Microwave, gluten-free orange custard with flambé berries

There is always a point in the winter when I can’t eat one more apple. When I go to the market I longingly look at those petrified mangoes dreaming of their sexy flavor. Just for once, I tell them, could you please have some  flavor? Is there any hope in those half-white strawberries? No hope. I don’t even look at the plastic plums. It’s February for heaven’s sake. Plums will be in season in September here. Where are you coming from, little Frankesteins?  I really cannot bring myself to do it. Buy the out of season monsters. No, I don’t.

The Mind is strong however, but the Body is weak. The Body screams: PEACH! CHERRY! LOQUAT! FIGS!

So I walk to the refrigerators, pick up a bag of frozen berries, telling myself that they are good for you with all the antioxidants. Once home and I whip up a simple custard which I make it in the microwave in two minutes. Then I can have summer. Just for dessert.

Recipe

For  the custard:

• 1 egg yolk
• 1 tablespoon corn starch
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 250 ml (1 cup) milk, cream or a mixture of the two
• zest of 1/2 organic un-waxed orange or lemon

Directions

Using a tall glass container, heat the milk and the orange zest in the microwave until hot to the touch, about 2 min.

Using electric whisks, in a different tall container, whisk egg yolk, sugar and starch until smooth. Remove the orange zest from the milk.

While whisking the yolk, add the hot milk, first one tablespoon at the time until smooth and then all the rest. Transfer the mixture into the microwave and heat for one minute.

Quickly stir, then microwave for one more minute or until the mixture is almost at boiling point. Whisk again. At this point the custard should be thick and smooth. Set aside to cool and refrigerate if needed

For the flambe berries:

• 2 cups whole frozen red berries.
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 3 tablespoons orange liqueur or limoncello
• 1 teaspoon butter
• juice of half a lemon or orange

To flambé, use a heavy bottomed non-reactive pan which you need to make very hot before adding the berries to it. Stainless steel  or copper are best, don’t use cast iron or non stick.
As soon as the pan is hot add the butter.  When it starts sizzling, add berries, lemon juice and sugar. The frozen berries will defrost instantly without loosing their shape. Cook briefly on hight heat to to glaze them with sugar. Add liqueur from a small glass. The mixture will flambé.

If it doesn’t, your pan was not hot enough. In this case reduce the liqueur until syrupy, one more minute.

Turn off the heat as soon as the flames subside and serve on the cold custard.

You can also use the custard as a light sauce to accompany other desserts or fruit.

Serves 2-3