Ingredients

Serves 4

Baked Custard:
500mL full cream milk
100g caster sugar
4 eggs
½ whole nutmeg

 

Baked Rhubarb:
500g rhubarb
2-3 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp Elderflower cordial

For serving:
100 ml pouring cream
1 tbsp caster sugar
Natural vanilla extract

Method

Baked Custard:
Preheat oven to 150˚C.

Heat the milk in a saucepan over medium heat until hot but not boiling.

Beat the milk, sugar and eggs together in a bowl until well combined.
Strain into a 1litre ovenproof dish and sprinkle the nutmeg over the top, stirring to combine.

Place the dish into a deep baking tray and pour in enough boiling water to come one third of the way up the side of the dish.

Bake in the oven for 30-40 minutes or until the custard has set.
To check, bump the edge of the tray gently to see if the middle wobbles in the same way as the edges.

Cooking times can vary because of the heat of the milk, water and the oven, so you want to get it out of the oven just as it sets.
Once set, the custard can start to bubble and overcook, which alters the texture; if it curdles it is not quite as good to eat (and a bit ugly to look at), but it's still quite edible.

Serve warm.

 

Baked Rhubarb:
Preheat the oven to 220˚C.

Lay the rhubarb on a baking tray, sprinkle with the brown sugar and elderflower cordial and bake for about 10-15 minutes, or until soft.

Serve with the baked custard or, if serving with cream, whip the cream with the sugar and vanilla until soft and moussey and dollop onto the rhubarb.

 


The Real Food Companion by Matthew Evans, Murdoch Books, RRP: $69.99