Custards and puddings containing milk and eggs must not be held at temperatures between 40F to 140F for more than 4 cumulative hours. These desserts are extremely susceptible to rapid bacteria growth that causes food poisoning. Keep them chilled until they are served.

CREAM PUDDINGS.- Cream puddings may be prepared from the basic recipes or from instant dessert powder pudding mixes.  Ready-to-serve pudding in chocolate and vanilla flavors is also available. Those products may be spooned into serving dishes or used as pie fillings in baked piecrust shells or graham cracker or cookie crusts. For information on puddings, see the section on cream pie fillings. Sliced bananas, orange sections, crushed pineapple, or coconut may be added for variations.

TAPIOCA PUDDING.- Tapioca pudding is similar to cream pudding except tapioca is used as the thickening agent instead of cornstarch. Tapioca pudding should not be heated to a boiling temperature. High heat causes the pudding to be thin and runny. Follow the AFRS directions. Garnishes, toppings, and sauces should be chosen to complement the flavor and color of the custard or pudding.

BAKED CUSTARD.- Baked custard contains milk, sugar, eggs, flavoring, and salt. It is baked until the custard is firm. The custard is done if a knife slipped into the center is clean when removed. The custard should be refrigerated until it is served.

BREAD PUDDING.- Bread puddings are economical to serve since they allow leftover bread to be used. Because of the custard base, these puddings must be kept thoroughly chilled. Chocolate chips or coconut may be added instead of raisins.

RICE PUDDING.- The AFRS includes recipes for both baked and creamy rice puddings. Creamy rice pudding is prepared in a similar manner as cream pudding.  The rice should be cooked before it is combined with the other custard ingredients. Coconut or crushed drained pineapple and chopped maraschino cherries may be substituted for raisins. Since it is a custard, rice pudding must be continuously refrigerated.

CAKE PUDDINGS.- Some cake puddings separate while baking into a layer of cake over a layer of pudding (such as chocolate cake pudding). Other types of cake puddings differ in that fruit is mixed with or placed over a cake batter before baking. Fruit cocktail pudding is an example

Cream Puffs and Eclairs

Cream puffs are round pastries that expand while baking, becoming hollow in the center. Eclairs have the same ingredients but are oblong rather than round. Cream puffs and eclairs are made by first stirring general-purpose flour into a melted butter and boiling water mixture, then cooling the mixture slightly. Unbeaten eggs are added to the mixture a few at a time and the mixture is beaten until it is stiff and shiny. Cream puffs and eclairs should be baked immediately. During the last few minutes of baking, the oven door should be opened. This will prevent them from becoming soggy and falling when removed from the oven. Cream puffs and eclairs are filled with chilled pudding, whipped cream, or ice cream. Powdered sugar may be sprinkled on top or they may be served with chocolate sauce. Cream puffs and eclairs may also be filled with tuna, shrimp, or salmon salad mixtures, or chicken a la king.

Ice Creams

Ice cream and sherbet are popular desserts. The kinds that are used in the GM are commercially prepared ice cream and sherbet and galley-prepared soft-serve ice cream and milk shakes.

COMMERCIALLY PREPARED ICE CREAM AND SHERBET.- Ice cream and sherbet are available commercially in various container sizes-bulk, slices, and individual cups.  Ice-cream novelties that may be procured include ice-cream bars, cones, sandwiches, and fruit-flavored ices on a stick.

SOFT-SERVE ICE CREAM AND MILK SHAKES.- Galley-prepared ice-cream mixes greatly simplify making soft-serve ice cream and milk shakes. The kinds available are dehydrated ice milk-milk shake mix, fresh liquid ice milk mix, and fresh liquid milk shake mix.

Dehydrated Ice Milk-Milk Shake Mix.Soft-serve ice cream and milk shakes, chocolate and vanilla flavors, may be made from dehydrated ice milk-milk shake mix. The mixes are combined with 40F to 60F water using a wire whip. Once reconstituted, they are very perishable. Keep refrigerated until ready to use. The mixture should not contain any lumps because they will clog the freezer. After mixing, chill the mixture to 35F to 40F and pour it into the freezer. Do not add a warm mixture to the freezer. Start the dasher motor and then the refrigeration. Freeze the ice cream to 18F to 22F or until it is stiff when it is drawn off.

When preparing milk shakes, the method of preparation is the same; however, the milk shake is frozen to 27F to 30F.

Fresh Liquid Ice Milk Mix.- Soft-serve ice cream may be prepared from fresh liquid ice milk mix that is available from local dairy contracts. The mix is available in chocolate, vanilla, and fruit flavors. Fresh liquid ice milk mix is ready to use. No water is required. Fresh Liquid Milk Shake Mix.-Milk shakes in chocolate and vanilla flavors may be prepared from fresh liquid milk shake mix. This mix is intended for use in milk shake mix machines, but may be prepared in a soft-serve ice-cream machine if the other is not available. A slightly slushier product will be made.

Both of the fresh, liquid mixes are perishable and should be kept chilled at all times.

For cleaning soft-serve and milk shake machines, check the manufacturer's instructions.

Yogurt

Plain and fruit-flavored yogurts are available. A vanilla or fruit-flavored yogurt mix for use with the soft-serve ice-cream machine is also available. See AFRS card for preparation instructions.

SAUCES

Some fruit sauces served with desserts such as cake, puddings, and ice cream are thickened with cornstarch or pregelatinized starch. Prepared pie fillings that are thinned with water can be used to make quick and easy fruit sauce toppings for ice cream.

Galley-prepared caramel sauce does not contain cornstarch or other thickeners. It is thickened by cooking the sauce until it reaches the soft ball stage (235F). Chocolate sauce is prepared by combining milk with a cooked paste made of sugar, cocoa, salt, and water and then cooked. Butter and flavoring are then added. These sauces may be served over ice cream or plain cake cut into serving portions.

Vanilla sauce is served with cakes, puddings, and pastry dumplings. Cornstarch or pregelatinized starch is used for thickening.  When cornstarch is used, the sauces should be cooked to thicken and to eliminate the raw starch taste.

Cherry jubilee sauce, a sauce prepared from dark sweet, pitted cherries, cornstarch, sugar imitation brandy flavoring, and water, may be prepared to serve warm over vanilla ice cream or for serving cold over vanilla pudding or plain, unfrosted yellow or white cakes.

A variety of flavorings such as imitation wild cherry, black walnut, brandy, rum, almond, orange, lemon, and banana are available for use in dessert toppings and sauces. They may be substituted for vanilla flavoring in vanilla sauce and used as specified in other recipes.