Fruit Custard
Fruit Custard is a popular India dessert that is prepared with simple, everyday fruits chopped into bite size pieces and served with a silky eggless, plain custard & jelly
Servings 4
Ingredients
For the custard (as per the instructions on the package)
- 500 ml approx 2 cups+2 tablespoons whole milk
- 2-3 tablespoons of custard powder * see notes
- 4-5 tablespoons of sugar, or adjust to taste * see notes
For the jelly (as per the instructions on the package)
- 1 packet (85 grams pack of strawberry or raspberry jelly powder (I used gelatin based)
- 1 cup 240ml boiling water
- 1 cup 240ml cold water
For the mixed fruits (use any fruits of your choice)
- 1 big banana, chopped
- 1 orange, segmented and chopped
- 1/2 large apple, cored and cubed
- 1/2 cup grapes, whole or halved
Instructions
Prepare the custard:
- Heat the milk in a heavy based saucepan and when it is just about warm, remove 2 tablespoons of it into a bowl. Add the custard powder to it and mix to make a thick paste.
- Add the sugar to the milk and bring it to a boil, reduce the heat and stir until all the sugar is dissolved. Pour the custard paste into the saucepan and whisk continuously until the mixture thickens. This will take a few minutes but make sure that the heat is on low so that the milk does not get scorched. Remove from heat and let the custard cool down completely. For best results refrigerate for at least 3-4 hours. Overnight is best.
Prepare the jelly:
- Place the jelly powder in a heatproof bowl and pour the boiling water over it. Quickly stir until the powder dissolves completely.
- Pour the cold water and mix. Allow to cool for a bit and then refrigerate until set. Depending on the brand used it could take anywhere between 2 hours to 24 hours to achieve the desired wobbliness of the jelly.
Assemble
- If you are using in regular bowls, just mix the jelly, custard and fruits and serve immediately
- If you are using a fancy, tall glass or a serving bowl with a stem then you can layer the dessert as follows: approx 2 tablespoons of custard, then the jelly, a layer of fruits (as many as you like) followed by the final layer of custard. Garnish with raisins, nuts or mint leaves (optional) and serve
Notes
1. The instructions on the packet of custard that I used called for just 2 tablespoons each of the custard powder and sugar. However, this resulted in custard that was thin in consistency and very mildly sweet. If you like the custard to be thick (like the consistency of thick cream) then use 3 tablespoons of custard. Also, use 3 tablespoons of sugar and increase the sweetness if desired. Do note that the mixture when piping hot will not allow your tastebuds to make the right judgement, so cool the mixture a bit before tasting and then add additional sugar if required. It is recommended to make the custard moderately sweet as the sweetness from the jelly and the assorted fruits will also contribute to the overall sweetness of the dessert.
2. Most flavoured jellies are gelatin based. If you want to make a pure vegetarian version you can use agar-agar (seaweed) based jelly powder. Preparation and setting time may vary so please follow the instructions on the package.
2. Most flavoured jellies are gelatin based. If you want to make a pure vegetarian version you can use agar-agar (seaweed) based jelly powder. Preparation and setting time may vary so please follow the instructions on the package.