Coconut Milk Custard

This creamy sweet but healthy dish is one you'll make over and over. The main ingredients are dates, eggs, and coconut so you'll be getting a high protein, high healthy fat, low carb but sweet treat that has benefits. 

Fiber-rich dates, heart-healthy coconuts, and high protein eggs will round out this treat with benefits ranging from balancing blood sugar to brain-boosting and maintaining bone mass. Be sure to add this to your "go-to" dessert list!

Serves 6-8

Cook and Prep time: 1 hour soaking dates, 20 minutes prep + 1-2 hours cooling in fridge

Ingredients:

• 4–5 dates, pitted
• 1 - 3.5 oz. can full fat cocont milk
• 5 eggs
• 2 tsp. alcohol-free vanilla
• 1 dropperful liquid stevia (optional)
• sprinkle nutmeg
• 1/4 tsp. sea salt
• 1/2 tsp.orange zest
• coconut oil for greasing custard cups
• 2 tbs. arrowroot flour (optional thickener for quick version)
• 1/8 cup water

Directions

OLD FASHIONED BAKED CUSTARD

1. Soak dates in coconut milk an hour (or overnight) until soft.

2. Blend soaked dates and coconut milk in blender until smooth.

3. Preheat oven to 350° F.

4. Separate egg yolks from whites. Whisk yolks and set whites aside.

5. In sauce pan over medium heat, add blended coconut milk. Stir in vanilla and stevia.

6. When coconut milk starts steaming (not bubbling), slowly transfer an eighth cup hot milk to egg yolks, whisking constantly.

7. Slowly add remaining hot coconut milk to egg yolks, bringing mixture up to temperature gradually.

8. Stir in nutmeg, salt, and orange zest. Set aside.

9. Beat egg whites until stiff and fold into coconut milk mixture.

10. Place 4 lightly greased (with coconut oil) 6-ounce custard cups in baking pan (make sure cups are not touching each other or sides of pan). Pour egg mixture into cups, dividing evenly. Sprinkle with extra nutmeg if desired.

11. Place pan on rack in center of oven; pour scalding water into pan (hot-water bath), leaving a half-inch at top of cups.

12. Bake until custard is set, about 30 minutes; center will still be soft.

13. Remove cups from water bath at once; cool on wire rack 5–10 minutes. Serve warm or refrigerate until cold.

QUICK CUSTARD DIRECTIONS

1. Soak dates and soak in coconut milk an hour (or overnight) until soft.

2. Blend soaked dates and coconut milk in blender until smooth.

3. In sauepan over medium heat, add blended coconut milk.

4. Separate egg yolks from whites. Whisk egg yolks and set whites aside.

5. In sauce pan over medium heat, add blended coconut milk.

6. Stir vanilla and stevia into egg yolks.

7. When coconut milk starts steaming (not bubbling), slowly transfer an eighth cup hot milk to egg yolks, whisking constantly.

8. Whisk egg yolk mixture into saucepan with remaining coconut milk, bringing up to temperature gradually.

9. Stir in nutmeg, salt, and orange zest. Set aside.

10. Dissolve arrowroot flour in water

11. Stirring constantly, add arrowroot slurry to coconut mixture and increase temperature to medium-high. Continue stirring rapidly and bring to boil.

12. When coconut milk starts bubbling, continue stirring rapidly 2–3 minutes and remove from heat, allowing to cool a little before adding egg whites.

13. Beat egg whites until stiff and fold into cooled coconut milk mixture.

14. Refrigerate to cool.

15. Serve as pudding, over fresh fruit salad, on baked apples, or on top of coconut flour pancakes.