Custard Pudding

Ingredients

Equipment Needed

• •Small heavy-bottomed saucepan
• •Fine-mesh sieve
• •Shallow 1-quart (1-liter) pie dish
• •Deep roasting pan for the bain-marie
• •Instant-read thermometer, optional

Instructions

1. 1

   Infuse the milk

   Heat the milk, sugar, vanilla seeds, and pod in a small saucepan, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Bring it just to the boil, remove it from the heat, cover, and infuse for 20 minutes. Lift out the pod, then return the milk to the heat only until it approaches the boil again.

   Measure the milk before heating it. Prolonged boiling reduces the quantity and quietly changes the egg-to-milk ratio that decides the final texture.
2. 2

   Mix the custard

   Heat the oven to 325°F (160°C). Stir the whole eggs in a heatproof bowl until the whites and yolks are completely combined, but don't beat them into a foam. Pour the hot sweetened milk over the eggs little by little, whisking steadily. This is the uncooked whole-egg form of Crème Anglaise (No. 2397); unlike the pouring sauce, it receives no separate stovetop cooking because the oven will poach it. If a few egg threads form, stop pouring, whisk briskly, and pass the mixture through the sieve; ça se rattrape.

3. 3

   Build the bain-marie

   Strain the custard immediately into a pitcher, then skim away any foam with a spoon. Set a shallow 1-quart (1-liter) pie dish inside a deep roasting pan and pour in the custard. Place the pan on the oven rack, then add enough hot water to the roasting pan to reach halfway up the outside of the pie dish. Keep every drop of water out of the custard.

4. 4

   Poach it gently

   Bake for 35 to 45 minutes, checking from 35 minutes onward. The custard is ready when the edges are set, the center moves as one soft tremble, and an instant-read thermometer inserted near the center registers about 175°F (79°C). Never wait for the middle to become rigid. If the bain-marie begins bubbling, lower the oven to 300°F (150°C) and add a little cold water to the bath; gentle heat keeps the custard smooth.

5. 5

   Cool before serving

   Lift the pie dish carefully from the bain-marie and cool it on a rack for at least 30 minutes. Serve the crème aux œufs slightly warm or at room temperature for its softest, milkiest texture, or chill it for at least 2 hours for a firmer spoonful. Bring the dish directly to the table and serve generously. À table!

Chef Tips

• •Three eggs to 2 cups of milk preserves the source formula of six eggs per quart and gives a medium, softly set custard. Use 2 eggs when you want it distinctly milky and scoopable, or 4 for a thicker set; keep the milk and sugar quantities unchanged.
• •The sugar governs sweetness far more than consistency. The quantity here preserves the source's midpoint, but you may reduce it to ¼ cup (60 ml / 50 g) without preventing the eggs from setting.
• •For a less costly vanilla option, replace the bean with 2 teaspoons (10 ml / 9 g) pure vanilla extract. Stir it into the custard after straining rather than boiling it with the milk.
• •A grainy texture or clear liquid around the edge means the eggs became too hot. Remove the dish at once and cool it promptly. It won't return to perfect smoothness, but serving it well chilled makes the texture gentler.
• •Cover the custard only after it has cooled completely. It keeps in the refrigerator for up to 3 days; freezing damages its delicate set.

Advance Preparation

• •Bake the crème aux œufs up to 1 day ahead, cool it completely, then cover and refrigerate it in its serving dish. Let it stand outside the refrigerator for 20 minutes if you prefer the texture less firm.
• •The vanilla milk can be infused up to 4 hours ahead and refrigerated. Reheat it just to the edge of boiling before combining it with the eggs.

Frequently Asked Questions

Nutrition Information

1 serving (about 175g)