Baked Squash with Vanilla Coconut Custard

This is a traditional dessert from Cambodia and Thailand.  It is both beautiful and nutritious.  Once the custard filled squash is baked the flesh is scooped out with the custard and drizzled with hot coconut cream.  I like to add a bit of in season fruit.  Here I added blueberries since we had about 8 pints of them this summer.  Raspberries would be amazing though!  

I made this dessert in a small butternut squash as well as an acorn squash.  Both were fabulous.  The Butternut squash was sweeter, while the acorn squash had a much earthier flavor and paired quite nicely with the custard and a little cinnamon. Pumpkin is also a great choice for this dessert. It taste amazing and makes for a wonderful fall themed dessert.  

Baked Squash with Vanilla Coconut Custard 

Ingredients:

1 small summer or winter squash (about 3lbs or)halved, seeded & fibers removed

1 2/3 cups full fat coconut milk

3 large eggs

1 whole vanilla bean pod scraped 

3 Tbls  Honey or palm sugar

Pinch of salt

For the sauce

1 cup coconut cream

2 Tbls honey

Directions:

Preheat the oven to 350 degrees

Place the squash halves skin side down, in a baking dish

Place the coconut milk, pinch of salt, eggs and the sugar & vanilla bean in a large bowl

Whisk till thick and smooth

Pour the custard into each squash half

Optional: sprinkle the the top of the custard and squash with palm sugar for a crispy top

Bake in the oven for about 34-40 minuets or until squash is tender and custard is firm

Just before serving, heat the coconut cream with a pinch of salt and honey

Scoop out the pumpkin flesh with the custard then drizzle with sweetened coconut cream

It is also great just drizzled with honey, serve and enjoy.

Tips:  Small squash tend to be more fragrant and less fibrous than large ones

Variations:  This dessert can also be made with avocados and papayas.