Harvest time
- Thread starter British Red
- Start date
Good proper custard should only pour when hot and form a lovely thick skin as well
When refrigerated it's supposed to be thick so you can make trifles
I use this recipe for custard done in the microwave (800W)...
1. In a medium bowl combine 1 egg yolk, 1 heaped tablespoon cornflour and a splash of milk.
2. Add 1 tablespoon light muscovado sugar and either 1/2 tsp vanilla extract or the insides of about 1" of a vanilla pod.
3. Heat 1/2 pint full fat milk in the microwave for 2 minutes then add to the medium bowl, whisking while you pour.
4. Microwave for 1m30s then stir.
5. Microwave for 30s then stir, repeat until thickened.
1. In a medium bowl combine 1 egg yolk, 1 heaped tablespoon cornflour and a splash of milk.
2. Add 1 tablespoon light muscovado sugar and either 1/2 tsp vanilla extract or the insides of about 1" of a vanilla pod.
3. Heat 1/2 pint full fat milk in the microwave for 2 minutes then add to the medium bowl, whisking while you pour.
4. Microwave for 1m30s then stir.
5. Microwave for 30s then stir, repeat until thickened.
The vegan version goes like this….
Take 100g of ground almonds (sweet ones, not the bitter) and soak in 500ml of hot water. (you can make up to a litre if needed)
In a teacup soak at least half a dozen strands of saffron in a couple of tablespoonsful of hot water.
When both waters are cold, strain and squeeze through a bit of cotton cloth.
To the liquid add the seeds from quarter to half of a bourbon vanilla pod, four tablespoonsful of sugar (sugar is a matter of personal taste, many folks like a lot more than I do, adjust as you choose; I generally use syrup in custard) and mix two level tablespoonsful of white cornflour in a little cold water in a cup.
Bring the liquid up to near boiling and then gently stir through the cornflour water. Bring up to the boil and stir very well as it thickens. Remove from heat and put into a jug ready to pour over dumpling, pie, cake, stewed fruits, trifle ….
If you don't want a skin, then closely cover it the jug with cling film.
If you like your custard with a crunchy skin, then put it into a pyrex dish, top it with sugar and pop it under the grill until the sugar bubbles and turns golden.
If you don't like vanilla seeds in your custard then just use vanilla essence to taste.
Don't waste the ground almonds, they're good in cakes, biscuits, muesli, or stirred through with bournville chocolate powder
I know eggs are good food, I'm just really not fond.
Bird's custard powder makes life easy for most folks, and it's blooming quick at camp
M
Take 100g of ground almonds (sweet ones, not the bitter) and soak in 500ml of hot water. (you can make up to a litre if needed)
In a teacup soak at least half a dozen strands of saffron in a couple of tablespoonsful of hot water.
When both waters are cold, strain and squeeze through a bit of cotton cloth.
To the liquid add the seeds from quarter to half of a bourbon vanilla pod, four tablespoonsful of sugar (sugar is a matter of personal taste, many folks like a lot more than I do, adjust as you choose; I generally use syrup in custard) and mix two level tablespoonsful of white cornflour in a little cold water in a cup.
Bring the liquid up to near boiling and then gently stir through the cornflour water. Bring up to the boil and stir very well as it thickens. Remove from heat and put into a jug ready to pour over dumpling, pie, cake, stewed fruits, trifle ….
If you don't want a skin, then closely cover it the jug with cling film.
If you like your custard with a crunchy skin, then put it into a pyrex dish, top it with sugar and pop it under the grill until the sugar bubbles and turns golden.
If you don't like vanilla seeds in your custard then just use vanilla essence to taste.
Don't waste the ground almonds, they're good in cakes, biscuits, muesli, or stirred through with bournville chocolate powder
I know eggs are good food, I'm just really not fond.
Bird's custard powder makes life easy for most folks, and it's blooming quick at camp
M
Toddy, I must never let my wife know your recipe - she has a fetish for vegan and macrobiotic and health food kinds of things. Mung beans and sweet potato noodles. That is why I do 99% of the cooking - she is a terrible cook with bad instincts and technique. I imagine your custard is fine, but ... She is after me to make bought almond milk. or coconut milk, baked custards; but I hold off mostly.
Red, I await your video. I canned another 6 pints of blackberries tonight. I used 2 gallons - volume of berries, which comes down to 1 gallon cooked. Then removed about 75% of the seeds and pulp reducing it to 6 pints. I had added 4 cups of sugar, which helps pull the liquid out of the berries osmoticly, and keeps it in the jar better - stabler colour and such. And wile doing so realized how much time goes into this home produced stuff. I now have 13 pints, and a half pint, canned blackberries. A pint should make 2 pies with apples or whatever added, or 1 pure blackberry pie, thinish one. Or with a cheesecake bottom layer.
My freezer is almost empty - 2 gallons frozen blackberries, 1 gallon blueberries, some garden greens, 2 packs of pork, and a very few odds and ends. I think I should can the last berries but will try a pie from canned and see - they do take a lot of room making it hard to look for stuff nut are compact in a box of jars.
I cooked them with the sugar for 14 minutes, removed lots of the seeds abd pulp and waterbath canned the resulting liquid 20 minutes.
Red, I await your video. I canned another 6 pints of blackberries tonight. I used 2 gallons - volume of berries, which comes down to 1 gallon cooked. Then removed about 75% of the seeds and pulp reducing it to 6 pints. I had added 4 cups of sugar, which helps pull the liquid out of the berries osmoticly, and keeps it in the jar better - stabler colour and such. And wile doing so realized how much time goes into this home produced stuff. I now have 13 pints, and a half pint, canned blackberries. A pint should make 2 pies with apples or whatever added, or 1 pure blackberry pie, thinish one. Or with a cheesecake bottom layer.
My freezer is almost empty - 2 gallons frozen blackberries, 1 gallon blueberries, some garden greens, 2 packs of pork, and a very few odds and ends. I think I should can the last berries but will try a pie from canned and see - they do take a lot of room making it hard to look for stuff nut are compact in a box of jars.
I cooked them with the sugar for 14 minutes, removed lots of the seeds abd pulp and waterbath canned the resulting liquid 20 minutes.
George - if you are making large quantities of what are effectively syrups, have a look at the Mehu Liisa Fruit Steamer. It is a large stainless steel pan with a water compartment, a juice collector and a fruit holder. It has a spigot on the side for collecting the resulting juices.
It is manufactured in Finland I believe but there are importers around the world. I don't have one yet but it is on my wish list next to the All American pressure canner.
It is manufactured in Finland I believe but there are importers around the world. I don't have one yet but it is on my wish list next to the All American pressure canner.
Daniel I would like a steam juicer very much - they were a part of the kitchen of country families here in the past - for making jellies and juice from the native grapes, muscadines and concord which are not so easily squeezed as the European kind - and berries and all else. I have a few muscadine vines planted, and a couple concords. The problem is their cost.
Last night I defrosted another couple gallons of blackberries, simmered them with 1/2 cup sugar per US pint (16 oz, a cup being 8 oz) for about 15 minutes, strained out the majority of the seeds and pulp (as they are one) but left %25 so it would still be blackberries when cooked into pies, and water-bathed 20 min.
and then this, which I am going to try, hopefully tonight, and see if I should do the same with the last couple gallons in the freezer. from the kitchen window
Here is USA amazon Norpro steamer/juicer about one hundred British Pounds, $150 US. But too much for the limited use I have for one. I think the library should have this kind of thing to check out - like for 1 day only, with the ability to reserve it. http://www.amazon.com/Norpro-619-Stainless-Steamer-Juicer/dp/B002N5TQUK
Last night I defrosted another couple gallons of blackberries, simmered them with 1/2 cup sugar per US pint (16 oz, a cup being 8 oz) for about 15 minutes, strained out the majority of the seeds and pulp (as they are one) but left %25 so it would still be blackberries when cooked into pies, and water-bathed 20 min.
and then this, which I am going to try, hopefully tonight, and see if I should do the same with the last couple gallons in the freezer. from the kitchen window
Here is USA amazon Norpro steamer/juicer about one hundred British Pounds, $150 US. But too much for the limited use I have for one. I think the library should have this kind of thing to check out - like for 1 day only, with the ability to reserve it. http://www.amazon.com/Norpro-619-Stainless-Steamer-Juicer/dp/B002N5TQUK
Got the third batch of onions in today. The first batch were from over wintering sets. The second from Spring planted sets. This batch were raised seed this year (Ailsa Craig variety)
Ailsa Craig Onions (from seed) by British Red, on Flickr
They say you can't grow good sized onions in one year from seed.
I beg to differ
Ailsa Craig Onion by British Red, on Flickr
I am going to keep one string of each type over winter to compare keeping qualities. If, as I suspect, the seed grown last best, I will look to start saving my own seed.
Ailsa Craig Onions (from seed) by British Red, on FlickrThey say you can't grow good sized onions in one year from seed.
I beg to differ
Ailsa Craig Onion by British Red, on FlickrI am going to keep one string of each type over winter to compare keeping qualities. If, as I suspect, the seed grown last best, I will look to start saving my own seed.
Harvesting is still proceeding apace.
Loads of pumpkins for soup
Pumpkin Soup by British Red, on Flickr
Making Pectin
3) Cover in water by British Red, on Flickr
...and of course the apple rings!
Rings Ready for Drying by British Red, on Flickr
I have covered the techniques for all those on here so I won't bore by repeating them. But if you would like to see this years photos and write ups they are on our blog - welove visitors and I want to start keeping all our stuff in one place
http://www.englishcountrylife.com/english-country-life-blog.html
Loads of pumpkins for soup
Pumpkin Soup by British Red, on FlickrMaking Pectin
3) Cover in water by British Red, on Flickr...and of course the apple rings!
Rings Ready for Drying by British Red, on FlickrI have covered the techniques for all those on here so I won't bore by repeating them. But if you would like to see this years photos and write ups they are on our blog - welove visitors and I want to start keeping all our stuff in one place
http://www.englishcountrylife.com/english-country-life-blog.html
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Thanks Steve
I have every intention of still posting loads of stuff here of course, but BB set the site up and asked me to put stuff on it so....who am I to argue?
Plus if I would like to get a lot of the recipes and preserving techniques into one convenient place - Mary was nagging me to get them in a book which I may once I have collected them all up
I have every intention of still posting loads of stuff here of course, but BB set the site up and asked me to put stuff on it so....who am I to argue?
Plus if I would like to get a lot of the recipes and preserving techniques into one convenient place - Mary was nagging me to get them in a book which I may once I have collected them all up
Been stringing onions today
Completed Strung Onions by British Red, on Flickr
and gathering in lots of windfalls from neighbours for the cider vinegar project
Windfall apples by British Red, on Flickr
Completed Strung Onions by British Red, on Flickrand gathering in lots of windfalls from neighbours for the cider vinegar project
Windfall apples by British Red, on Flickr
Boy you could do a grand remake of Allo Allo with the produce in that first picture Hugh.
Love the smell of fresh onions and garlic when harvested. That and the treat of onion soup and roasted garlic still warm from the oven to eat with bread and cheese.
Looks a cracking harvest so far.
Sent via smoke-signal from a woodland in Scotland.
Love the smell of fresh onions and garlic when harvested. That and the treat of onion soup and roasted garlic still warm from the oven to eat with bread and cheese.
Looks a cracking harvest so far.
Sent via smoke-signal from a woodland in Scotland.
Its coming on Colin, need to get a load more Winter brassicas in and have the beans to harvest yet and a lot of beds to manure for the frosts to work. It never really ends though....which is nice!
No, these are kind of like the Egyptian, or Walking onion type - with out the shallot flavor, and they flower in a big trunk where the shallot does not.
They are mostly eaten as green onions like scallions, or the tiny bulbs cooked fresh or dried. They reproduce themselves year to year.
I grow terrible onions - so must say yours are very beautiful.
Ahhh we call them Welsh onions
Welsh Onion by British Red, on Flickr
Thanks for the compliment on the onions. We use a lot of onions, garlic etc. More than half the things I cook include them in some form, so I pretty much had to learn to grow them. Now that I have the seed growing process nailed, I'm going to start producing our own seed - fairly vital from a self reliance point of view
Welsh Onion by British Red, on FlickrThanks for the compliment on the onions. We use a lot of onions, garlic etc. More than half the things I cook include them in some form, so I pretty much had to learn to grow them. Now that I have the seed growing process nailed, I'm going to start producing our own seed - fairly vital from a self reliance point of view
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