This classic Custard Recipe is rich and creamy with a hint of vanilla flavor.
A few years ago, I was visiting my parents around the holidays, and my mom brought out a small shoebox full of recipes that my paternal grandmother had left us. Flipping through all the old index cards that my grandmother had once written by hand was an interesting experience. Every card felt special, even if it was a recipe for jellied salmon and olive salad. I wasn’t going to ever make her recipe for salmon and olive salad, but I figured I’d come across something I’d like to make for our family Christmas spread.
And then, there it was: a custard pie recipe. My mom shrieked excitedly; that was her favorite pie from childhood. This wasn’t her own mother’s recipe, granted, but surely Dad’s mother could swing a custard pie, too. So I made it, exactly as my grandmother wrote it. I waited hours for that pie to set. A full day later, and it had not set. The recipe was bunk. In the remaining day I had left before Christmas dinner, I found a decent custard recipe elsewhere and filled a pie shell with it. That one set. Sorry, Grandma—I’ll keep your recipes forever, but I’ll experiment with them far away from holidays.
I can guarantee you that this custard recipe will set. Classic custard is a simple concoction, and the hardest part is introducing the eggs into the hot milky mixture. If you can swing that part without scrambling the eggs accidentally, you’ll have yourself a creamy, sweet, vanilla-tinged dessert that pleases pretty much everyone. Also, it goes with nearly any fruit you want to put on top of it.
Is This Custard Recipe Healthy?
Custard is a decadent dessert made with eggs, milk, and sugar, so it’s a stretch to call it healthy. This recipe uses low-fat milk, however, which helps reduce the calorie content. I prefer good, old-fashioned sugar in my custard, but feel free to experiment with natural sweeteners like honey or maple syrup or even very low-calorie sweeteners like erythritol or allulose. This recipe is written using cornstarch to thicken it, so there’s no flour, which means it’s gluten-free. Overall, this recipe is suitable for vegetarians, too. You’ll want to enjoy this dessert in moderation due to its high calorie and sugar content.
Tempering Eggs For Custard
Eggs are… temperamental. If they cook too fast, you get scrambled clumps. If they don’t cook enough, you get a chance of food poisoning. Cook them just right, and you’ll get beautiful dishes like a tender omelet. But they’re also a superior and rich thickening agent for puddings, custards, and other desserts. Learning how to temper eggs is crucial to making a creamy, eggy dessert like custard, but it can be kind of tricky. Here are a few tips to help you get through it like a pro!
- Make sure the pot of hot liquid is off the heat before you start adding the egg mixture.
- Once you start adding the egg mixture, whisk the hot liquid constantly. If you just pour it in, you will get scrambled egg custard!
- If you’re worried, here’s a slightly safer method: Remove a small amount of the hot liquid from the pot and put it in a large bowl. Then, slowly add the egg mixture to that, whisking constantly, of course. Then, slowly add that mixture back to the pot, again whisking constantly.
- If you do end up with some lumps of cooked egg, run the custard mixture through a mesh strainer to remove them. If a lot of the egg is scrambled, the custard may not get thick enough, and you may have to start over.
How Do I Store Leftovers?
Leftover custard should stay good stored covered in the fridge for up to 3 days. Freezing and thawing this custard may cause the texture to change, so if you plan on freezing your custard, enjoy it frozen! It will keep in the freezer in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months.
Serving Suggestions
I enjoy custard on its own or with a cup of coffee. I do enjoy it topped with sliced strawberries, whole blueberries, or fruit purées. This Dairy-Free Vegan Caramel Sauce is also a great topping!
If you’re planning on making a dessert spread, I’ve got some other great picks you can pair with the custard. For example, these Gluten-Free Almond Flour Shortbread Cookies or these lovely Crème Brûlée Cookies are both perfect for dipping. Or try using the custard as a filling for Banana Cream Pie. It’s also excellent with Sugar-Free Angel Food Cake or any type of coffee cake you enjoy!
Ingredients
- 4 cups low-fat milk
- 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 4 large eggs
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
Instructions
- In a medium saucepan, combine low-fat milk and vanilla extract. Warm over medium heat until the mixture is hot and almost reaches a simmer, then remove from heat.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, granulated sugar, and cornstarch until the sugar is completely dissolved and the mixture is smooth.
- Gradually pour the egg mixture into the hot milk, whisking constantly. Return the saucepan to low heat and continue to cook, stirring constantly, until the custard thickens and can coat the back of a spoon, about 5 to 10 minutes.
- Once thickened, remove the custard from heat. Serve warm, or pour into a bowl to cool. Cover and refrigerate if serving chilled.
Nutrition Info:
Recipes written and produced on Food Faith Fitness are for informational purposes only.
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