for 5 minutes at 475 then reduce the temp to 425 and bake until knife inserted between center and edge of pie comes out clean (between 10 & 20 minutes). Do not overbake!

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This banana cream pie is very sweet. While it is the recipe I've used since I started making pies, I think I'll be searching for one less sweet.

Banana Cream

3 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 1/2 c. water
1 can sweetened condensed milk
3 egg yolks
2 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. vanilla
2 medium bananas, sliced & dipped into lemon juice
1 9" pie crust, pre-baked
Whipped cream

In a med. saucepan, dissolve cornstarch in water; stir in sweetened condensed milk & egg yolks. Cook and stir continually until thickened & bubbly. Remove from heat and add butter & vanilla. Cool slightly.
Arrange sliced bananas in the bottom of crust. Pour filling over bananas and cover. Chill until set (about 4 hours).

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Baked Apples

1/2 c sugar
2 Tbsp flour
1 1/2 tsp cinnamon
6 apples
2 Tbsp butter, melted
1/3 c chopped pecans

Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Combine sugar, flour and cinnamon. Mix well.
Peel and partially core apples, leaving bottoms of apples intact.
Dip apples in melted butter. Roll in sugar mixture. Reserve remaining butter and sugar mixture. Place apples in shallow baking dish.
Combine pecans, remaining butter and remaining sugar mixture; spoon into cavities of apples.
Add water to baking dish to just cover bottom. Bake for 40-45 minutes or until apples are tender.