Squash Custard
This is an award winning recipe!
Submitted by G. Smith (from Mom) - Houma, LA
This recipe is a little time consuming but if you prepare the squash the
day before it's not nearly as much effort. In fact, the squash can be
boiled, peeled, deseeded and then frozen in two cup size portions to use
at any time making for a much quicker desert. I got the recipe from my
Mom, experimented a lot with it and what I've got is the best and most
descriptive recipe I could come up with. I've included some helpful
hints that I'm sure to someone who really knows how to cook would laugh
at, but they seem to work well. I'm quite certain that she got the
recipe from her mother who probably got it from her mother, so on and so
on, and, it's definitely Cajun! I'll include for each ingredient what
brand I use only because it seems to come out right and, in my opinion,
has a good taste.
Ingredients
2 cups boiled, peeled and deseeded squash. The white squash definitely
in my opinion yields the most squash or "meat" than the yellow. Too many
seeds in the yellow squash but taste equally as well if not better. I've
even tried Butternut squash with decent results. You'll need two - three
medium size white squash or perhaps six - eight large yellow squash to
yield two cups of prepared squash.
4 Cups milk (Whole or skim for the diet conscious). I find the skim milk
works just as well with little to no taste difference.
1-1/2 - 2 Cups sugar - I have a sweet tooth and find two cups of sugar
the best but it just depends on your sweet tolerance. I have never
experimented with any of the artificial sweeteners for this dish but I'm
sure a measurement of someone's preference could be substituted.
1 Cup all purpose flour - I use Gold Medal flour only because my mom
did. LOL. But I'm sure most any brand will do.
1 Stick of margarine - I use Imperial margarine again because my Mom
did. I've tried other margarines but I have to say the Imperial has a
very good buttery flavor that you can distinctly taste in the custard.
2 Teaspoons of baking powder
2 Teaspoons of Vanilla Extract - I use pure vanilla extract and not any
of the imitations.
6-7 Eggs - Medium to large, brown or white - Whatever your preference
is. Of course fresh eggs are the best but I was raised on concrete and
so I don't have any chickens.
Steps
Boil the squash for approximately twenty minutes for medium size squash
(6" diameter) or until slightly tender. If you over boil the squash it
will make deseeding more difficult. Allow to drain and cool off. Peel,
cut in half and remove all seeds. Mash thoroughly with fork or similar
utensil.
Preheat oven to 400 degrees F.
Separate egg yolks from the whites. (The egg white will be used for the
meringue later). Place the egg yolks in a large mixing bowl and mix
thoroughly.
Add the sugar, flour, baking powder and two cups of milk and mix
thoroughly. Stir in the margarine (melted), and the vanilla extract. Add
the two cups of prepared squash and then the remaining two cups of milk.
This should result in a very soupy mixture.
Place in a 11" x 13" greased pan and bake for 1 hour to 1 hour and
fifteen minutes or until slightly brown on top. The edges may be dark
brown.
After baking, immediately add the meringue on top and bake for an
additional 10 minutes at the same temperature.
Helpful Hints
I've tried stainless steel pans and varieties of glass pans but an
aluminum pan definitely works the best. The pan conducts heat very well
and the dark brown edges of the custard gives it a caramelized taste.
Grease the bottom of the pan with the Imperial margarine. Do not grease
the upper side edges of the pan. The meringue will need to stick to the
pan but will not if greased.
The baking powder seems to clump together when adding directly to the
mixing bowl. To avoid this, mix the baking powder with the flour and
sugar in a Tupperware or similar container with a lid on top and shake
thoroughly.
MERINGUE-
A. Be sure that none of the egg yolks broke and fell in with the egg
whites. If any does, spoon out immediately or start over. The meringue
will not whip up properly if any egg yolk is mixed in with it.
B. After whipping for one to two minutes add enough sugar to desired
taste. One quarter cup will probably be sufficient. Continue to whip
until the meringue is very smooth and will form peaks. Add the meringue
to the custard starting in the middle of the pan and working it out
towards the edges. Be sure that the meringue touches the side of the
pan. (No grease or margarine should have been put on the sides of the
pan). This is important because the meringue when cooling off, will have
a tendency to shrink and pull away from the edges of the pan.
C. As the meringue cools, sugar droplets will form on top of the custard
which is normal.
This is a very forgiving recipe. A little to much of one thing or not
enough of another doesn't seem to make much of a difference. If the
meringue pulls away from the pan when cooling, so what!!! It may not
look as pretty but will certainly taste as good. If you like the
caramelized taste, baking the custard for longer periods will give you
this flavor. The custard can be eaten immediately after removing from
the oven which is my favorite or cold right out of the refrigerator.
Enjoy....mmmmm