Custard:
A detestable substance produced by a
malevolent conspiracy
of the hen, the cow, and the cook.
Ambrose Bierce
Somehow I don't think Mr. Bierce ever had the following Cointreau-enhanced recipe for Custard Royale, from Frederique Fredge's 1965 Cooking Round the World with a Wooden Spoon:
Egg Custard Royale (serves 6 to 8)
1 quart skim milk
Grated rind of 1 orange
6 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar
1 tablespoon cornstarch
1/2 teaspoon salt
1 tablespoon Cointreau (plus 3 more for peach topping)
6 fresh peaches
Place milk in a saucepan and heat to scalding point. Remove from heat. Put orange rind into a bowl with egg yolks. Add sugar, cornstarch, salt, stir until it is completely blended; add Cointreau bit by bit. Keep stirring. Pour this slowly into hot milk. Use a rotary beater for uniform blending. When the eggs are fully blended with the milk, place back on low heat; keep stirring until the custard thickens. Remove from heat and pour into sherbet glasses. Chill in refrigerator. Peel peaches and slice them into a bowl. Add 2 additional tablespoons of sugar and 3 tablespoons of Cointreau; let stand in the refrigerator until you are ready to serve the custard. Top each glass with slices of royal peaches.
