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This custard recipe is a fantastic, yet very simple dessert that is popular in many countries, albeit, by different names. A British staple which is frequently poured over many traditional desserts.
I promised a while ago that I’d post the recipe for homemade custard because it’s so quick and easy to make, you probably won’t believe it.
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You may be a big crème brûlée fan, but maybe have never had custard as a dessert if you live in the USA. Crème brûlée is made with heavy cream, whereas custard is made with milk, so it’s a bit less calorific.
For me, it’s usually going on top of a homemade British dessert, such as an apple pie, rhubarb crumble,or steamed pudding, and I try to not make it a calorie overload. However, don’t be afraid to pour custard into it’s own glass, mug, ramekin or whatever you choose; its luscious creaminess can stand on its ownas a dessert, too.
Custard Recipe (Easy, Homemade)
Recipe by Christina Conte serves 6
FULL PRINTABLE RECIPE BELOW
Ingredients
- 1 1/4 cups (10 oz) milk (I use whole milk)
- 1/2 vanilla bean or a few drops of vanilla (the bean will taste much better)
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 to 3 tsp sugar, depending on you sweet you like it
- 1 tsp corn starch
Split open the vanilla bean and place in a small pot along with the milk.Heat over medium low heat, meanwhile, prepare the rest of the custard.
In a small bowl, whisk the yolks, sugar and corn starch together until well combined.
When the milk begins to simmer, remove the vanilla bean and pour about half a cup of hot milkinto the egg mixture, whisking quickly. Add the rest of the milk, then whisk and return to the pot.
Heat over medium heat and continue stirring, taking care that the custard doesn’t stick or burn, using a wooden spoon is best at this point (the photo below is before I switched to the wooden spoon)! Add the vanilla extract if not using the vanilla bean.Continue to stir until the custard begins to thicken.
Remove from heat, use as desired.If pouring over a dessert, use immediately.
If not using while hot, cover so that a skin doesn’t form on the custard.
Keep any leftover custard refrigerated. Give this super easy, apple crumble recipe a try.
British apple pie is also very good with real, homemade custard. There’s a difference with a British pie? Yes, click the recipe to see what it is.
Real, Homemade Custard
Yield: 4
Prep Time: 5 minutes
Cook Time: 7 minutes
Total Time: 12 minutes
A creamy egg dessert that can stand on its own, but it wonderful when served on many fruit desserts, in trifles and much more.
Ingredients
- 1¼ cups (10 oz) whole milk
- ½ vanilla bean or a few drops of vanilla
- 2 egg yolks
- 2 tsp sugar (more or less, as desired)
- 1 tsp corn starch
Instructions
- Split open the vanilla bean and place in a small pot along with the milk.Heat over medium low heat, meanwhile, prepare the rest of the custard.
- In a small bowl, whisk the yolks, sugar and corn starch together until well combined.
- When the milk begins to simmer, remove the vanilla bean and pour about half a cup of hot milkinto the egg mixture, whisking quickly. Add the rest of the milk, then whisk and return to the pot.
- Heat over medium heat and continue stirring, taking care that the custard doesn't stick or burn, using a wooden spoon is best at this point (the photo below is before I switched to the wooden spoon)!Add the vanilla extract if not using the vanilla bean.Continue to stir until the custard begins to thicken.
- Remove from heat, use as desired.If pouring over a dessert, use immediately.
Notes
- Using vanilla bean is far superior in flavor.
- Add less sugar to start, then add more to taste.
Nutrition Information:
Yield: 4Serving Size: 1
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 79Total Fat: 4gSaturated Fat: 2gTrans Fat: 0gUnsaturated Fat: 2gCholesterol: 98mgSodium: 40mgCarbohydrates: 7gFiber: 0gSugar: 6gProtein: 4g
Nutrition information is only estimated.
Did you make this recipe?
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Check out this twist from Jill at Mad About Macarons: chai tea creme Anglaise, light french custard
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FAQs
The most common mistake people make in baking a custard is not putting enough water in the hot-water bath. The water should come up to the level of the custard inside the cups. You must protect your custard from the heat.
How is custard made from scratch? ›
Put the cream and milk into a large pan and gently bring to just below boiling point. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk the yolks, cornflour, sugar and vanilla. Gradually pour the hot milk mixture onto the sugar mixture, whisking constantly. Wipe out the saucepan and pour the mixture back into it.
What are the 3 types of custard? ›
There are three types of custard: baked, stirred, and frozen. Baked custards include bread pudding, flan, and cheesecake, and are prepared by baking in an oven or water bath. Boiled Custards include beverages like eggnog. Puddings, creme anglaise (krem on-GLAYZ), and pastry cream are some examples of stirred custards.
What are the 4 components of custard? ›
Combine milk, eggs, sugar and gentle heat and one of our most treasured comfort food appears.
What is the secret to good custard? ›
The secret to cooking stirred custard is to cook it in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon, until the custard thickens and coats the back of the spoon. Stirring distributes the heat so the custard doesn't become too hot, which can curdle it.
What makes custard so good? ›
Texture: Custards made with whole eggs tend to be firmer and more set due to the additional proteins in the egg whites. Custards made with only egg yolks are typically smoother and silkier, resulting in a creamier texture. Flavor: Egg yolks have a higher fat content and contain more flavor compounds than egg whites.
What is traditional custard made of? ›
Custard is a decadent dessert made with eggs, milk, and sugar. Eggs are responsible for custard's thick and velvety texture, but some recipes (such as this one) call for thickeners such as cornstarch or arrowroot for extra richess.
What are the two basic types of custard? ›
Custard is a creamy, light dessert or sauce made from boiling or baking an egg-and-milk mixture. Custards are of two types—stirred or baked. They are used as desserts, sauces, bases for other desserts, and some savory dishes, such as a quiche or a frittata.
What is the difference between homemade pudding and custard? ›
While most custard and pudding recipes both typically call for eggs, the main difference is that pudding uses a starch for thickening, whereas custard's thickening agent is the egg itself (or egg yolk, in most instances). Custard's texture also tends to be firmer than pudding.
What is the American version of custard? ›
In the USA it is more like ice cream, or frozen Yogurt, or what the local place in St Louis Ted Drewes calls “concrete”. In other word it's usually a chilled confection of the same consistency as ice cream and often served by itself in a pot.
Vanilla Frozen Custard [Milk, Cream, Skim Milk, Sugar, Corn Syrup, Egg Yolk, Guar Gum, Mono & Diglycerides, Locust Bean Gum, Carrageenan, Natural and Artificial Vanilla Flavor], Pecan Pieces [Vegetable Oil (Peanut, Cottonseed, Soybean and/or Sunflower Seed), Sea Salt], Salted Caramel [Corn Syrup, Sweetened Condensed ...
Is creme patissiere the same as custard? ›
P.S. In case you're wondering what the difference is between Crème Pâtissière and custard (which the French refer to as Crème Anglaise), it's the cornflour. Officially, custard shouldn't contain cornflour. So basically, Crème Pâtissière (or pastry cream) is simply set custard.
Is custard healthier than ice cream? ›
Brands vary, but vanilla ice-cream typically has about 10 per cent more calories than custard, as well as twice the saturated fat, less protein and half the calcium and potassium. However, ice-cream usually has less sugar and salt, too.
Is flan and custard the same? ›
Flan is an egg custard (though sometimes egg-substitutes are used) and the dominant flavor is egg and dairy.
What does sugar do in custard? ›
Sugar as an anticoagulant – when it's heated, sugar delays the coagulation of proteins (or the change to a more semi-solid state), which is useful for products such as baked custards and other desserts.
What can I do with failed custard? ›
If the worse should happen and the custard starts to separate plunge the pan into a sink of cold water being careful not to get any water in the custard and give it a good whisk with balloon whisk for about a minute. It will soon go back to lovely glossy custard.
How do you know when the custard is the correct consistency? ›
Points to remember
Strain into a clean, heavy-bottomed pan and heat over a medium heat (be careful not to have the heat too high), stirring constantly until the mixture begins to steam and thicken. The custard is ready when you can draw a clean line through it on the back of a spoon, using your finger.
Why not use whole egg in custard? ›
Texture: Custards made with whole eggs tend to be firmer and more set due to the additional proteins in the egg whites. Custards made with only egg yolks are typically smoother and silkier, resulting in a creamier texture. Flavor: Egg yolks have a higher fat content and contain more flavor compounds than egg whites.
What happens if you overbake custard? ›
However if the proteins are overcooked, either by using a temperature that is too high or just cooking for too long, then the proteins will come together so tightly that they will start to squeeze out water and this causes the weeping in an egg custard (or the scientific term for this is syneresis).
