Fruit Custard

Ingredients

• Mixed fruits – 3 cups (chopped)
• Sugar - 1/4 cup
• Milk - 500 ml (about 2.5 cups)
• Cold Milk – ¼ cup
• Vanilla flavored Custard powder - 2 tbsp

Method

1. I have used vanilla flavored custard powder which blends very well with any fruits added. You can use other flavors too.
2. Take about 2 tbsp of custard powder in a bowl. If you prefer your custard thick, take an additional ½ tbsp. of custard powder.
3. Add about ¼ cup of cool milk to this. It is important to mix the custard powder with cool milk otherwise it will form lumps.
4. Mix it with a spoon until it forms a smooth slurry. It will easily get dissolved with the milk.
5. Take milk in a sauce pan and heat it. When the milk begins to boil, add the sugar and simmer for couple of minutes until it dissolves
6. Reduce the heat and slowly add the custard mixed milk. Keep stirring continuously so that lumps are not formed.
7. Cook on low heat with constant stirring for about 3-5 minutes. Within 5 minutes, the raw smell of corn starch will disappear and you will get a nice vanilla flavor. You will also see that the milk thickens to form the custard. 
8. Switch off and let it cool down.  The custard thickens little more as it cools. To avoid a thick film from forming on top of the custard, mix the custard once in a while. 
9. In the meantime you can prepare and chop the fruits. It is a great dessert wherein you can include all your favorite fruits and skip the ones you do not like.
10. All the fruits that tends to change color like apple, pear or banana, it needs to be kept in some water until you are ready to mix with the custard. Also it is better to avoid fruits like watermelon that would make the custard watery.
11. You can mix the fruits with the custard and chill it until ready to serve. Alternatively, you can refrigerate chopped fruits and custard separately.
12. When serving, take chopped fruits in individual serving bowls and pour enough custard on top. Either way, the dessert tastes best when served chilled.