Custard Kunafa Cups

 

          These rich, creamy and yummy Custard Kunafa Cups are just irresistible. Very easy and quick to dish out, they are a perfect Eid, Diwali or a party dessert that people will fall in love with. It is a twist to the traditional Middle Eastern dessert, prepared with custard of any flavor, vermicelli and crushed pistachios. These three main ingredients forms the basis of this amazing dessert. 

          As Kunafa dough was unavailable, I went in for roasted vermicelli. I also added some soaked chia seeds to the prepared custard. However, it is purely optional. So check out for a quick step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this fusion treat. 

• 1 cup roasted thin vermicelli, crushed
• 2 tbsp. butter
• 2 tbsp. powdered sugar
• 1/4 tsp. cardamom powder
• 2 cups full cream milk
• 2 tbsp. custard powder (any flavor)
• 2-3 tbsp. sugar
• 2 tbsp. soaked chia seeds
• 2 tbsp. crushed pistachios
• few dry rose petals

          Heat butter in a pan and sauté the crushed vermicelli for a minute. 

          Add the sugar and cardamom powder and mix well. Sprinkle some water and cook, covered for 1-2 minutes till the vermicelli turns slightly soft. Keep aside to cool.

          In a small bowl, mix together the custard powder with some milk into a smooth paste.

          Meanwhile, bring the remaining milk and sugar to a boil. Add the custard paste and keep stirring continuously till it thickens. Keep aside to cool down. Then add the soaked chia seeds and mix well. 

          To assemble, add some of the cooked vermicelli at the bottom of a cup. Then spoon a generous amount of the custard, followed by more of the vermicelli.

          Garnish with the crushed pistachios and rose petals. Chill to serve. Enjoy as an after meal dessert or as as when desired.

          Heat butter in a pan & sauté the crushed vermicelli for a minute. 

                    Add the sugar and

cardamom powder & mix well. Sprinkle some water & cook, covered, for 1-2 minutes till the vermicelli turns slightly soft. Keep aside to cool.

In a small bowl, mix together the custard powder with some milk into a smooth paste. Meanwhile, bring the remaining milk & sugar to a boil. Add the custard paste & keep stirring continuously till it thickens. Keep aside to cool down. Then add the soaked chia seeds and mix well. 

       To assemble, add some of the cooked vermicelli at the bottom of a cup.

                    Then spoon a generous amount of the custard,

 

                    followed by more of the vermicelli.

                    Garnish with the crushed pistachios

                     and rose petals. Chill to serve. 

              Enjoy as an after meal dessert or as as when desired.

Custard Jelly Trifle Pudding

 

           My favorite, this yummy Custard Jelly Trifle pudding hardly takes any time to prepare. Just a little bit of assembling, and you have a surprise dessert in front of you. Few Digestive biscuits, chopped nuts, custard and jelly are layered one over the other. 

          Tastes simply delicious, it is a sure hit at parties. You can always add sponge cake in place of biscuits and some chopped fruits of your choice. However, be sure to make some extra. Do check out a simple step by step pictorial recipe to prepare this amazing dessert. 

• A dozen digestive biscuits or as required
• 500 ml. full fat milk
• 1/4 cup sugar or to taste
• 3 tbsp. custard powder, any flavor
• 1/3 cup sprite or any fruit juice 
• jelly made from 1 pack
• 2-3 tbsp. almonds & pistachios, chopped
• pinch of saffron
• few dry rose petals, slightly crushed

          Mix the custard powder with 1/2 cup milk and keep aside. 

          Bring the milk and sugar to a boil. Lower the flame and simmer for 3-4 minutes. 

         Pour this custard mix into the boiling milk gently and keep stirring continuously till it starts getting thicker. Leave aside to cool for a while before refrigerating it.

          Prepare the jelly according to the instructions given on the pack. Leave aside to cool and then refrigerate. Slice them into small cubes. 

          To serve, take few small glass serving bowls and line the surface with few biscuits in each of them.

          Pour the sprite or orange juice over it to keep it moist. Layer with some jelly cubes and some chopped nuts.

          Now layer with some of the prepared custard, followed by more of the jelly cubes.  

         Garnish with the remaining nuts, saffron strands and dry rose petals.  Serve chilled.

Line the surface small glass serving bowls with the few biscuits. Pour the sprite or orange juice over it to keep it moist.

               Layer with some jelly cubes & some chopped nuts.

               Layer with some of the prepared custard, 

followed by more of the jelly cubes. Garnish with the remaining nuts, saffron strands and dry rose petals. 

                        Serve chilled.

Noodles Custard with Boondi Laddu and jelly (Fusion Dessert)

 

          Custard is a very common dessert, that is very easy to make. There are many flavors that you can try. It can get quite boring to have custard time and again without any variations. So dish out this extremely easy to assemble and a perfect meal ender by incorporating ragi noodles, few leftover crushed boondi laddu and some jelly. 

        

                I garnished with more of the crushed laddu and chopped pistachios. There is a bite to every spoonful of this delicious dessert. You can also add in few crushed jalebis for a slight crunch. It tastes awesome. Refrigerate till serving time and enjoy this quick, easy and a yummy fusion dessert.

• 500 ml. full cream milk
• 2 tbsp. custard powder of any flavour
• sugar to taste 
• 1/4 tsp. cardamom powder
• 1 tsp. rose water
• 1 cup ragi noodles, boiled & drained
• 1-2 boondi laddu, crushed
• jelly made from 1 pack
• 1 tsp. chopped pistachios

          For the custard - In a small bowl, mix the custard powder with 1/4 cup milk and keep aside.

          In a saucepan, bring the remaining milk, cardamom powder and sugar to a boil. 

          Pour the custard mix slowly. Keep whisking till the milk thickens to a desired consistency. 

          Add the rose water and keep aside to cool down. Refrigerate for a few hours.

         Prepare the jelly according to the instructions given on the pack. Leave aside to cool and then refrigerate.

          In a bowl, mix together the custard with the noodles, crushed boondi laddu and jelly. 

          To assemble - Take a glass bowl and spoon some of the custard mix and garnish with some more of crushed boondi laddu and chopped pistachios.

           Refrigerate for some time. Your chilled yummy Noodles Custard is ready to relish. 

Custard Falooda

 

              Check out my version of this yummy Custard Falooda, where I added chia seeds, some leftover crushed boondi laddu, jelly, topped with strawberry ice-cream and garnished with chopped pistachios. It tastes simply awesome and mouth watering. This amazing concoction can be relished as an after meal dessert or anytime you wish to enjoy this fusion treat. It is a perfect party recipe and can be served during festive or any special occasions.

            Everybody's favourite, falooda hardly takes any time to prepare. Just a little bit of assembling, and you have a surprise dessert in front of you. 

            You may add few chopped seasonal fruits and mixed dry fruits too. In this recipe, I skipped the mandatory vermicelli. However, you may add if you wish. 

• 500 ml. full cream milk
• 2 & 1/2 tbsp. custard powder of any flavour
• sugar to taste 
• 1/4 tsp. cardamom powder
• 1 tsp. rose water
• 5 tbsp. chia seeds soaked in 2 cups water overnight
• 2-3 boondi laddu, crushed
• jelly made from 1 pack
• 1 tsp. chopped pistachios

          For the custard - In a small bowl, mix the custard powder with 1/4 cup milk and keep aside.

          In a saucepan, bring the remaining milk, cardamom powder and sugar to a boil. 

          Pour the custard mix slowly. Keep whisking till the milk thickens to a desired consistency. 

          Add the rose water and keep aside to cool down. Refrigerate for a few hours.

         Prepare the jelly according to the instructions given on the pack. Leave aside to cool and then refrigerate.

          To assemble - Take a tall glass and layer with some jelly, followed by some crushed boondi laddu, soaked chia seeds, custard, chia seeds again and crushed laddu.

          Top it up with a dollop of ice cream and then garnish with chopped pistachios and jelly. Refrigerate for some time. Your chilled yummy Custard Falooda is ready to relish. 

Custard with Gulab Jamun (A Fusion Dessert)

 

          Check out this simple and an easy Indian fusion dessert made of custard and topped with mini gulab jamuns. This combination of two desserts is just amazing and a quick fix when you run out of ideas. You can replace the gulab jamuns with mini rasagullas too. This is a great party recipe and can also be served during any festive occasions. It will be a real hit with young and old alike. One can also enjoy as an after meal dessert too. Garnish as desired and enjoy it chilled.  

• 500 ml. full cream milk
• 2 & 1/2 tbsp. custard powder of any flavour
• sugar to taste 
• 1/4 tsp. cardamom powder
• 1 tsp. rose water
• few mini gulab jamuns
• 1 tsp. chopped pistachios
• any other garnishes of your choice

          For the custard - In a small bowl, mix the custard powder with 1/4 cup milk and keep aside.

          In a saucepan, bring the remaining milk, cardamom powder and sugar to a boil. 

          Pour the custard mix slowly. Keep whisking till the milk thickens to a desired consistency. 

          Add the rose water and keep aside to cool down. Refrigerate for a few hours.

          To serve, spoon the custard into individual bowls and place 2-3 small gulab jamuns on the top. Garnish with chopped pista and enjoy !!!

Chawanmushi (Japanese Savoury Egg Custard)

 

          Chawanmushi is a classic Japanese Savoury Egg Custard. It is steamed in a cup / ramekin and is generally served as an appetizer. It is a very delicate and an exotic dish with small bite size portions of chicken cubes, prawns, mushrooms, etc. 

          Few Japanese ingredients like Ginko nuts, Kamaboko (fish cakes), dashi, mirin and sake are used in this recipe. However, I had to skip all of them due to unavailability. Yet it turned out real yum and appetizing. So check out the step by step pictorial recipe to prepare it.

• 2 eggs
• 1 & 1/2 cups chicken stock
• 1/2 tsp. soya sauce
• 1/2 chicken breast, cut into small cubes
• 2-3 mushrooms, sliced ( I used Shimeji mushrooms)
• 1/2 carrot, sliced
• 3 tbsp. spring onion, chopped
• 3 prawns, deveined & cleaned
• salt & pepper to taste 

          Marinate the chicken cubes and the prawns with a pinch of salt and pepper powder for 5 minutes.

          In a bowl lightly whisk the eggs. Add the stock, soya sauce, pinch of pepper and salt. Mix and strain the egg mix.

          Take 3-4 small ramekins / bowls / cups. Place some chicken cubes in each of them. Pour the strained egg mix over it. (Fill only 3/4 of the cup).

          Place some sliced mushrooms, spring onion and carrots. Cover with a lid or aluminum foil and steam for 5 minutes.

          Remove the foil and place the prawns in each ramekins. Cover with the foil again and steam further for 5 more minutes. Turn the heat off and let it remain covered for 5 minutes.

          Remove the foil and serve them with a sprinkle of some pepper if you wish.

                      In a bowl lightly whisk the eggs. Add the stock, soya sauce, pinch of pepper 

                      and salt. Mix and strain the egg mix.

                                 Place some chicken cubes in each of them. 

                                 Pour the strained egg mix over it. (Fill only 3/4 of the cup).

                                  Place some sliced mushrooms, spring onion and carrots. 

                                  Cover with a lid or aluminum foil and steam for 5 minutes.

                      Remove the foil & place the prawns in each ramekins. Cover with foil 

                      again & steam for 5 more minutes. Turn the heat off and let it remain 

                      covered for 5 minutes.

                                  Now it is ready to enjoy.

                    Serve them with a sprinkle of some pepper if you wish.