We used to have this at school in the 90s. I think they also did a green custard that had a hint of mint in it. The king of all school dinner treats was the syrup sponge and custard. I think thy added breadcrums and syrup together to make a nice thick syrup layer on the bottom.
This was the reason for going to school as a little kid lol. My hubby has been asking for it and I remember it being the only time I was excited waiting in line in the cafeteria. Wondered how the custard would work! So happy I found this video.🥰 Thank you.
This school food certainly is an improvement over cornflake tarts, for my tastes, anyway. Thanks for the new video and Happy New Year. Keep the oven hot and the goodies coming.
Hi Geoff. I have just made this and it did take me back about 45 years! I think it does need more cocoa powder as the chocolate flavour is very mild. Thanks for the trip back in time.
Hi Miles, I am glad it turned out well for you. Yes, more cocoa powder would suit some people who prefer a stronger flavour and it shouldn't really affect the bake too much.
I'm a school dinner lady I was serving cake with custard but it was normal custard I was saying to my colleagues the custard should be pink. We was saying about green custard which I don't remember.
I made the choc cake and mint custard last night, turned out nice, the cake was a microwave version as I didn't have a cake tin, I'm getting some more bits and trying your cake and pink custard later :)
Hi Geoff ..this looks so good ...memories of my school pudding ..but we went one further on top of the chocolate sponge was a chocolate icing so the sponge would be cold with the hot custard quite strange but delious trio... happy new year to you xxx♡♡♡
Geoff Cooper ...perhaps the sponge being made in sheet pans so it was much thinner made up for it being iced @it was on the menu as" Buffalo sponge" the name always made me laugh even as a child ....i will ice your recipe only because of nostalgia you understand ☆☆☆..then i will close my eyes ☆eat @be 7yrs old again
Aw Geoff, got a bit choked up at the memories. Especially being so far away now, it took me back to my lovely England and that wonderful time of life. We are of a similar vintage so you might remember the big plop of mock cream they added on top of anything that didn't have custard. I thought it delicious and have looked far and wide for the recipe ever since, to no avail. Do you perhaps remember that mock cream and have any thoughts on the ingredients? To this day, I still serve a teaspoonful of raspberry jam in rice pudding ;) Mo.
Hi Mo, it is good to remember. You brought back memories of that artificial cream they used to serve at school. I am not sure how they made it but in a quick search I came across what someone says is the recipe. I am not entirely convinced, but it may be something similar. They called it Shaving Foam Cream. RECIPE FOR SHAVING FOAM CREAM 1 PINT WATER 21/2 OZ DRIED MILK POWDER 1OZ CORNFLOUR 2OZ CASTER SUGAR VANILLA EXTRACT TO TASTE MIX MILK POWDER WITH CORNFLOUR AND A LITTLE WATER TO MAKE A PASTE. TOP UP WITH REMAINING WATER. PUT IN SAUCEPAN AND HEAT UNTIL IT IS LIKE A THICK CUSTARD. TAKE OFF HEAT AND TRANSFER TO LARGE BOWL. LEAVE TO GO COLD WHISK WITH AN ELECTRIC WHISK UNTIL DOUBLE IN SIZE AND A FOAMY TEXTURE. ADD THE SUGAR AND VANILLA AND CONTINUE WHISKING.
@@geoffsbakingblog Oh my goodness, I don't believe it! You found it so easily! I'll make this recipe tomorrow and let you know. Big hug for you, Geoff, you clever fellow!! Aha!
@@geoffsbakingblog Apologies for not replying sooner, Geoff. Circumstances arose which meant I didn't make the foam until just yesterday. I think it is the right recipe, even while the texture (too light) and taste were not quite as I remember. I put it down to my efforts rather than the recipe itself. It tasted more like whisked white sauce (which it basically is) rather than the foam of old. I can't tell if its too sweet or not sweet enough, and not sure if the vanilla is right. I'm going to have another go at it, but wanted to let you know the latest. Take care :)
HI Knappa22. That might work well though it most certainly was not used for school dinners when I was attending. Angel Delight was introduced in 1967, but which time school lived only in my memory. I used blancmange powder, which is more likely to be what was used in schools since blancmange was a common dessert in the 1950s and 1960s.
@@geoffsbakingblog Interesting. It may well have been replaced by Angel Delight by the 1980s and1990s then, when I was in primary school. By then we would occasionally have Angel Delight as a cold dessert or we would have it as pink custard, not with chocolate cake but with normal sponge topped with basic glace icing. I know this because my aunt was our school cook and told me years later how she made our food. Pink custard was achieved by adding more milk to the Angel Delight powder than what was required for making the cold dessert. That's why it was runnier and a lighter colour. It was also hot and not set of course. Happy memories!
My father remembers having and enjoying mint custard with his chocolate cake. Could I use the Vanilla blancmange satchet and add in mint extract and green food dye or would the vanilla be too overpowering for the mint flavouring?
@@BlueEyesWhiteGuy89 They can be tricky to find. Usually they come in packs of four different flavours, at least in my local shops, by Pearce & Duff. If not you can use custard powder and colour that, but I don't know quite how the colour will turn out.
@@geoffsbakingblog Update: Thanks for the advice, I went with colouring and flavouring Asda Instant custard. Teaspoon of green colouring and peppermint flavouring did the job. Father was most pleased - even if the custard tasted more of a mint aero bar 😅, but mint is mint and closest I’m going to get to school canteen mint custard. 😀
Thank you for your delicious Chocolate cake I have made it and it was well easy to make also devine again thanks also please could you make Manchester Tart and I hope that you will post it please 😉
HI Michael, that's good. I am glad it turned out well. I have often thought about doing a Manchester Tart, but haven't got around to it yet. I will try to do it soon, but it may be after Christmas.
HI Jackass, Happy New Year to you too. I will look at low fat desserts. I have started my diet today, but that is more about eating fewer calories overall rather than low fat. By limiting myself to 400 calories for each of breakfast, lunch and dinner it leaves room for some sweet treat too. At least that is the theory and has worked in the past, if a little slowly.
Hi Rain, if you want to leave out the cocoa powder you should replace it with the same amount of extra flour, since cocoa powder contains starch and affects how the cake bakes.
Hi Sabiha, I think using chocolate would be ok, but maybe you should melt it first, and maybe about 75 grams. Also it will make the batter wetter, so you will have to bake for longer too.
I am not an expert on the flavour, being unable to remember back over 50 years to when I would have had it. But this website appears to say blancmange powder, either strawberry or raspberry: www.littlestuff.co.uk/school-dinners-recipes-pink-custard/
We used to have this at school in the 90s. I think they also did a green custard that had a hint of mint in it. The king of all school dinner treats was the syrup sponge and custard. I think thy added breadcrums and syrup together to make a nice thick syrup layer on the bottom.
Hi Noire. I don't think I ever had green custard.
This was the reason for going to school as a little kid lol. My hubby has been asking for it and I remember it being the only time I was excited waiting in line in the cafeteria. Wondered how the custard would work! So happy I found this video.🥰 Thank you.
Hi Stardust. Oh yes, it was a great day as school when this was served. I hope you give it a try, and enjoy it.
This school food certainly is an improvement over cornflake tarts, for my tastes, anyway. Thanks for the new video and Happy New Year. Keep the oven hot and the goodies coming.
Hi, Happy New Year to you too. Yes chocolate sponge is clearly a step up from cornflake tart.
Geoff Cooper don't you two knock the good old cornflake tart ...i loved it !!!!
Remember it well Geoff I loved it Happy New Year 😊
Hi Karen. Happy New Year to you too.
The egg tip is great! My hubby and I were both craving some school dinner pudding 🤣
HI Ally. I am glad you found the tip of useful.
I made this and it was amazing! Thank you for the recipe.
Hi A, that's great. I am glad you enjoyed it.
Yeah i tried your cake A it was fantastic.
Hi Geoff. I have just made this and it did take me back about 45 years! I think it does need more cocoa powder as the chocolate flavour is very mild. Thanks for the trip back in time.
Hi Miles, I am glad it turned out well for you. Yes, more cocoa powder would suit some people who prefer a stronger flavour and it shouldn't really affect the bake too much.
Thank you for sharing! In the 90s, we also had this with green mint custard. Classic! I've never managed to get the green mint custard right 😔
Hi Helaina. You are welcome. I have never had green mint custard, though it sounds delicious.
I'm a school dinner lady I was serving cake with custard but it was normal custard I was saying to my colleagues the custard should be pink. We was saying about green custard which I don't remember.
@@keanestar07 As I mentioned I don't recall green custard. But if it was mint flavoured I am sure it would go so well with this chocolate sponge.
Hi @geoff it tasted like an after 8 mint, but in indulgent cake form 😊 will be trying your cake recipe out for sure! Thank you for posting
@@helaina380 I hope you enjoy it.
This has just taken me back over 40 years. I'm now going to have this for pudding this evening (it's my birthday!).
Happy Birthday Dave! I hope you enjoy your journey back in time when you eat your pudding this evening.
I certainly will, I love it. Proper old school memories. Thanks for taking the time of putting the video together and sharing it.
I remember those days Geoff.
It seems such a long time ago, at least 56 years for me. LOL. But I still remember it.
In Asda they do instant strawberry custard
Hi Zoe, thanks for telling me. I will h ave a look for it next time I am there.
You have a really amazing accent! I love the way you pronounce your words, especially "milk" what regional accent is this please?❤
Hi G S. I am not sure how to categorise my accent. I was brought up in Middlesex(as it was known then) in the area around Enfield.
Lovely recipe!
HI Alina Tali. Thanks very much.
This was amazing, thank you so much for the egg tip!!
Glad it was helpful!
I find some Strawberry Flavored custard powder on Amazon and it's pink.. yum...
Hi Sharon. That's great. I think Pearce Duff still make it too.
OMG! Totally forgot about this.
Hi Bingomat, I hope it brought back good memories.
I've been searching for Chocolate Sponge with Mint Custard but I'm defo giving this a whirl :)
HI Keith. I hope you enjoy this. I have never tried mint custard. Maybe I need to give it a go.
I made the choc cake and mint custard last night, turned out nice, the cake was a microwave version as I didn't have a cake tin, I'm getting some more bits and trying your cake and pink custard later :)
@@keithpeverley3257 I am glad it turned out well. I hope you enjoy this one when you make it.
you have reminded me of my school dinners
Hi Lubna Noor. That's great. It is nice to remember, at least if you enjoyed those desserts.
Hi Geoff ..this looks so good ...memories of my school pudding ..but we went one further on top of the chocolate sponge was a chocolate icing so the sponge would be cold with the hot custard quite strange but delious trio... happy new year to you xxx♡♡♡
Hi Gillian, you clearly went to a school with pretensions of grandeur. Us poor wretches made do without the icing. Happy New Year to you too.
Geoff Cooper ...perhaps the sponge being made in sheet pans so it was much thinner made up for it being iced @it was on the menu as" Buffalo sponge" the name always made me laugh even as a child ....i will ice your recipe only because of nostalgia you understand ☆☆☆..then i will close my eyes ☆eat @be 7yrs old again
Good idea. I now have four little blancmages set in the fridge. I suppose I shall have to eat them.
Just like tubby custard☺️
Hi Fatoumatta. I have never heard of that.
Aw Geoff, got a bit choked up at the memories. Especially being so far away now, it took me back to my lovely England and that wonderful time of life. We are of a similar vintage so you might remember the big plop of mock cream they added on top of anything that didn't have custard. I thought it delicious and have looked far and wide for the recipe ever since, to no avail. Do you perhaps remember that mock cream and have any thoughts on the ingredients? To this day, I still serve a teaspoonful of raspberry jam in rice pudding ;) Mo.
Hi Mo, it is good to remember. You brought back memories of that artificial cream they used to serve at school. I am not sure how they made it but in a quick search I came across what someone says is the recipe. I am not entirely convinced, but it may be something similar. They called it Shaving Foam Cream.
RECIPE FOR SHAVING FOAM CREAM
1 PINT WATER
21/2 OZ DRIED MILK POWDER
1OZ CORNFLOUR
2OZ CASTER SUGAR
VANILLA EXTRACT TO TASTE
MIX MILK POWDER WITH CORNFLOUR AND A LITTLE WATER TO MAKE A PASTE. TOP UP WITH REMAINING WATER.
PUT IN SAUCEPAN AND HEAT UNTIL IT IS LIKE A THICK CUSTARD.
TAKE OFF HEAT AND TRANSFER TO LARGE BOWL. LEAVE TO GO COLD
WHISK WITH AN ELECTRIC WHISK UNTIL DOUBLE IN SIZE AND A FOAMY TEXTURE. ADD THE SUGAR AND VANILLA AND CONTINUE WHISKING.
@@geoffsbakingblog Oh my goodness, I don't believe it! You found it so easily! I'll make this recipe tomorrow and let you know. Big hug for you, Geoff, you clever fellow!! Aha!
@@eurekalass Hi Mo, I will be very interest to learn how it turns out. If it is successful I may try it too.
@@geoffsbakingblog Apologies for not replying sooner, Geoff. Circumstances arose which meant I didn't make the foam until just yesterday. I think it is the right recipe, even while the texture (too light) and taste were not quite as I remember. I put it down to my efforts rather than the recipe itself. It tasted more like whisked white sauce (which it basically is) rather than the foam of old. I can't tell if its too sweet or not sweet enough, and not sure if the vanilla is right. I'm going to have another go at it, but wanted to let you know the latest. Take care :)
@@eurekalass Hi Mo, thanks for letting me know. It might be a case of trial and error until everything works fine. Good Luck.
Hi Geoff,. I'm going to have a go to do this , just ask, should I, use salted or unsalted butter please ? Many thanks Trev uk
Hi Trev. I always use unsalted butter. But if you only have salted butter that will be fine.
I see. Ok thanks for this information
Pink custard is just strawberry Angel Delight powder with hot milk added.
HI Knappa22. That might work well though it most certainly was not used for school dinners when I was attending. Angel Delight was introduced in 1967, but which time school lived only in my memory. I used blancmange powder, which is more likely to be what was used in schools since blancmange was a common dessert in the 1950s and 1960s.
@@geoffsbakingblog Interesting. It may well have been replaced by Angel Delight by the 1980s and1990s then, when I was in primary school. By then we would occasionally have Angel Delight as a cold dessert or we would have it as pink custard, not with chocolate cake but with normal sponge topped with basic glace icing. I know this because my aunt was our school cook and told me years later how she made our food. Pink custard was achieved by adding more milk to the Angel Delight powder than what was required for making the cold dessert. That's why it was runnier and a lighter colour. It was also hot and not set of course. Happy memories!
My father remembers having and enjoying mint custard with his chocolate cake. Could I use the Vanilla blancmange satchet and add in mint extract and green food dye or would the vanilla be too overpowering for the mint flavouring?
He Reaper. I am sure adding some mint extract would work well, the vanilla wont overpower it, and you can taste it and add more mint if required.
@@geoffsbakingblog Thank you very much, now hopefully I can find some Blancmange packs within next 24 hours in these trying times. 😅
@@BlueEyesWhiteGuy89 They can be tricky to find. Usually they come in packs of four different flavours, at least in my local shops, by Pearce & Duff. If not you can use custard powder and colour that, but I don't know quite how the colour will turn out.
@@geoffsbakingblog Update: Thanks for the advice, I went with colouring and flavouring Asda Instant custard. Teaspoon of green colouring and peppermint flavouring did the job. Father was most pleased - even if the custard tasted more of a mint aero bar 😅, but mint is mint and closest I’m going to get to school canteen mint custard. 😀
@@BlueEyesWhiteGuy89 That's great. I am glad your Father enjoyed it.
Thank you for your delicious Chocolate cake I have made it and it was well easy to make also devine again thanks also please could you make Manchester Tart and I hope that you will post it please 😉
HI Michael, that's good. I am glad it turned out well. I have often thought about doing a Manchester Tart, but haven't got around to it yet. I will try to do it soon, but it may be after Christmas.
Happy New Year Geoff. Any chance that you could do some low fat desserts or ones that could be adapted ? - the diet must resume .
HI Jackass, Happy New Year to you too. I will look at low fat desserts. I have started my diet today, but that is more about eating fewer calories overall rather than low fat. By limiting myself to 400 calories for each of breakfast, lunch and dinner it leaves room for some sweet treat too. At least that is the theory and has worked in the past, if a little slowly.
Thanks Geoff, I will bare that in mind.
Subscribed to your channel great video
Hi there, thanks very much. I am glad you enjoyed the video.
If I wanted to do vanilla, would I just leave the coco powered out?
Hi Rain, if you want to leave out the cocoa powder you should replace it with the same amount of extra flour, since cocoa powder contains starch and affects how the cake bakes.
Sir can I use dark chocolate instead of coco powder.
Hi Sabiha, I think using chocolate would be ok, but maybe you should melt it first, and maybe about 75 grams. Also it will make the batter wetter, so you will have to bake for longer too.
The pink custard was always traditionally raspberry flavour not 🍓 strawberry
I am not an expert on the flavour, being unable to remember back over 50 years to when I would have had it. But this website appears to say blancmange powder, either strawberry or raspberry: www.littlestuff.co.uk/school-dinners-recipes-pink-custard/
Sorry ..it has to be crunchy Chocolate cake and pink custard !
Oh I never had a crunchy version at my school.
That's all we had ..put the spoon in and the cake left the dish.. it was safer to eat it with your fingers ! !
Oh I see, that doesn't sound much like sponge cake at all. But as long as it tasted good.