Honey Egg Custard

Ingredients

• ½ C almonds
• 600 ml milk
• 2 - 3 tbsp delicate-flavoured honey
• ¼ - ½ tsp vanilla essence
• 2 tsp grated orange zest (optional)
• ½ banana (optional)
• pinch of cinnamon (optional)
• 3 eggs

Method

Preheat the oven to 180°C.

Prepare a deep-sided baking dish or roasting pan by putting six ramekins (or coffee cups) into it and pouring boiling water in the dish just until they start to float.

Roast the almonds and grind them in a blender or food processor until they are a coarse-meal texture.

Add the milk, honey, vanilla essence and any other flavourings and blend again for a short time.

Add the eggs and blend for a while longer.

Pour the mixture into the ramekins/cups, filling each about ¾ full.

Pour more hot water into the baking dish (now that the ramekins/cups have the mix in them they won't float).

Cook for about 40 - 45 minutes.

Sometimes the mixture will swell up and split the crust; sometimes it doesn't rise much at all. The custards are done when a knife inserted into them comes out clean. When you take them from the oven, they will often fall in the middle - no problem.

Serve hot or cold, with cream or fruit.