When it comes to food, I am a fan. If you are not a fan, are you really living? How can you now appreciate the things which give you energy and keep you alive? Which is why at the Guide we love to celebrate food in all of its various forms and functions. Whether savory, sweet, or something in between, food nourishes, challenges, and energizes us to be the people we are. I love food. And so should you. Which is why we always take the time to celebrate some of our favorite dishes here at the Guide. And this upcoming month we have an amazing dish to tempt your tastebuds. It’s National Chocolate Custard Day, May 3rd.
Why We Love Chocolate Custard On National Chocolate Custard Day
I know when it comes to custards, you have a very specific thing in mind. But in truth, it’s really just a sweet sauce made of milk, eggs, and sugar. We may think of it as the thing which comes out of a donut. Or we can think of it in creme brûlée. This amazing sauce found it’s way into all kinds of dishes and desserts. Which makes it the perfect thing to celebrate this May.
As for myself, I would say my first experience tasting custard would have been in a cream-filled donut. The amazing sauce that proceeded forth from the center of a donut instantly caused my mouth to water. Both delicious and soothing I love custard because it’s one of my favorite fillings when it comes to a donut. (Then again, almost any filling in a donut or pastry I love. Except for bean curd. I don’t care how sweet it is. It doesn’t work.)
I wouldn’t happen upon my all-time favorite version of custard until years later. I had seen them make this dessert on television. But I didn’t know what to think of it. I saw them make this dish and then drizzle it with sugar and take a blow torch to the top of it. Of course, I’m talking about creme brûlée. The first time I tried it out I was talked into eating it by my great aunt who was always spoiling me and my family in every way possible. Every time we would go there she would pay for all our food and treat us to every place we would visit.
I remember getting this custard in a dish with the burnt sugar on top. And then I slowly pushed my spoon past the crust of the custard created by the sugar. I dipped it in and the pulled up a little scoop, slowly bringing it to my mouth to taste. I was still a youth and so I stuck out my tongue to taste the custard. It immediately delighted. And so I proceeded to empty the contents of the spoon into my mouth. I felt instant paradise. From the first spoonful, I knew I would have this dish again.
As for the chocolate custard, that didn’t come along until years later. I went to Wolfgang Puck’s restaurant at the Outlets in Orange. It’s no longer there anymore. But I remember going and checking out the dessert menu. They had three creme brûlée flavors to tempt the palate. I was so excited I could barely contain myself just getting through the meal. I wanted to have at the dessert. And so I did. The chocolate custard was the creamiest, most delicious brûlée I ever had. I devoured it in seconds flat.
As for my daughter, she hasn’t really taken to the custard yet. She likes her sweets a little less eggy. Although she does love the eclairs I make for her which have a chocolate cream filling she really enjoys. But if she’s anything like her father, she will like it someday. Oh, yes. She will like it someday.
As for the larger history behind the chocolate custard, it’s time for another foray into the great unknown. Scouring the treacherous depths of the deep web, or taking a journey through our WAYBACK time machine to the outer reaches of polite society, we trudge on to find only the history as we can tell it. Or make it up. One of the two. And so we delve once again to find out the history behind one of the most amazing foods on this grand food holiday. Welcome to the fake food history of chocolate custard.
Remembering The Fake Food History Of Chocolate Custard On National Chocolate Custard Day
Once upon a time, 2000 years ago, give or take two hundred years, those ancient Romans doing those ancient Roman things decided that it was time to cook up some different desserts for those wild party animal Cesars. Whether naked tabletop dancing or throwing people to the lions they really knew how to party. As with everything else, they treated food like a sport. They needed to have the best, or the cook would die. Think of it as Iron Chef, Roman style, only with a little trip to the lions if you lost.
In one corner of the Coliseum, Caesar Chef Giuseppe Crostata, relative of the inventor of the Taste and two time champion in the Caesar Chef Olympic Games. Which feels like an honor until you realize the last several losers became toothpicks in the lions dens. But at least he had his life intact, even if he knew his legs must look like drumsticks to those lions he had looked just before the competition.
In the other corner Caesar Chef competitor Crema Pasticciera, husband of Mela Bellezza the woman who he said goodbye to as they carted him off in chains to compete for the pleasure of retaining his life. He knew he did not want to say goodbye to her. But there are some higher callings in life. Like feeding Caesar. Because he’s Caesar. And he’ll burn you at the stake because he likes how good your burnt body smells.
Originally there had been 64 chefs out there. But now only two hadn’t been made into steak tartar for the lions afternoon snack. And this day with a bright blue sky and the lions who had been starved for the last week prior to this competition, these two adversaries found their competitive juices flowing. You could see the sweat they anxiously waved away from their face to keep it from falling into Caesar’s food. One droplet might be the difference between life and death.
The two were baking various dishes. Mr. Crostata was working on a cheese soufflé to rival the ages. Of course, they didn’t call it a soufflé back then. It went by a different moniker. And Mr. Pasticciera was working on a chocolate cream dish to go along with the delicious cakes he had there. They both were running frantically back and forth between the oven. Of course, what they had to cook with was a lot different than what they had today. But the two were quite adept in their expertise.
Unfortunately, something happened that neither of them could account for. The Caesars dog came bounding into the kitchen chasing after a mouse. It upended Mr. Pasticciera who tripped but tried to catch his balance. Unfortunately, the only thing to keep him from hitting the ground was Mr. Crostata and his mixing bowl he had just prepared by getting eggs into it. In flew the chocolate cream into the mixing bowl. It would have been a magnificent mess except for every last drop of the chocolate cream mixture made it into the eggs. The two stood there for a second. They had used up all the eggs and chocolate they had. And the cream was in short supply.
The two stared at each other for a moment ready to tackle each other and fight to the death. Because death was waiting for one of them anyway. But they thought about it for a second and decided to cook up this chocolate, cream and egg mixture and hope for the best.
When they stood before Caesar, disheveled and bloody from the beating they had been giving to one another not a few moments earlier. After seeing their disheveled look the Caesar was ready to have them both fed to the lions. But after a moment, he laughed heartily at the look of the two of them looking disheveled and beaten handing him but one dish. Something struck the Caesar extremely funny. Although, he was not one to take lightly to being served only one dish of food when he wanted two. And he definitely wanted two dishes.
But the Caesar laughed to himself that at least if he didn’t like the dish he could execute the both of them instead of just the one. And he always loved a good execution. Besides, the lions looked extra hungry when he took a look at them this morning. And these two chefs would make a tasty pair for his favorite beasts. So he eagerly took spoon in hand to try out this one dish and then to the lions with them.
As he pressed the spoon inside the custard he noticed how slowly it entered. He scooped up a healthy portion and then handed it to his servant for tasting. After all, a Caesar couldn’t be too safe. Once he didn’t drop dead, and the servant’s eyes rolled back into his head as if he had been a part of the orgy the Caesar had earlier, the Caesar ripped the spoon away from his servant. He stuck the spoon inside again and stuck out his tongue to dip it into the custard.
His body instantly transported himself to childhood and the sweets he would get from his father. He then greedily ate up the rest of the dish. Making sure he licked up every last bite. Then for one moment, he was going to give a thumbs down, leaving both of our chefs in peril. But he thought better fo it. If any pair could create such a magnificent dessert, they needed to find themselves a place in the kitchen. If only until the next year when Caesar Chef would happen once again.
Instead of the thumbs down, he then inquired about the dish itself. “What do you call this delicious delicacy?” he demanded.
The two beaten and broken pair of chefs, still thankful for their lives, turned to one another, and started whispering. Then they turned in unison and said, “Caesar’s Chocolate Custard.” And the name stuck. Except for the fact that eventually Caesar’s name would get dropped. Go figure.
Recipe For Chocolate Custard Celebrating National Chocolate Custard Day
So as you see, the Chocolate Custard came to us through the strangest of circumstances. Maybe. Regardless, we at the Guide wish to celebrate this delicious dessert on its national holiday in style. At this point, we usually point out great restaurants locally we serve the dish or a great recipe. As we have few places to access great custards at present, finding something you could make at home sounds like a better option.
With that in mind, welcome to one of our favorite Chocolate Custard Recipes. With a pinch of this, a little bit of that, and a whole lot of wonder, we love this delicious recipe for Chocolate Custard. Just the deliciously sugary goodness. It’s like a spoonful of delicious comfort in a sad time. And we could use every bit of happiness we can get.
Ingredients
1 Cup of Heavy Whipping Cream
5 oz of Dark Chocolate, 85% cocoa, broken into pieces
1/2 cup granulated sugar
4 large egg yolks
1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
1 Preheat the Oven to 300 degrees.
2 Fill a kettle with water and boil the water, turning off when water has boiled
3 On medium heat, bring the cream to a simmer.
4 Add the chocolate and then the sugar.
5 Whisk and melt completely until smooth.
6 Remove from heat
7 In a separate bowl, whisk eggs and vanilla.
8 Add in one teaspoon of the warm chocolate cream into egg yolks. Whisk vigorously.
9 Slowly add in the chocolate to the egg mixture whisking constantly.
10 Place six small ovenproof ramekins in a shallow baking dish.
11 Pour the custard mixture through a strainer into a measuring glass
12 Pour equal parts into the ramekins.
13 Put the still-hot water into the pan
14 Bake for 30 minutes then remove the ramekins from the pan and allow them to cool to room temperature.
15 Cover and refrigerate for at least one hour before serving.
Wrapping Up National Chocolate Custard Day, May 3rd
When it comes to desserts, nothing hits the spot quite like a chocolate custard. It’s creamy deliciousness in a little glass dish. For me, it’s about home, family, sweetness, and love. Which is why we love National Chocolate Custard Day. While not challenging or difficult as a dish (except the tempering part), there is something so wonderful in the simplicity of such a dish. And so we love and honor it on this day of days. Hopefully, you will enjoy the day, remember the crazy Caesar Chef duo (even if it is a completely made-up story), and get yourself a delicious dish of chocolate custard. Because you know you want to.
What did you enjoy most about the history of the dish? What is your favorite memory of chocolate custard? Was it as a brûlée or some other specialty? And what is your favorite dessert or comfort food?
If you liked this post, click the like button and leave us a note in the comments. Then share with some of your foodie loving friends. Finally follow us here at the Guide to get the latest and greatest of all food, parenting, fitness, satire, and lifestyle blogs. I hope you and yours are having a wonderful day and enjoy the amazing Chocolate Custard on May 3rd.
Until next time, this is me signing off.
David Elliott, The Single Dad’s Guide to Life
