FRESH FRUIT SALAD WITH CREAMY CUSTARD

Paula Deen's Fruit Salad

INGREDIENTS

6 kiwis, peeled and chopped
2 ripe mangoes, peeled, cored, and sliced
1 melon, peeled, cored, and chopped
1 quart strawberries, hulled and quartered
1 quart blackberries
1/2 quart blueberries

Custard:
1 1/2 cups whole milk
2/3 cup sugar
6 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, softened
1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract

DIRECTIONS

For the fruit:

Place fruit into a large bowl and toss together.

For the custard:

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, whisk milk and sugar constantly.

In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks. Slowly incorporate the hot milk into the egg mixture. Return the mixture to the saucepan. Heat the custard over low heat about 5 minutes or until thickened slightly, stirring constantly. (It should be thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. Do not let the mixture come to a simmer or the eggs will curdle.)

Remove from heat and melt the butter into custard. Add vanilla. Immediately strain the custard into a small bowl. Place in refrigerator to cool.

Drizzle over fruit and serve.