Butternut Custard Recipes

BUTTERNUT CUSTARD

Steps:

• Position oven rack in the middle position; preheat oven to 325°; butter or spray ramekins.
• In a saucepan, whisk together the cream, milk, syrup, and pureed squash; heat just until barely simmering.
• In a bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, cinnamon, nutmeg, salt, and pepper.
• Pour squash mixture very slowly into the yolks, whisking constantly.
• Pour the custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a large measuring cup, pressing the liquid out of the solids.
• Place the prepared ramekins in a baking pan lined with a dish towel.
• Pour the strained mixture into the ramekins; set the pan on the oven rack; carefully add enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
• Bake the custards for 35-40 minutes, or until set and a knife inserted near the edge comes out clean.
• Serve the custards immediately, or hold, covered, for up to 30 minutes.

BUTTERNUT SQUASH CUSTARD WITH POACHED QUINCE AND PINE NUTS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 375 degrees.
• Place squash on a baking sheet, cut-side up. Drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with brown sugar; season with salt and pepper. Transfer to oven and roast until tender, about 40 minutes. Remove soft flesh from skin and transfer to the bowl of a food processor; process until smooth. You should have 4 cups of puree.
• Transfer puree to the jar of a blender. Add egg yolk and cream; blend until well combined. Season with salt, pepper, and lemon juice.
• Reduce oven temperature to 350 degrees. Divide squash mixture evenly between twelve 4-ounce ramekins. Set ramekins in a large baking dish; fill baking dish with enough hot water so that it comes one third of the way up the sides of the ramekins. Transfer baking dish to oven and bake until set, about 30 minutes.
• Remove custards from water bath and let cool to room temperature. Serve garnished with quince, pine nuts, and pumpkin seeds.

FIVE-SPICE BUTTERNUT SQUASH IN CHEESY CUSTARD

Steps:

• Heat the oven to 450 degrees Fahrenheit/240 degrees Celsius (nonfan).
• Cut the butternut squash crosswise into 3/4-inch/1 1/2- to 2-centimeter-thick half moons. Transfer to a wide, large cast-iron skillet, skin side up, keeping the slices together in the shape of the butternut squash half. You might have to angle the pieces slightly so that they all fit. Place the shallots on either side of the squash.
• In a small bowl, combine oil, five-spice powder, cinnamon, 3/4 teaspoon salt and a good grind of pepper. Pour this all over the vegetables in the skillet, and use your hands to coat everything nicely, rearranging the squash pieces if necessary.
• Bake squash for 25 minutes, or until the squash is soft but not falling apart. Spoon out half the cooked shallots from the pan and set them aside, keeping them intact. Set squash aside to cool for 15 minutes, and turn the oven temperature down to 325 degrees Fahrenheit/170 degrees Celsius (nonfan).
• As the squash cools, prepare the custard: Add the stock and cream to a medium saucepan, and heat through on medium until steaming. In a separate large heatproof bowl, whisk together half the cheese, the yolks, garlic, cornstarch (cornflour), miso, 1/4 teaspoon salt and a good grind of pepper. Slowly pour the scalding cream mixture into the egg yolk mixture, whisking constantly, until incorporated and smooth.
• When ready, pour the warm custard into the butternut squash skillet, letting it pool all around the squash (avoid pouring it directly onto the squash). Sprinkle the remaining half of the cheese all over the custard, avoiding the top of the squash. Lastly, gently place the reserved shallots, cut-side up, on top of the custard and cheese. Carefully transfer to the oven and bake for 15 to 18 minutes, until the custard is set with a very slight wobble.
• As custard cooks, prepare the topping: Add the sesame seeds to a small frying pan set over medium-high heat. Toast for 3 to 4 minutes, stirring often, until lightly browned. Add the Aleppo pepper, paprika, five-spice powder and a tiny pinch of salt, and turn the heat down to medium-low. Add the oil and leave to cook gently for 2 minutes. Remove from the heat and let cool for 5 minutes before stirring in the chives and lime juice.
• When ready to serve, spoon the sesame topping all over the custard and serve warm.

ROASTED BUTTERNUT SQUASH CUSTARD PIE WITH A PECAN CRUST

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 400 degrees F. Season the squash with olive oil and salt. Place on a roasting pan and roast for 1 hour. Remove and cool completely. Place the pie shell in the oven and bake for 10 minutes. Remove the pie crust from the oven and cool. Peel away the skin and remove the center seeds of the roasted butternut squash. Place the squash in a large mixing bowl. Mash the squash until smooth. Add the cane syrup, the sugar, pinch of salt, cinnamon, and vanilla. Mix well. Add the eggs and egg yolks and mix well. Stir in the milk and whisk well. Pour into the pie shell. Cover the edges of the crust with aluminum foil. Reduce the oven temperature to 350 degrees F. Bake for 40 minutes. Remove the foil and continue to bake for 25 minutes, until the center is slightly firm. Remove and cool on a wire rack. The pie will still continue to cook while cooling. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until chilled. Slice into individual servings and place on serving plates. Garnish with a drizzle of Caramel sauce and a dollop of Spiced Cream.