Violet Custard Recipes

CUSTARD PUDDING

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar & cornstarch.
• Slowly whisk in the milk & egg yolks.
• Place over medium heat and bring to a boil. Cook about 1 minute, stirring constantly, until thickened. (it will thicken more as it cools)
• Pour into serving cups and let stand to cool or refrigerate, UNDISTURBED, until it's set - about an hour.

VIOLET FLOWER SYRUP

Steps:

• Gather the ingredients.
• Pinch violets off at the top of the stems. Remove calyxes, or the green parts at the base of the flowers, by twisting petals free. Save petals and compost, or discard calyxes.
• Place violet petals into a nonplastic, heatproof, nonreactive container, such as a glass canning jar or a stainless-steel bowl. Reserve.
• In a small saucepan, bring cup of water to a boil.
• Pour hot water over violet petals. Cover and let sit at room temperature for 24 hours. The liquid will turn a gorgeous clear blue with a slight lavender hue.
• Pour liquid and petals into the top of a bain-marie . Or, if you don't have one, put an inch or two of water in a pot over medium-high heat and set a large stainless steel or other heatproof bowl on top of the pot. Place violets and their infusion liquid in it.
• Add sugar and cook syrup over steam created by the bain-marie. Stir often, until sugar is completely dissolved.
• Strain syrup through a finely meshed sieve to remove flower petals.
• Let syrup cool to room temperature. Transfer to glass jars, label them, and store in refrigerator for up to six months.

CUSTARD FILLING

Steps:

• Slit the vanilla pod open lengthways and scrape out the seeds. Put both pod and seeds into a heavy-based saucepan with the milk and bring slowly to the boil, to infuse the vanilla.
• Meanwhile put the egg yolks and the 125g sugar in a bowl and mix together for a few secs, then add in the flour and mix again.
• Pour the just-boiling milk over the yolk mixture, whisking constantly to prevent curdling, then return the mixture to the saucepan. Cook over a medium heat, whisking constantly, for about 10 mins until very thick
• Pass through a fine sieve, discarding the vanilla, and place a sheet of cling film on the surface of the custard to prevent a skin forming. Leave to cool, then chill in the fridge.
• Whip the cream and the 2 tbsp sugar together until thick but not overwhipped, fold into the chilled custard. You can now scoop the the custard into a piping bag and use it as the filling in Justin's doughnut recipe.
• Try different flavours...Brown sugar: Replace the caster sugar with half soft dark brown sugar and half light brown sugar. You can add chopped stem ginger to the finished custard, or some hazelnut praline. Finish with half the quantity of cream.Chocolate: Whisk 150g dark (70%) chocolate into the milk. Finish with half the cream.Coffee: Add 4 tbsp of freshly ground strong coffee to the milk.Malt & vanilla: Mix 2 tbsp of powdered malt into the sugar, and 2 tbsp of liquid malt into the milk.Saffron: Add a good pinch of saffron to the milk. Finish with half the quantity of cream.Violet custard: Add 3 tsp of violet extract and 3 tbsp of violet liqueur to the finished custard. Sprinkle sugared violets and crushed Parma Violet sweets over the top of the filled doughnuts.

VIOLET CUSTARD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350°F.
• Divide the violet petals between 8 individual ramekins.
• Beat together the eggs, yolks, and sugar. Blend in the milk, vanilla, and sugar.
• Divide the custard among the ramekins and place them into a large baking dish.
• Add enough boiling water to the large baking dish to reach half way up the sides of the ramekins.
• Place the baking dish with ramekins in the oven and bake for 40-45 minutes.
• The custard is done when a knife inserted in the center comes out almost clean.