Almond Cream Pudding

Name: Almond Cream Pudding
Ingredients: 4 cups Whole milk (Originally '1 seer'. Converted to approx 4 cups.); 1 cup Almonds (Originally '12.5 tolas'. Converted to approx 145g/1 cup. Use blanched almonds.); 1/2 cup Granulated sugar (Originally '0.25 ratal' (pound). Converted to 4 oz/approx 1/2 cup.); 1 teaspoon Almond extract (Originally '2.5 tolas bitter almonds'. Substituted with extract for safety as bitter almonds can be toxic.); 1 tablespoon Cornstarch (Originally '1 heaping small spoon Brown & Polson's Cornflour'. Adjusted slightly for thickening.); 3 yolks Egg yolks; 1 teaspoon Vanilla extract (To taste); 3 whites Egg whites (Reserved from the eggs used.); 2 cups Water or Milk (For poaching the egg whites (quantity estimated).)

This luxurious Parsi dessert, known as Cream Almond, transforms simple ingredients into a rich, velvety custard infused with the delicate flavor of ground almonds. Fresh milk is thickened with egg yolks and cornflour, sweetened to perfection, and finished with aromatic vanilla and almond essence. Served in individual glasses and crowned with light, poached meringue clouds, it offers a delightful contrast of creamy and airy textures.

Ingredients

4 cups Whole milk (Originally '1 seer'. Converted to approx 4 cups.)
1 cup Almonds (Originally '12.5 tolas'. Converted to approx 145g/1 cup. Use blanched almonds.)
1/2 cup Granulated sugar (Originally '0.25 ratal' (pound). Converted to 4 oz/approx 1/2 cup.)
1 teaspoon Almond extract (Originally '2.5 tolas bitter almonds'. Substituted with extract for safety as bitter almonds can be toxic.)
1 tablespoon Cornstarch (Originally '1 heaping small spoon Brown & Polson's Cornflour'. Adjusted slightly for thickening.)
3 yolks Egg yolks
1 teaspoon Vanilla extract (To taste)
3 whites Egg whites (Reserved from the eggs used.)
2 cups Water or Milk (For poaching the egg whites (quantity estimated).)

Instructions

1Blanch and peel the almonds. Wash them thoroughly and grind them into a very fine paste. If using whole bitter almonds (not recommended), process them here; otherwise, have the almond extract ready.
2In a saucer or small bowl, beat the egg yolks thoroughly with a fork until they are thin and well-combined.
3In a heavy-bottomed saucepan (originally a tinned pot), dissolve the cornstarch in a small amount of the cold milk to ensure there are no lumps. Add the remaining milk, the prepared almond paste, sugar, and the beaten egg yolks. Place over low heat (originally charcoal embers) and cook, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens to a custard consistency. Do not let it boil vigorously.
4Once thickened, remove the pan from the heat. Stir in the vanilla extract and almond extract (if using extract instead of bitter almonds). Pour the hot custard into serving glasses or cups.
5Whip the egg whites until stiff peaks form. Bring a shallow pan of water or milk to a gentle simmer. Scoop spoonfuls of the whipped egg whites and gently poach them in the simmering liquid for about 2 minutes, turning once, until set (this replaces the 'steamed whites' reference). Remove with a slotted spoon, drain briefly, and place a poached meringue cloud on top of each glass of custard.