Cold Fruit Custard Recipes

SIMPLE CUSTARD

Steps:

• Cook and stir milk, vanilla extract, and butter in a saucepan over medium heat until simmering. Remove mixture from heat before it comes to a boil.
• Whisk eggs, sugar, and cornstarch together in a bowl until sugar dissolves.
• Set saucepan back over low heat. Pour in egg mixture slowly, whisking constantly, until custard thickens enough to coat the bottom of a spoon, 5 to 10 minutes.

CLASSIC FRENCH FRUIT TART

Steps:

• Make the Crust: Complete the pâte sucrée through baking and cooling.
• Make the Pastry Cream: In a medium pot, heat the milk until just boiling. Remove the pot from heat. While the milk is warming, in a heat-proof mixing bowl, whisk together the sugar, egg, egg yolks, and cornstarch. Whisk until the mixture is very smooth and has lightened in color, about 2 minutes. Whisking constantly, add about a quarter of the hot milk into the egg mixture. (This is called tempering. Tempering the eggs helps raise their temperature without cooking them, and helps emulsify them into the milk.) Pour the milk-tempered egg mixture into the pot of the remaining milk. Whisk to combine. Return the pot to the heat and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly to prevent "scrambled eggs," especially on the sides and bottom, until the magic happens and the pastry cream thickens, about 2 minutes. Stir in the butter and vanilla and cook one minute more, whisking constantly. The pastry cream should make thick, lazy bubbles. (See note below if you see any coagulated bits of egg in your custard.) Pour the thickened pastry cream into a clean, shallow bowl. Cover it with plastic wrap and push it down in the bowl so it sits directly on the surface of the pastry cream. This prevents a skin from forming on top. Chill until cold, a few hours (or up to 2 days before serving).
• Assemble the Tart: Remove the tart ring and transfer the tart shell to a serving platter. Whisk the chilled pastry cream until smooth, then spread it evenly into the tart shell using an offset spatula. Arrange a generous amount of fruit over the pastry cream in your desired design. In a small saucepan, heat the apricot jam with 1 tablespoon of water over medium heat, whisking, until thin. (Alternatively, heat it in a heat-proof bowl in the microwave for about 30 seconds.) If the jam is especially chunky, strain it through a sieve. Use a pastry brush to gently dab the fruit with a thin layer of apricot glaze. Chill until ready to serve.
• Note: Avoid melon and other fruit with high moisture content, like sliced citrus. These will wilt quickly and seep moisture into the pastry cream. Also avoid oxidizing fruit like apples and bananas; these fruits will turn brown. Berries should be fully dried after rinsing (raspberries should not be washed) and strawberries should be sliced.
• Note: If you see any coagulated egg bits in your finished custard, strain the hot pastry cream through a fine mesh strainer.
• Make-Ahead Instructions: The pastry cream can be made up to 2 days before serving. The tart can be assembled and refrigerated up to one day before serving.

STONE FRUIT CUSTARD TART

Steps:

• Crust
• Preheat an oven to 375°F. Cook butter in a small saucepan over medium heat, stirring often, until it foams, then browns, 5-8 minutes. Set aside.
• Pulse pistachios in a food processor until finely ground. Transfer 4 Tbsp. to a small bowl; set aside.
• Scrape reserved browned butter over pistachios in food processor; add egg, brown sugar, flour, salt, and baking powder. Pulse until incorporated, then process, scraping down sides as needed, until mixture looks like wet sand and holds together when squeezed in your hand, about 2 minutes.
• Press dough evenly into bottom and about 2" up sides of pan with a straight-sided glass or measuring cup. Chill while you make the filling.
• Filling and assembly
• Process eggs and brown sugar in clean food processor until eggs are well combined, about 1 minute. Scrape down sides; add sour cream, vanilla bean paste, cardamom, ginger, orange zest, and salt. Sprinkle flour and 2 Tbsp. reserved pistachios over; process until smooth, about 1 minute.
• Starting at the edges of the chilled tart shell and working inward, arrange stone fruit in snug concentric circles, standing each wedge up so one tip is raised and rounded skin side is pressed against crust. Carefully pour custard around fruit (fruit should not be completely covered). Sprinkle coarse sugar over.
• Bake pie until crust is golden brown and filling is puffed and set in the center (it shouldn't wobble when gently shaken), 70-75 minutes. Transfer pan to a wire rack and scatter remaining reserved 2 Tbsp. pistachios over. Let cool, then chill, uncovered, until fully set.
• Unmold tart. Dust with powdered sugar and/or top with dollops of whipped cream or crème fraîche if desired. Serve chilled or room temperature.

FRUIT CUSTARD RECIPE

Steps:

• Rinse the fruits thoroughly and chill them in the fridge. Refrigerating after chopping will let out juices from the cut fruits making the custard runny.
• Heat 2½ cups milk in a wide heavy bottom pan or pot. Add sugar and stir until it dissolves.
• Meanwhile add custard powder to a small cup and stir it with ¼ cup milk (warm or at room temperature). The mixture has to be smooth without any lumps.
• When the milk turns hot (not boiling), pour 2 tbsp of the custard mix to the hot milk. Whisk well to incorporate it with the milk.
• Repeat adding another 2 tablespoons custard mixture to the milk and whisk well. This way incorporate all of the custard mixture to the milk in 3 batches, whisking after each addition.
• You may taste test it at this stage and add more sugar if needed.
• Keep stirring and cook on a low to medium heat until the custard turns thick. The custard must coat the back of the spoon well but must be yet of runny consistency. (check video)
• Take it off the heat and whisk it well to make it super smooth. Cover immediately. Cool this completely and chill it in the fridge.
• Whisk the custard well before serving. This ensures even and smooth fruit custard.
• Peel and chop the fruits to bite size. Add them to serving bowl or individual serving cups.
• Pour the custard over the fruits and gently mix. Serve fruit custard immediately.