I created this custard in order to have a healthy dessert available during the week. We no longer keep sugar and butter in the house, so most of the standard custard recipes with crust and sugar were not possible. This dessert has no crust, no butter, and no sugar, only fruit and a small amount of honey. The first one I made primarily with figs, but any fruit that is not too watery can be substituted.
Ingredients:
- 2 cups milk (skim is fine)
- 1 Tbsp honey
- 1 Tbsp vanilla extract
- 4 whole eggs
- 1 tbsp corn starch
- fresh or frozen figs (can substitute other berries)
- fresh figs and strawberries (can substitute other berries)
- 1 Tbsp wheat flour
- 1 tsp corn starch
Directions:
Preheat oven to 400F. Fill a 9-inch pie pan about halfway or less with fresh or frozen figs or berries. Cook at 400F for about 15 minutes for fresh fruit or longer for frozen fruit. Once the fruit is cooked, mash with a potato masher to make a paste. Add 1 Tbsp wheat flour and 1 tsp corn starch to help thicken and mix thoroughly. Flatten out the fruit paste in the bottom of the pie pan and set aside. This will be your starting layer for the custard pie.
In a medium saucepan over medium heat, add 2 c milk, 1 Tbsp honey, and 1 Tbsp vanilla extract. Mix with a heat-safe spoon until the mixture is almost to boiling (do not boil). You should notice it getting slightly frothy on top. Just before the boiling point, remove the milk from heat. In the meantime, in a metal or heat-safe mixing bowl, beat the 4 eggs and 1 Tbsp corn starch together. When the milk is ready, beat the milk mixture in with the eggs and corn starch using an electric mixer, adding the milk gradually as you mix it.
Once combined, pour all of it back into the pan on the stove and heat over low heat until the custard thickens. Stir continuously to prevent lumps from forming. When the custard has thickened, remove it from the heat and pour over the layer of fruit in the pie pan.
The custard should be thick enough at this point to arrange pieces of cut figs and strawberries (or other berry of choice) in designs across the top of the custard.
After arranging the fruit on top, cook the custard in the oven at 400F for about 30 minutes, until the custard is lightly colored and set. Serve warm or refrigerate. The slices serve best after a short period of refrigeration which allows the layers to solidify more thoroughly.
Hibiscus tea is one of my favorites due to its' sweet, tart flavor. Summer 2015 was my first year growing the plants in Augusta, Ga, and I am very happy with the results. The plants are nearly 8 ft tall and in appearance are similar to okra.
