Easy Tips For Making The Perfect Custard

Now that we're well and truly into Winter down here in the Southern Hemisphere, I decided today would be a great day to share some tips on making a great custard. Custard is fantastic in the colder weather, and is very versatile, being able to use it with many different types of dessert (or even eat it on its own!).

The other great time to enjoy the perfect custard is at Christmas, it's a very traditional dessert in my family at that time of the year.

Made from a basic mixture of milk, eggs and sugar, and sometimes flavoured with ingredients such as vanilla beans, custard can be served warm or cold.

There are two types of custard. Stirred custards are cooked in a saucepan until thick but still liquid in consistency, while baked custards are usually cooked in ovenproof dishes in a water bath or bain-marie until set.

Easy Custard Recipe Preparation
Stirred Custard

The standard test is to cook until the mixture will coat the back of a metal spoon, which is not as easy to determine as it sounds because uncooked custard will also leave a bit of a film on a spoon.

The difference is that cooked custard should leave a thick, translucent, almost jellylike coat about the consistency of gravy. If you suspect that custard is on the verge of curdling, then just plunge the pan into some ice water to stop it cooking further.

Baked Custard

Insert a table knife into custard midway between rim and center (not in the middle as cookbooks once instructed). If the knife comes out clean, then the custard is done. Remove at once from water bath and cool.

To chill quickly, set custard in ice water-but only if baking dish is one that can take abrupt changes of temperature without breaking.

What to Do About Curdled Custard

If it's baked custard, the best idea is to turn it into a Trifle by mixing with small hunks of cake. If it is stirred custard, strain out the lumps and serve as a sauce over cake, fruit, or gelatin dessert.

Caution: Keep custards refrigerated; they spoil easily, often without giving a clue.

Check out this excellent recipe for baked custard below...

Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients

3 slightly beaten eggs
2 cups milk, scalded
1/4 cup white or brown sugar
1/2 teaspoon vanilla

Preparation
Step 1

Combine eggs, sugar and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Slowly stir in slightly cooled milk and vanilla. Fill six 5-ounce custard cups; set in shallow pan on oven rack. Pour hot water into pan, 1 inch deep.

Step 2

Bake at 325 degrees for 40 to 45 minutes, or until knife inserted off-centre comes out clean. Serve warm or chilled. To unmold chilled custard, first loosen the edge; then slip the point of the knife down the side to let some air in. Invert.

Step 3

For one large custard, bake in 1 quart casserole about 60 minutes.

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