Seriously Delicious Microwave Cooked Custard Cream - milk

Method

• Put the milk in a heatproof container, and microwave at 900 W for 3 minutes 30 seconds.
• If you have vanilla beans heat it up in the milk.
• In the meantime, sift all the ingredients together into a large heatproof bowl.
• Pour the Step 1 warmed milk into the Step 2 bowl little by little while mixing with a whisk.
• If you added a vanilla bean in Step 1, take it out.
• Add the egg yolks to the Step 3 bowl one at a time, and mix well with the whisk.
• Microwave the Step 4 cream at 900 W for 2 minutes!
• The photo shows the cream after it's been microwaved.
• It hasn't really set yet at this stage.
• Take it out, mix the cream up and microwave for another 1 minute 30 seconds.
• The photo shows the cream after it's been microwaved.
• The cream has started to set.
• Take it out one more time, mix well again and microwave for another 1 minute 30 seconds.
• The photo shows the cream after it's been microwaved.
• It now looks more like a custard cream.
• Mix it up thoroughly to even out the texture.
• Add the butter and vanilla essence and mix well to cool the cream a little.
• When the cream has cooled down a bit, add the rum and mix to finish.
• The custard cream can be as thick as in this photo before adding the rum!
• If you're making half the amount, microwave it at 600 W for 2 minutes in Step 1, 1 minute in Step 5, 2 minutes in Step 6 and 1 minute in Step 7.
• Use the leftover egg whites in, "Our Family's Secret Recipe for Almond Tuiles".
• If you are using the custard in a fruit tart, the fruit will look way better if you glaze it with a "nappage" (thinned apricot jam or similar).
• Following are some usage examples for this custard cream.
• Tart crust + this custard cream + strawberries and other berries = berry tart.
• I made this tart for Christmas 2007.
• Tart crust + this custard cream + fruits decorated with an apricot jam glaze = fruit tart.
• I made this tart for my son's 2nd birthday (in 2008).
• I used the custard cream for a square tart.
• Tart crust + this custard cream + strawberries + mint leaves = strawberry tart.
• I made this tart for a friend's birthday in Spring 2009.
• Pie crust + this custard cream + frozen fruit = "Fruit-Packed Danish By Lazy Me"
• This is a quick dessert I've been making for guests for a loong time.
• Pie crust + this custard cream + whipped cream etc.
• = Caramelized apple with puff pastry
• This custard cream can be used in a rather different puff pastry dessert like this.
• Microwave-cooked choux pastry + this custard cream = Easy cream puffs
• Even cream puffs, which may seem difficult, can be made easily by cooking the pastry in a microwave.
• "Cream and Chocolate Rolls for Beginners" uses this custard cream as filling.
• Both custard cream and chocolate cream rolls are baked together.