Simple and Delicious Custard Sauce

     I told you in yesterday's tablescape post that I would have the recipe today for the custard sauce I used on fresh fruit for dessert on Labor Day. This is a very simple recipe with few ingredients and it tastes very much like the best homemade ice cream, just not frozen and thicker! It is yummy enough to eat with a spoon and would be wonderful on pound cake, bread pudding or a chocolate cobbler.

Ingredients

1 cup half-and-half

1/2 cup white sugar, divided
1 tsp. vanilla (use real vanilla)
4 egg yolks
2 tablespoons butter

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine half-and-half and 1/4 cup sugar.

In a bowl, whisk together egg yolks and remaining 1/4 cup sugar until smooth.

     When cream mixture just begins to boil, remove from heat and whisk a small amount of hot cream into the egg yolk mixture, then pour egg yolk mixture back into remaining hot cream and whisk until smooth. Return the pan to medium heat and cook, stirring, until mixture coats the back of a spoon. DO NOT WALK AWAY. This mixture will curdle quickly. Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla. Serve warm or cold.

I used fresh strawberries, blueberries and pears and

 just drizzled the sauce over the top before serving.

I am joining Michael @ Designs by Gollum for Foodie Friday.

Please make sure to stop and say hello to her.

Strawberries with Vanilla Mascarpone Cream & Balsamic Syrup-Mom Update

     I'm sitting in my mom's hospital room, she is sleeping and I finally felt like posting something that wasn't crisis related. Luckily, I took a few pictures last week and never had a chance to post them. Mom continues to make progress. She still isn't eating much, but we have been bringing in things that sound good to her and she will eat a few bites of fresh fruit, plain bagel etc. I think she will have to go to a rehab location to get her strength back when she leaves the hospital. She's just been flat on her back too long and had such trauma that standing up is truly more than she can do, although it was easier today than yesterday. She has some work ahead of her to build her strength back. Once that happens, she can begin treatment for her other issues. Once again, thank you all so much for the prayers and encouraging messages. It helps more than you can ever know.

     Mascarpone Cheese is considered a "sweet cheese" but it isn't sweet. It really tasted like very thick heavy cream on its own, but was delicious with a couple of simple ingredients added. My husband loved this, even though he wasn't exactly sure he would when he watched me making the ingredients. It is pretty enough for company, and easy enough to make for family. Enjoy!

Ingredients:
Sliced strawberries
Container (8 oz) of Mascarpone Cheese
Powdered sugar (about 1/3 cup)
2 tsp. vanilla

1/3 cup sugar
1/4 cup balsamic vinegar

In mixing bowl, whisk the cheese with the powdered sugar and vanilla until well blended. Keep in refrigerator until ready to use.

In small saucepan, mix sugar and balsamic vinegar. Bring to a simmering boil, and cook down until it becomes slightly thick. (I did this about 10 min. at a very low simmer). Set aside until cool. It should thicken to the texture of corn syrup as it cools. I have found that if you have a high quality balsamic vinegar, you don't even need to make the syrup...you can just add a splash of the vinegar on top of the cheese mixture. If you cook the balsamic syrup too long...it turns to almost a sticky, hard candy texture.


In wine glasses, parfait glasses or bowls; put in a serving of sliced berries, top with a dollop of the cheese mixture and drizzle with balsamic syrup.