Whether It Be Simple or Elegant, It’s Definitely Irresistible.
I’m a custard nut. I love it in most all of its variations. But I’m particular about what I want when I’m in the mood for a simple bowl of chilled baked custard. I like the consistency to be soft and lightly set. I don’t want it to be too firm and solid. I aim for a silky texture.
I’ve been playing around with the ingredients for awhile and have come up with my ideal custard. A 50/50 mix of whole milk and heavy cream gives me the creamy richness without needing to add too many eggs. If only whole milk is used, more eggs are needed and I like it a lot better with fewer eggs because the consistency is softer.
2 whole eggs and 2 egg yolks for 4 cups of dairy does the trick. And it could hardly be easier. Whisk together the ingredients, pour into serving bowls/cups, sprinkle on some spice, place in a large roasting pan to which you add hot water and let it bake at a low heat, 300°, for about an hour.
I love this stuff, so I play around with the toppings and I really don’t have a favorite. There’s something to recommend for each one. If I’m going to be eating it plain and simply chilled, then I sprinkle on freshly grated nutmeg *. I can’t really improve on this combination.
But if I want to top it with sugar, hit it with a torch and turn it into a crème brûlée type of dessert, I like to top it with freshly ground black cardamom * seeds. The dark caramelized crystal-like sugar topping pairs beautifully with the smoky black cardamom *. Normally, more egg yolks are added to crème brûlée and I think it can end up being too thick and rich. I greatly prefer my recipe.
Then again, if I’m going to also add strawberries to the crème brûlée variation, I like to top it with freshly ground black pepper. The pepper pairs beautifully with strawberries and in this case some sliced mangoes were also great with the black pepper.
And here’s an interesting development. If you should end up with one of the crème brûlées that doesn’t get eaten immediately, as it sits overnight in the fridge, the caramelized sugar will melt and you will end up with a type of crème caramel. I don’t think you can go wrong with this recipe, no matter what you do.
There are so many different ways to go with this. You could add a little orange blossom water, sprinkle cocoa nibs on top, top it with other fruits or nuts, etc. This is the kind of recipe I love – easy, adaptable, delicious, and fool proof. It lasts for several days in the fridge. Plus, there’s something inherently comforting about a bowl of custard. Even though it seems fancy and elegant to turn it into crème brûlée, in the end it’s still a simple bowl of custard. And that’s what I love about it.
*Disclosure: I only recommend products I use myself and all opinions expressed here are my own. This post may contain affiliate links that, at no additional cost to you, may pay me a small commission and help support the costs of this website. Read full privacy policy here.
Easiest Baked Custard - 3 Ways
6-8
servingsSilky custard easily made by whisking together eggs, egg yolks, sugar, milk, cream, and vanilla. Pour it into cups or ramekins, bake them in a hot water bath for an hour, and chill. You can sprinkle on nutmeg, black cardamom, or pepper and then sprinkle on sugar, blast it with a torch and have crème brûlée, add some strawberries and mangoes, or simply enjoy it plain.
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Ingredients
2 large eggs, room temperature
2 large egg yolks, room temperature
138 g (1/2 cup, plus 3 tablespoons) granulated sugar
1/4 heaping teaspoon Morton kosher salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
2 cups whole milk
2 cups heavy cream
Freshly grated whole nutmeg *, optional
Freshly ground black cardamom *, seeds only, optional
Freshly ground black pepper, optional
Granulated sugar for topping the custards for crème brûlée
Sliced strawberries, mangoes, berries, peaches, etc.
A few fresh mint leaves for garnish
Directions
- Preheat oven to 300° with a rack in the center. In a large bowl, whisk together the eggs, egg yolks, sugar, salt, and vanilla until frothy. Heat the milk and cream in the microwave in a 4 cup glass measuring cup for 4 minutes on high or until lightly steaming. Add it to the eggs in small increments while whisking. After you’ve added about half you can then stream the rest of it into the eggs, mixing well.
- Place 6 or 8 oven proof small bowls or ramekins into a large roasting pan. The bowls I used have a 1 cup capacity, but smaller 6 ounce ramekins work well, too. Ladle the custard into the bowls and sprinkle with your choice of spices. In this case, I topped 2 bowls with nutmeg, 2 bowls with black cardamom, and 2 bowls with black pepper. Place the pan in the oven and pour in very hot water (I used about 12 cups) until it reaches the level of the top of the custard. Bake for 60 - 65 minutes. The custards will still jiggle, but you will be able to see that the tops have set and they will firm up further when chilled. If you should decide to use smaller sized ramekins, they won't take as long to bake. Start checking them at the 40 minute mark. Let cool and chill in the fridge for at least a couple of hours.
- If you choose to go with a crème brûlée type of custard, sprinkle about a tablespoon of sugar over the top of the chilled custard and heat it with a kitchen torch until the sugar is melted and turns a deep caramel color. The topping will stay hard and crackly for an hour or two. If you should let it sit overnight, the caramelized sugar will melt and it will still be delicious and will resemble crème caramel.
4 Responses
The first time I made this custard, I thought “This really is the easiest.” Even though I only had 16oz. ramekins at the time, it came out wonderfully. Yesterday, my wife asked me specifically to make the custard again. Easy peasy. 15 minutes later, it was ready to go into the oven — this time using 8oz. ramekins. We couldn’t wait, so ate two of them as soon as they had cooled to room temperature. DELICIOUS! We’ll have two more tonight. Since they have had a nice rest in the ‘fridge, I have no doubt that it will be nothing but creamy, custardy, perfection for dessert.
Daryl, I’m just thrilled these turned out so well for you!! I love them, too, and have also been known to eat them as soon as they’ve cooled. There are times when waiting for them to chill is simply a bridge too far. 😂 Thanks so much for letting me know you’re enjoying my recipe.
Thanks Renee! This looks delicious and will be making it soon.
Oh, that’s great, Indira! Please let me know how you like it. You’re very welcome!