This dish was the dessert course for my Chilean-inspired supper club in May. Egg custard is a firm favourite in Chile, and here I decided to do a very simple chilled egg custard with a fresh strawberry and elderflower topping, bringing in the best of the British season now. I’m lucky enough to have a lot of elderflower out the back of our house but if you can’t get any fresh or don’t have the time to make it, Belvoir Farms sells a beautiful elderflower cordial that can be used in the place of my syrup.
Elderflower syrup
Makes approx 1 litre
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1 litre boiling water
25 heads of elderflower
juice of 1 lemon
750g sugar
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Place the elderflower in a jug and cover with the boiling water. Stand overnight.
Drain the mixture into a saucepan with a sieve and then using a clean cloth (a clean old tea towel will do). Add the sugar and lemon juice to the saucepan and simmer on a low heat for 10 mins. Bring to boil, then simmer on a medium heat for 10 mins. Allow to cool to room temperature before bottling. The syrup can be used as a cordial or drizzled on cakes, pancakes or ice cream.
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Strawberry and elderflower egg custard
Serves 6
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4 eggs, plus 2 yolks
1 tbsp vanilla bean paste
80g caster sugar
210ml milk
210ml double cream
200g strawberries, quartered
6 tbsp elderflower syrup
a large rectangular oven dish
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Preheat the oven to 150°C/130°C fan. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs and egg yolks, vanilla and sugar, then whisk in the milk and cream. Pour the mixture into the oven dish.
Put the oven dish in a larger oven dish and place in the oven. Wearing oven gloves, pour boiling water into the larger oven dish until three quarter of the way up the sides. Shut the oven door, then bake for 45-50 mins until set. Allow to cool, then chill for 2hrs.
Mix the strawberries with the elderflower syrup, and allow to stand at room temperature for at least 30 mins.
Cut the egg custard into six squares and place the squares on serving plates. Top with the strawberry and elderflower, and serve.
