Turn to custard in a good way

This creamy sauce is the ultimate winter pick-me-up for many desserts.

Rhubarb and custard self-saucing pudding

This buttery vanilla sponge blanketing a layer of tart rhubarb set in a pool of custard is sure to become a favourite winter pudding.

Recipe and food styling: Julie Le Clerc Photo: Manja Wachsmuth

■ 350g bunch rhubarb, trimmed and cut into 2cm lengths

■ 2 tbsp caster sugar

■ 1 2⁄3 cups plain flour

■ 3 tsp baking powder

■ 3 large eggs

■ 1 tsp vanilla extract

■ 1⁄2 cup caster sugar

■ 150ml milk

■ 75g butter, melted and cooled

Custard

■ 3 tbsp custard powder

■ 1⁄2 cup caster sugar

■ 300ml milk

■ 25g butter

Heat the oven to 180C. Butter a shallow, 2-litre baking dish. Scatter the rhubarb evenly over the base of the dish, and sprinkle with the 2 tablespoons of caster sugar. Sift the flour and baking powder together.

Using an electric beater, beat the eggs with the vanilla and 1⁄2 cup of caster sugar until thick and pale.

Fold in the sifted ingredients in 2 batches alternating with the milk, then fold in the cooled butter. Pour the sponge batter evenly over the rhubarb.

To make the custard, sift the custard powder and caster sugar together before sprinkling evenly over the sponge batter.

In a pot, heat the milk and butter until the butter melts. Slowly pour the hot liquid over the back of a tablespoon onto the pudding (the spoon helps stop the liquid falling too heavily and damaging the sponge).

Bake for 35-40 minutes or until the batter is just set (do not overcook or the custard will dry out). Serve immediately.

Gingerbread and butter pudding with pears and rum custard

This pudding is the ultimate in winter comfort food – sweet, soft and fragrant with a creamy, rummy custard.

Recipe/food styling: Bernadette Hogg Photo: Manya Wachsmuth

■ 2 tbsp butter, softened

■ 1⁄2 cup prunes, halved

■ 3 tbsp rum

Rum custard

■ 300ml full-cream milk

■ 1⁄2 cup caster sugar

■ 4 egg yolks

■ 2 tbsp rum

Grease a 5-cup terrine or loaf pan with some of the butter. Soak the prunes in the rum for at least 10 minutes. Slice each pear quarter lengthways into about 3 pieces.

Butter 1 side of each gingerbread slice.

Drain the prunes and reserve any liquid.

Place a layer of pears in the loaf pan, scatter over some of the prunes and top with a layer of gingerbread, overlapping slightly and butter side down.

Layer over half the remaining pears and prunes, top with another layer of gingerbread then repeat, finishing with gingerbread.

Whisk together the eggs and caster sugar. Heat the milk to almost boiling, then slowly add to the egg mixture, whisking constantly.

Add the cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla and reserved rum, whisking to combine.

Pour this mixture carefully over the gingerbread, giving it time to soak in. Stand for 30 minutes.

Heat oven to 180C, and bake the pudding for 35-40 minutes until golden and firm to touch. Serve warm, or at room temperature, with the rum custard.

To make the rum custard, place the milk and half the sugar in a pot and heat until almost boiling.

Whisk the remaining sugar with the egg yolks until well-combined. Pour the hot milk over, whisking continuously.

Return to the pot and stir over low heat until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a wooden spoon (do not let it boil). Remove from the heat and add rum. Serve hot.