Homemade Custard
This dreamy, creamy, silky smooth, homemade custard is sweet but not over sweet and has delicious undertones of vanilla.
Ingredients
- 600ml mix of fresh cream and milk (The ratio will depend on how rich you want the custard to be.)
- 40g caster sugar
- 18g/2 tablespoons cornflour
- 2 - 3 teaspoons vanilla extract
- large eggs - either 1 large egg and 2 yolks OR 2 eggs plus 1 egg yolk, OR or 4 egg yolks (See Recipe Notes)
- pinch of salt
Instructions
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Put the milk and cream into a saucepan and heat over a moderately hot heat until steaming but not boiling.
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Mix the caster sugar, cornflour, vanilla, eggs and salt thoroughly in a large jug.
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Pour the hot milk and cream onto the egg mixture and stir well.
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It is important to wash the saucepan well before returning the custard to the pan.
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Put the pan back onto a low heat and cook, stirring all the time, until it thickens. This could take up to 5 minutes. Take off the heat.
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Use your finger to check it is cooked: you should be able to run a clean line through it on the back of a spoon.
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Delicious with desserts such as crumble, fruit pies, Christmas pudding, steamed puddings, Eve's puddings and in trifle.
Recipe Notes
Equipment:
- kitchen scales and measuring spoons
- saucepan
- jug
- balloon whisk and wooden spoon
Milk/Cream
You need a combined total of 600ml. The more cream the richer it will be. You could use all milk - in which case I would use full fat milk. You could also use all cream, in which case I would use single/pouring cream. All cream is too rich for me particularly with all the other rich ingredients in this dish.
Eggs
I use large eggs. You can use any of the following combinations, depending on how rich you want your custard:
- 1 large egg and 2 yolks, OR
- 2 eggs plus 1 egg yolk, OR
- 4 egg yolks