All content copyright Katrina Hall 2008 through 2025

Thursday, October 26, 2017

pastry cream pudding





Well, THAT was exhausting!  Between using both my iphone and my camera (and figuring out how to edit the pictures) and puzzling over the change to edit and insert the photos, many, many days have flown by.  I'm not complaining over having to make (and eat) these delicious, creamy puddings, no indeed!  As I'm not really a chocolate lover, I usually prefer lemon or vanilla flavors - and puddings are right at the top when I want a sweet dessert.  My sister always called them "nursery food" - and I wonder which of my parents and stepparents made them for us.

The recipe comes from The Silver Palate cookbook, which must be their first one, and it's intended to be used in a flaky puff pastry tart.  Who needs puff pastry when you can just dive into this creamy, nutmeg, vanilla, and cinnamon "pudding"?


Sweet Pastry Cream pudding

You will need one large heavy saucepan, and one medium saucepan for this - and one large stainless steel mixing bowl.

Add water about halfway up the medium saucepan and heat til almost boiling, then set aside.

2 cups milk
1/2 cup sugar
4 tablespoons King Arthur unbleached flour
2 extra large egg yolks
1 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
2 teaspoons vanilla
pinch of salt, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  I grated a tiny bit of whole nutmeg right into the bowl.

Scald the milk in a heavy saucepan (do not boil).
While milk is heating, whisk the sugar and flour in the large mixing bowl.
Add the hot milk slowly, whisking constantly.

Put the hot water back on a burner and set to a simmer.  Place stainless steel bowl on top of the simmering water, and stir or whisk for about ten minutes, or until the back of a spoon is lightly coated.  Then add the egg yolks and , using a whisk, stir until the mixture thickens even more - about ten minutes - until a spoon is thickly coated when dipped into the mixture.

Remove from heat, and add butter, vanilla, and spices and stir well.  Pour into small dessert dishes or pots and chill - though I admit, I eat it while it's still warm , often straight from the bowl.






Monday, October 16, 2017

Goodbye, summer!


Ah, summer was grand, and no sooner was I back from visiting my son and family near the ocean in New Hampshire,  it was off to visit some of the lakes in the Minneapolis area.

After days of rain in August, Lake Nokomis overflowed onto the broad swaths of brilliantly green grass - which attracted at least a hundred wild ducks, all shoveling up mud and weeds, worms and grass.

And a visit to the beautiful Lake Harriet on Frankie's birthday was simply stunning.  The water sparkled and rippled on a very mild September afternoon , and a charming regatta silently circled the center of the lake .  The grandkids leaped gleefully into the water .  

October has been wonderful walking weather, and my light fleece jacket has only finally come out of the closet in the last week - bliss!  Finally unpacked, I'm itching to get back to baking and cooking.  Moving always leaves me discombobulated for at least a month !






             I moved back to Minneapolis at the end of July - and I have a real kitchen!