Eid treats: 4 South African custard-inspired dessert

With the end of Ramadan fast approaching, consider these desserts for your Eid table: two-ingredient custard milkshake; custard cream-filled bollas; croissant pudding, and sticky date pudding.

Two-Ingredient Custard Milkshake

The best milkshake requires no more than two ingredients, according to fashion-forward content creator, Aqeelah Harron Ally who starts with smooth, creamy custard. Add milk to the recipe and an optional flourish of cinnamon and sugar if desired, and you’ll have the makings of the perfect milkshake.

Ingredients

• 500g Parmalat Vanilla Flavoured custard

• 500ml Full Cream Milk

• Cinnamon and sugar can be added to adapt the taste (optional)

Directions

1. Freeze milk in an ice block tray.

2. Once frozen, combine frozen milk cubes with custard in a blender and blend until frothy.

3. Pour and enjoy!

Custard cream-filled bollas

Offering her rendition of a Cape Malay classic, is foodie and recipe developer, Saadiyah Hendricks who brings a generous dash of custard to a well-loved Eid dessert.

Ingredients

For the bollas:

• 1 egg

• ¼ cup sugar and extra for garnishing

• 30ml oil

• 1 teaspoon vanilla essence

• 1¼ cup flour

• ¼ tsp ground cardamom

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 170ml buttermilk

For the creamy custard filling:

• 250ml whipping cream

• ¼ cup Parmalat Vanilla Flavoured custard

• ¼ tsp ground cardamom, and extra for garnishing

• Pistachio chopped for garnishing

Method

1. Whisk the egg and sugar together until well incorporated and pale.

2. Add the oil and vanilla and whisk to combine

3. Sift in the flour, baking powder and cardamom and fold until incorporated.

4. Whisk in the buttermilk until fully combined then set aside to rest while heating up the oil for frying.

5. In a medium pot on medium heat, fry the bollas by spooning in a tablespoon of dough at a time then allowing to fry until golden brown on both sides. Remove and allow to drain on a plate lined with a paper towel.

6. While they cool off, make the filling by whipping together all the ingredients until a medium peak forms.

7. To assemble, roll each bolla in castor sugar then slit and pipe in the custard filling, finally top with chopped pistachio and a sprinkling of ground cardamom.

Croissant pudding

For a warm treat option, foodie and lifestyle content creator, Fehmida Osman-Latib (or just “Fehmz”) brings custardy flavour to a traditional French delicacy.

Ingredients

• 4-5 Croissants

• 500ml fresh cream

• 250ml milk

• 1 cup castor sugar

• 2 eggs

• 1 tsp vanilla essence

• Pinch of ground cardamom

• Handful of chopped pecan nuts

• 1 tsp cinnamon powder mixed with 2 tsp brown sugar

• Parmalat Vanilla Flavoured custard

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 180˚C.

2. Slice the croissants into 4-5 chunky pieces and butter it on both sides.

3. Place into an oven-proof dish and set aside.

4. In a bowl combine the fresh cream, milk, castor sugar, eggs, vanilla essence, and cardamom. Pour the liquid over the croissants.

5. Sprinkle with the chopped pecans and the cinnamon sugar mix.

6. Bake in preheated oven for 20-25 minutes.

7. Serve warm, drizzled with the custard.

Sticky date pudding

Next up is food photographer and cookbook author, Zorah Booley Samaai who enjoys desserts with a fruity twist. Her recipe incorporates dates – a fruit that has become synonymous with the breaking of the fast.

Ingredients

• 226g Medjool dates

• 1¼ cup boiling milk

• 1 tsp baking powder

• 7 tbsp butter, softened

• ½ cup brown sugar

• 2 large eggs, room temperature

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• 1⅓ cups cake flour

• 1 tsp baking powder

• ½ tsp salt

For the toffee sauce:

• ⅓ cup salted butter

• 1 cup whipping cream

• 1 cup brown sugar

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

For the topping:

• Parmalat Vanilla Flavoured custard

• 1 scoop of vanilla ice cream
  

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 180˚C, line a 23-cm square baking tin with baking paper and spray with a non-stick spray. Set aside for now.

2. Chop the dates and remove the pips. Soak the dates in the hot milk and baking soda until soft. This should take about 15 minutes.

3. Next, mash the dates to a paste-like consistency.

4. In a stand mixer or using an electric whisk, combine the mashed dates, soft butter, brown sugar, eggs and vanilla extract and whisk until smooth.

5. Then add in the flour, baking powder and salt.

6. Pour the mixture into your prepared pan and bake in the oven for 30-35 minutes. While the sticky date cake is baking start on your toffee sauce. When a toothpick comes out clean, it is ready.

7. Once the cake comes out of the oven, use a toothpick or fork to poke holes throughout the cake. This will allow the sauce to be absorbed.

Toffee Sauce:

1. Combine all the ingredients for the toffee sauce in a large pan and stir until combined.

2. Let the sauce come to a simmer and then pour it over the cake as soon as you have poked the holes.

To serve:

Cut the cake into square slices and enjoy with some vanilla ice cream and a generous amount of custard.

Eid Mubarak!

For more recipes for Eid, buy the Autumn 2023 issue of Koe'sister at any of these stores. Alternatively, buy this issue as well as back issues of the magazine from our Online Store.