Banana custard

I heard once that custard was a favourite dessert of ex-pm Margaret Thatcher. I don't know how true that is, but if so, she would have known it as creme anglais, and I'm sure she wouldn't have accepted the stuff if made from tinned custard powder. Check out the ingredients on a tin and you'll see that it's cornflour plus flavourings and colourings.

Try making it with egg yolk and real vanilla, and you won't buy another tin! The recipe below adds banana to make a delicious standalone dessert, but you can leave out the banana and pour it over any pie or crumble.

'Real' creme anglais recipes use a large number of egg yolks, which I find a little uneconomical. I've also never managed to get the stuff to thicken properly without using some flour. My recipe below is essentially a standard white sauce, with egg yolk, sugar and vanilla.

Ingredients

• flour (wheat flour) - 2 tsps per serving
• sugar to taste
• knob of butter per serving (approx equal volume to flour)
• egg yolks - one or two per serving
• milk - approx 1/4 pt per serving
• vanilla extract (the real stuff, not vanilla flavouring or vanillin)
• banana - 1 per serving

Method

1. put the sugar, butter and flour in a pan over a gentle heat, and blend together, allowing to cook for a minute or two
2. gradually add milk, just the right amount to get a thick, creamy consistency, with lots of stirring to avoid lumps forming
3. remove from heat and stir in vanilla and egg yolk
4. slice banana and add to the sauce.
5. put back on a very gentle heat. The aim is to cook the banana until soft, without allowing the sauce to get hot enough to start bubbling - this will cause the egg to cook and change the texture.
6. Enjoy!!