Agar Agar in Vanilla Custard

In the middle of the week, 2 weeks ago we went to a place where they exhibited arrays of children play experience. It wasn’t kind of toy that you normally find in the toy stores. It’s something to promote children to value their identity through play as well as to provide them with the experience to explore other materials of toy. Basically it was a sort of plastic-less, most of the toys they showed were made from nature ; such as wood, wool, stone, leather, tin, fabric, and plants. Giving children nature toys seems to be a great way of teaching them about environment and nature as well as promoting another culture outside of their own culture.

From all of their displays my most favourite was a tent that was built with wood and a piece of large thick fabric in swag style. In the front of it there was a tyre filled with stuff and on top of it was an old large tin, ready to help children to expand their imagination of campfire and how they become a swagman. Ahh.. it reminds me of the tent that I made for my daughters during last winter break, it was made from bamboo and thin white fabric, all corners were tied up with sisal. This tent was able to draw them from their computer. It wasn’t a game they played on the computer, they do like exploring an easy photo’s program and explore any graphics that suits their design. However it isn’t a healthy choice for them to stay in front of the computer for long time.

Meanwhile in the kitchen, for the iftar, I prepared this agar agar dessert for my family. Agar agar is substitute of gelatine, derived from red seaweed, it has firmer texture compare to jelly which made from gelatine and set pretty much quick in a room temperature. Best choice for those who are vegetarian or halal concern.  The one that I used in this recipe came in the yellow packet of Swallow Globe brand, it is easily found in Asian grocery store.  

I found a packet of pistachio pudding in my pantry, this one I bought from Turkish shop, I mix with this agar to get it hard and serve together with the custard. It was sort of gave extra flavour to this dessert. Hubby and my lil one love it while my first daughter picked the green cube like sorting out unwanted peas in the soup.

Agar Agar in Vanilla Custard
Ingredient:
1 large can of Del Monte Fruit Cocktail
Diced of cooked agar agar *find ingredient and method below
1 packet of "Turkish style pistachio pudding mix"  (optional) mix with 1 packet of Agar and cook according to direction, and set to cool in a tin, cut in cubes
1 batch of vanilla custard
serve in diced agar agar in the serving cup or bowl, topped with fruit cocktail. including the juice and pour the custard.


Agar Agar
1 packet of agar-agar
200 gr sugar
400 ml water
food coloring
pour in small pan agar-agar powder, sugar, water mix them well and bring to boil.
Once it boil keep stirring and turn the stove off, pour into the tin, let it cool to set.


Vanilla Custard
(Source : Morning Song)

500 ml light milk
100 ml sweet condense milk
100 ml sugar
2 tbs corn starch
1 tsp vanilla extract/ vanilla paste
a pinch of salt
2 egg yolk whisk lightly

Mix in the medium pan  milk, sweet condense milk, sugar and cornstarch bring to a boil in a heavy saucepan over medium heat, whisking contantly; boil, whisking constantly or until thickened.
Turn off from heat. Let the pan stay on top of stove,stir in egg yolk and vanilla. Whisk well and chill for 2 hours.