Vanilla baked custard with drunken muscatels

Just one mouthful of this rich and velvety baked custard will transport you back to the family meals of your childhood, though the drunken muscatels anchor it firmly in the grown-up present. Simply omit them or replace with fresh fruit to give your kids a baked custard to remember.

SERVES 6–8

PREPARATION TIME 15 minutes (+ 2 hours chilling)

COOKING TIME 40–45 minutes

750 ml (26 fl oz/3 cups) milk

250 ml (9 fl oz/1 cup) pouring (whipping) cream

1 vanilla bean, split lengthways and seeds scraped

6 eggs, at room temperature

110 g (3¾ oz/½ cup) caster (superfine) sugar

DRUNKEN MUSCATELS

100 g (3½ oz) muscatel raisins

125 ml (4 fl oz/½ cup) Pedro Ximenez or Marsala

1 Preheat the oven to 160°C (315°F/Gas 2–3). Grease a shallow 18 x 25 cm (7 x 10 inch), 1.5 litre (52 fl oz/6 cups) capacity ovenproof dish and place in a large roasting pan.

2 Combine the milk, cream and vanilla seeds in a medium saucepan and bring almost to the boil.

3 Use a balloon whisk to whisk the eggs and sugar in a large bowl until combined. Whisk in the hot milk mixture until combined. Strain into the prepared dish (pic 1). Add enough boiling water to the roasting pan to come halfway up the sides of the dish. Bake for 35–40 minutes or until the custard is set on top but still slightly wobbly in the centre when the dish is lightly shaken. Remove from the oven and set aside to cool (pic 2). Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours or until chilled.

4 Meanwhile, to make the drunken muscatels, combine the muscatels, Pedro Ximenez or Marsala and 2 tablespoons water in a small saucepan. Bring to a simmer over low heat (pic 3). Remove from the heat and set aside for 2 hours to macerate.

5 Serve the baked custard topped with the drunken muscatels and their liquid.

VARIATIONS

Chocolate baked custard: Omit the vanilla seeds and melt 100 g (3½ oz) dark chocolate, chopped, in the hot milk and cream mixture.

Coffee baked custard: Omit the vanilla seeds and replace 80 ml (2½ fl oz/¹/₃ cup) of the milk with freshly brewed, strong espresso coffee.