There are some days when you need comfort food. When everything has turned to custard it’s best to have a bowl of it, or at least that is Daredevil’s advice. Daredevil is a peace loving character who only fights for what he strongly believes is right. Of course, what he considers the right thing doesn’t necessarily coincide with other people’s opinion and he sometimes feels like Don Quixote. When he realises he is on a kamikaze mission he usually makes himself a big bowl of chocolate custard and eats it slowly and quietly in the corner, reviewing his position. It doesn’t happen too often, but yesterday he felt the urge. “Do you think, Mouse, my custard is eligible to be included in the book?” he asked, while he had another mouthful.
“What’s in it?” asked Mouse, “you don’t just rip open a packet of custard powder, do you?”
“No, I use corn flour, milk, sugar and cocoa and – when I have one on hand – an egg.” Mouse thought for a little bit and said, “not sure about the cocoa, it isn’t on the ingredient list. And I see you use corn flour?”
“C’mon, corn flour is a flour and it is a much better thickening agent than wheat flour.”
Once again Mouse couldn’t say no. “Okay, give me your recipe. I am only collecting them at the moment and I’ll think about it!”
Ingredients
3 heaped tablespoons of corn flour, 2 cups of milk (or milk and water), 1 generous tablespoon of cocoa, 2 tablespoons of sugar.
Method
In a bowl, mix the corn flour, sugar and cocoa and add half a cup of milk to make a smooth paste. Make sure there are no lumps in it.
Heat the rest of the milk (1 1/2 cups) and before it boils add the paste you made earlier. Stir continuously until it bubbles. It will thicken quite quickly once it starts boiling. Stir until it doesn’t thicken any further.
Eat warm or let rest to cool.
“You said earlier you might add an egg if you have one. When would you add this?” asked Mouse.
“Simply mix any eggs into the corn flour paste before you put it into the heated milk” answered Daredevil. “They are also a thickening agent and you can leave out a little bit of the corn flour.”
dedepuppets 
Mr Punch, on behalf of his lovely wife Judy (who wouldn;t be seen dead playing with a computer), would like to submit a recipe to the Dedes for his favourite Melktert. I am not sure it conforms entirely to the Mouse’s stringent rules, but he did insist on trying for a place.
He makes it as follows: into a baked open pie case add the mixture as follows: 50 gm melted butter, 200 gm castor sugar, 3 eggs separated, 145 gm plain flour, 1 tsp baking powder, 1/2 tsp salt, 1 tsp vanilla essence, 950 mls milk. Beat together the butter and sugar, add the egg yolks, vanilla, and beat, then mix in dry ingredients. Vanilla is not essential but does make it taste so much better. Whisk the egg yolks till points form and fold into the mixture. pour into pre-prepared pie case and bake at 160 deg C for 25 minutes. If you like sprinkle the top with ground nutmeg or cinnamon for extra flavour. Yummy! Best of luck.
That sounds like a really interesting recipe. The Dedes have to try it. And yes, Mr Punch concern about Mouse’s stringent rules might be well founded. there is a lot of sugar in the recipe and vanilla essence wasn’t on the allowed ingredient list. :) However, we try and we will have a section on special treats.
Is it a dutch recipe by any chance? interesting name.
Dutch South-African recipe. The custard recipe reminded us of the makeup of this the Melktert filling.
I am just about to try your recipe. One query… You add the egg yolks to sugar and butter etc. and Whisk the egg whites later, correct? In your recipe it said egg yolks twice.
Looking forward to a yummy desert :)
oops and where does the milk go?
Mea culpa, I typed yolks when I should have said whites. Mr P wasn’t very clear on the point of milk but when I questioned him he said just put it in with the liquids at the beginning. Hope you enjoy the melk tert!
it was a bit runny and I only use half a liter of milk. I think I put it in too late. Is it suppose to be runny or should it all set in the ofen?
BTW it tasted yummie. However, I am not used to so much sugar and couldn’t eat much, but the rest of the household loved it. :)
Usually sets in the oven to a soft, almost cheesecake consistency – a baked custard I suppose. Glad you liked it. Not a problem to cut back on the sugar if you prefer. Both Mr P and Judy have rather a sweet tooth.
I must have added the milk too late. :). I also added passion fruit instead of vanilla essence. The acidity could have hindered the setting. Should have listend to Mouse and follow the recipe to the tee the first time round :)