Writings: Katira al-Maghrebiyya (aka Kay the Innocent of Bel Anjou)

Mists Investiture A.S. XXXII
Category: Dessert Pie
Entrant: Kay the Innocent of BelAnjou
Recipe: To Make a Custarde

Documentation

Source: A Proper Newe Booke of Cokerye, ed. Catherine Frances Frere, Cambridge, W. Heffer and sons, Ltd., 1913 (16th century).

As shown in A Miscelleny by Cariadoc and Elizabeth, 7th Edition:

To Make a Custarde
Proper Newe Booke p. 23/C7

A Custarde the coffyn must be fyrste hardened in the oven, and then take a quart of creame and fyve or syxe yolkes of egges, and beate them well together, and put them into the creame, and put in Suger and small Raysyns and Dates sliced, and put into the coffyn butter or els marrowe, but on the fyshe daies put in butter.

1 pie crust
1/4 c sugar
1/4 c dates
2 c cream
1/3 c raisins
3 t butter (or marrow)
3 egg yolks

Make pie crust and pre-bake for 10-15 minutes at 400 degrees. Chop dates, Beat the eggs, add cream, sugar, raisins and dates and pour into piecrust. Dot pie with butter. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour 15 minutes.

Cariadoc notes that he normally substitutes a modified modern recipe for piecrust. I have used a purchased crust because I'm too lazy to work out a good crust of my own. At least I'm honest about it.

Recipe

The cream to yolks ratio of the original equals Cariadoc's proportions for 1 pie. A preliminary batch using half and half and 1/2 C each of raisins and dates and baked the full time was unsatisfactory. A second batch with whipping cream, less dates and a reduced cooking time was much better.

For the pie you are tasting, I used the following recipe:

1 pie crust (9")

10 large dates, chopped
2 c whipping cream
1/2 c raisins
3 t butter
3 egg yolks (large eggs)

Pre-bake the crust 10 minutes at 400 degrees. Beat egg yolks, cream and sugar. Sprinkle half of raisins and dates in crust.Pour custard into crust. Top with remaining fruit and dot with butter. Bake at 350 degrees for 1 hour or until center has firmed.

Last updated 01/03/2007