Custard a happy ending to tale of woe.

granca

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Aug 20, 2007
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My Brown & Poulsons custard powder ran out and my Birds lost its colour and its flavour. What to do ? We were faced with a glut of bananas/guineos as three banana trees all decided to bear their ripe fruit at the same time!
Then I discovered Maizena Duryea. The first time I used it it was good but the second time terrific, you'd have had a job telling it from proper custard, my Mum would have been proud of me. Our 3 year old daughter had to be stopped from asking for more and my Dominican wife on her second bowl full said she'd never heard of Banana Custard and didn't understand why she'd never heard of any Dominicans making or eating it. Easy to make; just follow the directions on the package but increase the amount of Maizena Durea by 50%. Unlike custard you don't have to add sugar, being a Dominican product it already had sugar in it. ( Why on earth do they put sugar in bread?). After its cooked wait over 5 minutes to put the sliced banana in. Result perfect Banana Custard.
Whilst speaking of bananas, why do Dominicans believe that eating bananas increases your amount of phelm when you have a cold ?
 

Adrian Bye

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Jul 7, 2002
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so you're saying Maizena Duryea out of the box is english style custard, just with more quantities of powder? what if we leave out the banana?
 

Chirimoya

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Dec 9, 2002
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It's a reasonable substitute - I've used it for making tropical rum trifle.
 

granca

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Aug 20, 2007
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Well Adrian Bye I haven't tried it with anything else but bananas yet but I shall try it with trifle the next time my wife bakes a cake. If I get myself organised for a spotted dick I'll try it with that. I've still got some Atora in the freezer. anybody know a Dominican equivalent for Atora suet?
 

whirleybird

Silver
Feb 27, 2006
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I have some fresh Atora suet in the fridge (courtesy of Matilda's mum) but have not found an equivalent here to buy in the DR...
 

Sunny44

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Jul 24, 2002
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Too funny...........

I believe you are all speaking Engish but have NO idea what you are talking about! LOL
Are you all from the other side of the pond? : )
Sunny
 

Lambada

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Mar 4, 2004
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www.ginniebedggood.com
anybody know a Dominican equivalent for Atora suet?

I don't think there is one. Years ago when new I went through all the hunting & an experienced US expat told me about Crisco. It might be the same to them but I can tell you to us it is not remotely similar :cheeky:. I too keep enough for Xmas puds, mincemeat etc or ask a visitor to bring out for me.
 

Chirimoya

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Dec 9, 2002
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That's what we say when we see all the threads about things like the superbowl, ice hockey, grits...
 

Bronxboy

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Jul 11, 2007
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Then I discovered Maizena Duryea.

My mother used to make a creamy hot breakfast dish using Maizena (corn starch) when I was young. To this day, she still offers to make when I go visit and I am from PR.
 

Chirimoya

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Dec 9, 2002
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My tropical rum trifle is completely improvised, so I wouldn't describe it as a recipe, but here goes:

Bottom layer - langue de chat biscuits (that's what we call cookies) drenched in Brugal (that's what Dominicans call sherry). :D
Middle layer of mixed tropical fruit in jelly (that's what we call "jello").
Top with custard with a cinnamon dusting. In the absence of Birds Eye brand custard powder, the local Maizena will do.

Unlike some other hard-to-find British delicacies I could mention, there's always a home-made option when it comes to custard and I'm sure it tastes better than instant Maizena.
BBC - Food - Recipes: Homemade custard
 
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May 29, 2006
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I wonder if you can get tapioca starch in the DR. It would be fecula de yucca in Spanish. I know you can get corn starch there and I've made pudding with it. It was in small boxes in the baking section. A custard would technically have eggs in it but with some checking it looks like the British stuff is also egg free. I thought you could buy Jello Pudding there in a cooked mix as well and you can usually buy it in choc, vanilla and other flavors. Rice pudding is easy enough to make as welll...
 

granca

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Yes, Tapioca is sold with the brand name Tipiak- Tapioca Express, at least it is in SuperMercado Lindo here in LT. Very good too. I agree, Rice Pudding is easy to make. Home made custard does have eggs in it but I've never succeeded in making it.

Maybe Moderators we should have a permanent thread for cooking problems and recipes!?.
 

Chirimoya

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Dec 9, 2002
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Well, there's already a Dominican Cooking forum and your participation there would be welcomed:
Dominican Cooking - Powered by vBulletin

We can also discuss cooking, recipes and food here in the dr1 Living forum, as long as it's reasonably DR-related, like this one, about local alternatives and creative solutions for difficult-to-find ingredients. Not sure if a single thread would work from the continuity point of view so let's just start threads for each food-related topic.
 
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May 29, 2006
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For a custard, start with three egg yolks, 1/2c sugar and 1 tsp vanilla. Whisk for about one minute in a metal bowl. Bring a few cups of water to a simmer(not boil) on a stove and remove completely from the heat. Put the egg mix on the pot as a double boiler and whisk for about three minutes. Repeat process until it thickens-- do not rush-- the eggs only need to reach a temp of 160F. Add two cups milk with 1 tsp corn starch dissolved in it into the egg mix and stir. Transfer to the pot and bring to a simmer on low heat or cook using a double boiler until it starts to thicken. Cool in the fridge covered until it sets.