Sometimes you need a little indulgent treat to top off the tummy after a delicious meal. But if you’re trying to avoid white refined sugar most store-bought custards or even custard recipes you find online are a pretty big no-no.
Maple syrup comes to the rescue in this delicious melt-in-your-mouth treat that keeps you satisfied – I love that there is no refined sugar added; it is super simple to make with real natural ingredients. Plus homemade custard doesn’t contain any artificial flavors, preservatives, or wheat-based thickening agents that some store custards do.
I even have this yummy maple custard as a snack because of the protein from the eggs, calcium from the dairy, and the energy I get from the maple syrup. (sounds downright good for you when you think of all the real whole food ingredients)
So without further ado…
Our Super Simple Natural Custard Recipe
• 6 farm-fresh eggs
• 3 cups whole milk
(milk alternatives can also be used: coconut, almond, hemp, etc..)
• ½ cup maple syrup
• 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
• ¼ tsp sea salt
• nutmeg (optional)
Making Custard: Preparation and Baking
1) Preheat oven to 400 degrees F
2) Whisk together eggs, salt, milk, and vanilla – blend in maple syrup (yes it really is that easy)
3) Pour into 8×8 (or 2 Liter) glass baking or casserole dish
3) Bake for 40-50 min (until nice and brown on top and a knife inserted in the middle comes out clean)
4) Serve warm or cold, sprinkle with nutmeg (or we love it with pumpkin spice)
5) Enjoy!
Extra Tips for Making Perfect Baked Egg Custard
While I love this custard recipe because it is so simple, baking any egg dish takes a bit of practice to get the texture right. Here are a few tips and extra methods for making a great custard.
Eggs:
Using the freshest eggs you can find when making egg custard is the key. We are lucky enough to have a local small farm where we get fresh pastured eggs. If you can’t get pasture-raised eggs opt for organic eggs for the most health benefit (the more orange the egg yolk the more nutrients).
Beat the eggs gently with a wire whisk before adding in the other ingredients. Your custard will come out much smoother. Also, beating the eggs lightly prevents air bubbles from forming which changes the texture of the custard.
Strain the eggs:
A simple tip for a smooth creamy custard is to strain the egg mixture before cooking. This removes any unmixed egg whites which let your custard get its smooth on so to speak. A smooth custard is a happy custard.
Water Bath:
While you don’t need a water bath (I’ve made some great custard with the no-frills method I mentioned above) a water bath ensures your custard is cooked evenly. Also, if you choose to bake your custard in ramekins a water bath is essential.
To make a water bath, place the baking dish or ramekins into a deep baking dish lined with a tea towel. Add hot water into the lined baking dish about 2/3 the way up until it reaches the level of the custard inside the ramekins or dish.
A water bath or bain-marie (the Fancy Nancy name) protects the custard from the direct heat of the pan bottom, this assures the custard cooks gently and doesn’t overheat and separate.
Timing:
Making egg custard is a delicate balance when it comes to timing because you don’t want to overcook your custard. A trick is to shake the baking pan to check for doneness.
Does your custard wiggle only slightly when you shake it? Then do a happy dance because it is ready to be taken out of the oven and enjoyed!
If your eggs don’t have that nice jiggle, they are overcooked and the custard won’t have the proper texture.
Do you have a delicious homemade custard recipe you really love? Let us know; we always like trying healthy new recipes. And remember sharing feels good – please share this simple custard recipe with at least a million friends (that’s a lot of feelgood-ness)
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FAQs
Mix flour and cold water well, making sure the mixture is smooth. For 1 cup (240 mL) of custard, use 2 tablespoons (17 g) of flour mixed with 4 tablespoons (59 mL) of cold water. Add the mixture into your custard ingredients as they cook on the stove. Use cornstarch as an alternative to flour.
What is instant custard powder made of? ›
Sugar, Whey Powder (Cows' Milk), Modified Maize Starch, Maize Starch, Palm Kernel Oil, Palm Oil, Cream Powder (Cows' Milk), Cows' Milk Protein, Flavourings (contains Cows' Milk), Colour: Carotenes; Anti-caking Agent: Silicon Dioxide.
What makes custard so good? ›
Custard is a decadent dessert made with eggs, milk, and sugar. Eggs are responsible for custard's thick and velvety texture, but some recipes (such as this one) call for thickeners such as cornstarch or arrowroot for extra richess.
What are the three types of soft custard? ›
There are three types of custard: baked, stirred, and frozen. Baked custards include bread pudding, flan, and cheesecake, and are prepared by baking in an oven or water bath. Boiled Custards include beverages like eggnog. Puddings, creme anglaise (krem on-GLAYZ), and pastry cream are some examples of stirred custards.
How to thicken custard without cornstarch? ›
You can achieve a thicker consistency in your custard by using egg yolks. They contain natural emulsifiers that help to bind and thicken the mixture.
What ingredient is used to thicken custard? ›
For a thick, hot custard you need to add cornflour (cornstarch) as a thickener. The custard needs to come up to boiling point to thicken and to loose the taste of the uncooked starch, but the cornflour stabilizes the egg yolks so that they can tolerate higher temperatures without scrambling.
Is instant pudding same as custard? ›
Custards are of two types—stirred or baked. They are used as desserts, sauces, bases for other desserts, and some savory dishes, such as a quiche or a frittata. Pudding is a creamy dessert or filling made from eggs, milk, sugar, flavorings, and a thick- ener (such as cornstarch or gelatin).
Is instant vanilla pudding the same as custard powder? ›
While most custard and pudding recipes both typically call for eggs, the main difference is that pudding uses a starch for thickening, whereas custard's thickening agent is the egg itself (or egg yolk, in most instances). Custard's texture also tends to be firmer than pudding.
What is custard powder called in the USA? ›
Bird's Custard is the brand name for the original powdered, egg-free imitation custard powder, now owned by Premier Foods. Custard powder and instant custard powder are the generic product names for similar and competing products.
What are the mistakes when making custard? ›
If you use a recipe for the wrong type of custard, you might be unhappy with the results. Then, there are all the ways that you can curdle, split, or burn your custard, such as adding the eggs too quickly, failing to mix starches through properly, and not stirring custards constantly.
Hormel Vital Cuisine® Instant Custard Mix is available in regular and reduced calorie options. They are tasty enough to be served to all residents and fulfill the diet requirement for your low calorie, diabetic and fat restricted diets.
How to make custard without scrambling? ›
I usually use a ladle, and just drip a thin stream into the eggs. Two ladles bring the eggs up to temperature, and then I add the rest of the milk all at once, and return the pan to the heat, stirring constantly until it reaches a good consistency..
What's the difference between pudding and custard? ›
Custards are milk or cream-based and are typically firmer than pudding. Moreover, custard usually has to be baked with a water bath. The main difference between the two desserts lies in the use of eggs. Pudding involves cornstarch or flour as a thickener, while custard uses eggs as its secret weapon.
How do you fix runny custard filling? ›
One way to combat a custard that will not set is to reboil it. If you thought your custard was thickening up, and then refrigerated it to let it set, only to find that it had thinned out, simply pour the custard base back into a pot and cook it more (via Crafty Baking).
How do you stop watery custard? ›
Whole eggs, as opposed to just egg yolks, will also give you a firmer texture. If you are really concerned, you could add a teaspoon of flour to the ingredients to help firm up the custard's texture.
How do you thicken ready bought custard? ›
To thicken your custard, place your store-bought custard in a medium saucepan with the vanilla bean paste. In a separate bowl, combine cornflour with 1tbsp water, and mix until well-combined. Add to the custard, and simmer for a few minutes until thickened.
Can you thicken custard after it's cooked? ›
mix a small amount of powder with a little bit of milk and mix it in quick. or start again. i just put in a bit more powder, didnt seem to do much so boiled it again in the microwave and it is saved! The key to thickening it is to add in more powder (as a paste or you will get lumps) stir well and re-heat.
