CookEat Recipe

Vanilla Custard

A smooth pouring custard of milk, sugar and egg yolks, without flour or starch.

Method

Steps

  1. Step 1

    Gather the ingredients: 1 litre pasteurised whole milk; 200 g caster sugar; 8 egg yolks; 1 teaspoon vanilla extract.

  2. Step 2

    Beat the eight yolks with the sugar until evenly combined. Gradually whisk in the milk. Transfer to a heavy saucepan and heat while stirring continuously, scraping the base and corners.

  3. Step 3

    As soon as the mixture begins to steam, reduce the heat. Keep stirring gently until it coats the back of the spoon and reaches about 80–82°C, always at least 74°C; do not let it boil. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla just before finishing.

  4. Step 4

    Strain through a fine sieve if needed for smoothness. Cool promptly in a shallow clean bowl over an ice-water bath, then cover and refrigerate at 4°C or colder within 2 hours. Serve cold as a pouring custard and use within 2 days. No flour, starch or cream is added.

  5. Step 5

    For the ice-cream use, chill this same cooked custard thoroughly, preferably overnight, then churn in an ice-cream maker following its directions and transfer to a covered freezer container to firm. Keep frozen until serving; the additional freezing time is not included in the custard’s stated duration.

  6. Step 6

    For the liquid zuppa inglese version, put about 150 g prepared plain pan di Spagna in thin slices, or 150 g savoiardi, in a deep serving dish. Moisten lightly with about 45 ml clear prepared rosolio and cover with the cold custard. If desired, stir in 30 g candied citron cut into very thin small pieces. Keep refrigerated until serving and use within 2 days. These biscuit, rosolio and candied-fruit quantities are working estimates for the optional dessert, not additions to the plain custard.

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