Strawberry Pudding

Recipe No: 202
A few days back, while talking to a friend over phone, she mentioned how much her daughter wants to eat Strawberry pudding. 'Well that is a good idea' I thought... as my daughter herself is a big Strawberry fan. I decided not to use fresh Strawberries as it may not be available year round and Strawberry preserves and syrups are available in most places. (I remember buying it from Food World, Thiruvanandapuram, 6 years back!!!) So here is a recipe that can be made at any time of the year…

Ingredients                                              Serves 12-15

• Milk………………………..2 Cups
• Eggs…………………….….2 (Beaten well)
• Sugar………………….…..1/2 Cup
• Gelatin…………………....1 Tablespoon
• Corn Starch……………..1/2 Teaspoon (Dilute with 2 tablespoons of Water)
• Strawberry essence…..1 Teaspoon (If not available please avoid, but don't substitute with any other)
• Strawberry Syrup…….5 Tablespoons
• Strawberry Preserve…5 Tablespoons (recipe here) (Warm it in the microwave for 20 seconds to loosen it. Cut the big Strawberries (if any) into small pieces)
• Heavy Cream…………..1 Cup
• Sugar………………….….2 Tablespoons

Method of Preparation

1. Soak Gelatin in ¼ cup cold Water and keep aside for 10 minutes.
2. Heat Milk and ½ cup Sugar on medium heat.
3. When hot, pour ½ cup of hot Milk into the Egg, mix well and pour it back into the hot milk on the stove, stirring continuously.
4. Once the Eggs are mixed, add the soaked Gelatin and the diluted Corn Starch; let it come to a simmer (by that time it will be thick), stirring constantly.
5. Remove it from the stove and place it in a bigger pan filled with cold Water and let it cool down. Don’t forget to stir.
6. Once cooled, strain it and add Strawberry Essence, Syrup and Preserve; mix well and keep  aside till it cools completely.
7. Whip Cream and 2 tablespoons of Sugar well until soft peaks are formed.
8. Fold the Whipped Cream into the Strawberry Custard  gently.
9. Pour it into a 10 X 8 inch pan (or something that big); cover with a foil and refrigerate for at least 6 hours before serving.
10. Cut it into desired shapes and serve cold decorated with Strawberries, sweetened whipped Cream and Strawberry Syrup.

Notes:

• If you pour beaten Egg into the hot milk, the heat will scramble the Eggs. But pouring a part of the hot Milk into the beaten Eggs will raise its temperature, which when poured back into the hot Milk on the stove resist scrambling. (The process is called tempering the Eggs.)
• Diluted Corn Starch tends to settle down in the bottom of the dish when left untouched for a while. So mix it really well just before using.
• Do strain the Custard as it will get rid of any solids (cooked Egg) present.
• Cold heavy Cream whips up really fast.
• When you lift the beater from the cream, the peaks formed should stay as such(shouldn’t fall down) for a soft peak stage.
• Fold the Cream gently so that it won't deflate the air incorporated in the Cream at the same time it is mixed evenly with the Custard.
• This pudding is really soft yet stable enough to be cut into desired shapes.

 






Make it, enjoy the deliciousness and 
serve it to your family with love…