Complete Guide > Complete Guide to Custards

Go back in time and rediscover the pleasures of making homemade custard.
With food editor Michelle Southan's step-by-step guide, full of tips and tricks,
you'll be dipping your spoon into a perfectly baked crème brûlée in no time.

What is custard?

Winter is the perfect time of year to
enjoy creamy homemade custards.
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.
Great on its own as a dessert, it can also
play a starring role in sweet dishes such
as crème caramel and crème brûlée.
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. Custard is widely available in
supermarkets. However, homemade
custard is a budget option, and doesn't
contain any preservatives, additives,
artificial flavours and wheat-based
thickening agents, that some bought
products do. Also, homemade custard
uses basic ingredients that can be
found in any pantry and tastes richer
and creamier than bought custards.

What you need

To make smooth and creamy stirred
and baked custards, you need to have
the following on hand in your kitchen:

• A large saucepan for heating
stirred custards.
• A wooden spoon for stirring the
custard as it cooks.
• A large fine sieve for straining
the custards.
• A large jug for pouring the custard
into ovenproof dishes or when straining.
• A roasting pan for cooking baked
custards in a bain-marie.
• A tea towel for insulating baked
custards from the heat of the pan.

Custard Basics: Three Techniques For Perfect Custards

How to bake custards

For perfect baked custards, line the
base of a roasting pan with a tea
towel. Place ramekins on top and
pour custard mixture among the
ramekins. Pour boiling water into the
pan to reach halfway up the sides of
the ramekins. Bake in oven until the
custards are just set. The bain-marie
or water bath protects the custards

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from the direct heat of the base of
the roasting pan, so they cook gently
and don't overheat and separate.

Ba ked custards

Try these handy hints:

• Make sure you use the baking dish
specified in the recipe. If the dish is
too large, the custard may cook too
quickly and become dry and rubbery.
• For a smooth result, use a fork
to whisk the egg mixture. A balloon
whisk can cause bubbles to form
in the custard as it bakes.
• To test if baked custard is cooked,
insert the tip of a small knife into
the centre. If the knife comes out
clean, or with just a little softly set
custard clinging to it, it's ready.
• Be careful not to overcook baked
custards or they will separate. If
you can see tiny bubbles throughout
your baked custard, it's overcooked.

How to Cook Smooth, Creamy Stirred 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. Draw
a finger across the back of the
spoon and if it leaves a trail (as
above), your custard is ready.

Stirred custard

Try these handy hints:

• Allow the milk to cool slightly
before adding it to the egg mixture.
If it's too hot, the egg may cook
quickly and curdle.
• When making custard ahead,
cover the surface with non-stick
baking paper to stop a skin forming.
• When chilled, custard tends to
become firm in texture, so whisk
until smooth before serving.

Straining Custard

After cooking stirred custard, strain
through a fine sieve into a jug. This
removes any bits of egg that may
not have been properly combined,
and ensures that the custard is as
smooth as possible. It's also an easy
way to rescue your custard if it
begins to overcook and curdle.
Straining is an important part of
making baked custard, too. Strain
the egg mixture before cooking to
ensure your baked custard is smooth.

 

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