Mum’s The Word Baking
RHUBARB & VANILLA
BAKED CUSTARD
PREP + COOK TIME 50 MINUTES SERVES 4
8 stems trimmed rhubarb (500g),
chopped coarsely
⅓ cup (75g) caster sugar
1 vanilla bean, split lengthways
4eggs
2 cups (500ml) hot milk
pinch of ground nutmeg
1 Preheat oven to 220°C/200°C
fan. Grease and line a large baking
tray. Grease four 1½−cup (375ml)
ovenproof dishes.
2 Toss rhubarb with 1 tablespoon
of the sugar on baking tray. Roast for
15 minutes or until rhubarb is tender.
Divide rhubarb between dishes; reserve
any juices on tray. Reduce oven
temperature to 160°C/140°C fan.
3 Scrape seeds from vanilla bean.
Whisk eggs, vanilla seeds and
remaining sugar in a medium bowl;
whisk in hot milk. Gently pour
custard mixture over rhubarb in
dishes; sprinkle with nutmeg.
4 Place dishes in a medium baking
dish; add enough boiling water to come
halfway up side of dishes. Bake for
30 minutes or until custard is just set.
Serve drizzled with reserved juices.
WARM CHOC-CARAMEL
PUDDINGS
PREP + COOK TIME 30 MINUTES MAKES 4
125g butter, softened
⅔ cup (150g) firmly packed
brown sugar
2eggs
½ cup (75g) plain flour
¼ cup (25g) cocoa powder
1½ tablespoons milk
12 caramel−filled chocolate balls
2 teaspoons icing sugar
1 Preheat oven to 200°C/180°C fan.
2 Grease four 1−cup (250ml)
ovenproof dishes; line bases with
baking paper. Place on an oven tray.
3 Beat butter and brown sugar in
a small bowl with an electric mixer
until light and fluffy. Beat in eggs,
one at a time. Stir in sifted flour
and cocoa, and milk.
4 Divide two−thirds of the mixture
into dishes; place three caramel−filled
chocolate balls in centre of each dish.
Spoon remaining mixture over
chocolate balls; smooth surface.
5 Bake for 20 minutes. Stand the
puddings for 5 minutes before serving
dusted with sifted icing sugar.
SERVING SUGGESTION
Serve with thick cream or ice−cream,
dustedwith sifted cocoa powder.
COOK’S
NOTES
RHUBARB &
VANILLA BAKED CUSTARD
Rhubarb can be prepared
up to 3 days ahead; store,
covered, in the fridge.
Place empty vanilla pod
in a jar, then cover with
caster sugar to make
vanilla sugar.
CHOC-CRANBERRY
BREAD PUDDINGS
PREP + COOK TIME 30 MINUTES SERVES 4
8 slices white bread
50g butter, softened
100g dark chocolate, coarsely chopped
½ cup (65g) dried unsweetened
cranberries
1 litre (4 cups) thick vanilla custard
½ teaspoon ground nutmeg
2 teaspoons icing sugar
1 Preheat oven to 160°C/140°C fan.
2 Grease four 1½−cup (375ml)
ovenproof dishes. Place on an oven
tray. Discard crusts from white bread.
Spread slices with butter; cut each
slice into four triangles. Layer bread,
overlapping, in dishes; sprinkle with
dark chocolate and dried cranberries.
Pour thick vanilla custard over bread;
sprinkle with ground nutmeg.
3 Bake puddings for 20 minutes or
until set (puddings will have a slight
wobble in the centre). Stand puddings
for 5 minutes before serving dusted
with sifted icing sugar.
“Get creative with the serving ware.
Puddings can be made in teacups,
ramekins, souffle dishes or any style
of ovenproof dish you like.”
Louise Patniotis, Food Editor, Food Studio
134 AWW FOOD • ISSUE TWENTY SEVEN