Happy New Year!

Every New Year's Day in my family, we light the xmas pudding and serve with custard that I make for the occasion. I have to make it in advance, since only the egg yolks are used and the egg whites are used for coconut maccaroons, which we have on New Year's Eve for one of the dessert items to dip in the chocolate fondue!

Next week I will post a recipe for the maccaroons, but here first is the recipe for the custard (in both imperial and metric measurements):

1 cup/250 ml sugar; 3 tblsp/45 ml cornstarch (called corn flour in Ireland); 1/4 cup/50 ml flour; 1/8 tsp/0.5 ml salt; 1/3 cup/75 ml cold water; 3 egg yolks; 2 cups/500 ml boiling water; 2 tblsp/30 ml butter; 1 tsp vanilla extract.

In a mixing bowl, mix together dry ingredients.

In the top of a double boiler, beat cold water and egg yolks together, before adding dry ingredients.

Stir until smooth, then add the boiling water.

Cook on med-high (not too high or it will burn) heat, stirring constantly, until smooth - about 15  minutes.

Whisk in butter and vanilla extract; remove from heat.

This custard can be divided into portions and frozen. Even though I exclusively make it for New Year's, it is a lovely dessert year-round!

Also, I originally adapted this recipe from a lemon meringue pie recipe, so if you want to make lemon meringue pie, add 1/2 cup/125 ml lemon juice and grated zest from one lemon when you are whisking in the butter. Cool the lemon custard and add to a pie shell. Use the egg whites to make a meringue: beat 3 egg whites  with a pinch of salt and slowly add 6 tblsp/90 ml sugar, beating until stiff. Top the pie with the meringue before baking for about 10 minutes at 375F/190C or until meringue is lightly browned.

I have also previously adapted this recipe to make a coconut cream pie! As with the lemon meringue pie, add about 1/2 cup/125 ml dessicated coconut to custard when whisking in the butter. Add the coconut custard to a pie shell and top with meringue made from the egg whites and bake as above.