Saffron and Almond Custard

I hope you all are as excited about 2012 as I am. I wanted to end this year on a sweet note and wish you a very happy new year. I can't thank you enough for being generously supportive over the year. But I'll try - thank you!

This is among one of the few baked desserts mom makes.The first time M tasted it was when he and his family where officially invited to our house after our engagement. The night before, mom asked me if I knew of any of M's favorite food. No I didn't and I wasn't very keen on asking. So she planned the menu by herself. Dinner that night was in this order - saffron and almond custard, corn halwa, meat filled samosas, murg mussallam (whole chicken cooked with spices) and chicken biryani. The custard and corn halwa have become M's all time favorite dessert, samosas and biryani, what do I say, just that he has woken up at night and told me he dreams of them. No wonder, I'm always scared of making my mom's recipe. She is a master and I come no where close!

But then this custard recipe is so easy, its really a breeze to make. I have always thought of it as Bohra custard but I'm not sure if its made by other Bohras, though most of the people I know make them. It must have been one of those recipes tweaked with Indian flavors. Usually the layer is double the size you see here, but I like to keep it thinner. If you prefer a thick slice, just double the recipe.

Saffron and Almond Custard

Serves 5

Ingredients 

3 cans evaporated milk (159ml each)

3 eggs

1/2 cup sugar

1/2 tsp rose water

1/2 tsp cardamom powder

Generous pinch of saffron

Roughly chopped almonds

Method

Preheat the oven at 180 C. Thoroughly whisk together evaporated milk, sugar and eggs. 

Add the cardamom powder and rose water and whisk again. 

Pour the mixture in 10 inch by 1.5 inch tart pan. If you want a thicker slice custard, use a deep baking dish  instead. You don't really have to stick to a particular size of pan, just make sure you are not making an omelete!

Bake for 25 minutes. Remove from the oven and sprinkle with saffron and almonds. 

Return to the oven and bake for another 20 minutes. Baking time will differ based on your baking dish and how thick a layer the custard is so bake the custard until its completely set.

Let it cool. It can an be served at room temperature but is best served cold.