'Speaking as someone who didn't go through the UK school system, with all the culinary baggage that entails, I am inordinately fond of custard in any shape or form.' - Yotam Ottolenghi on the rules of making custard Oh Yotam, I am hearing you! Custard is a favourite of mine too and perhaps that's because it was never shoved down my throat either. When I was small, my mother would indulge me with custard - both the baked and the pouring variety. Occasionally, on outings, we would call in to a bakery in the city and sit down and eat an egg custard tart together too. Custard tarts are one of my Peter's favourite treats and I've promised to bake one for him very soon, but for the moment (until I'm back on both feet at least), my baked custard will have to do. I for one could quite happily eat this until the cows come home, not that we have any cows, mind. Pity. 'I like this better than the watery one you make,' Peter noted when I made it earlier in the week. 'Which 'watery' one,' I replied. 'Do you mean junket,' I asked. 'Yes, I like this much better than junket,' he reaffirmed. 'Well junket is completely different to custard and secondly it's very low in fat, so I do like it a lot. But yes, I agree, this custard is totally yum too,' I added with a smile. BAKED VANILLA CUSTARD A LA LIZZY 6 fresh free range eggs, at room temperature 1/2 cup vanilla infused caster sugar* 4 cups milk* 2 vanilla beans, scraped or 4g ground vanilla bean powder* freshly grated nutmeg Preheat your oven to 180 degrees C. Break the eggs into a deep Pryex bowl and add the sugar, mix very gently with a balloon whisk until just combined (if you beat the mixture, you'll have air bubbles in your custard). Now combine the milk and the vanilla and heat gently, either in a saucepan on the stove top, or in the microwave. Take care not to allow the milk to boil, you're just warming it a little and allowing the beautiful vanilla flavour to infuse through it. Pour the warmed milk over the eggs and sugar and stir with a wooden spoon or fork. Pour the custard mixture into a deep six-cup ovenproof dish. Place the dish into a deep baking dish and pour hot (not boiling) water into the base of the baking dish to form a bain-marie. Next, place the dish with the custard into the baking dish. Make sure the water comes up to halfway point on your custard dish. Sprinkle freshly grated nutmeg evenly over the top of the custard and carefully transfer the tray to the oven. Bake for approximately 40 minutes or less, until a knife inserted into the custard comes out clean. Serve spooned into dessert bowls with poached fruit, or eat the custard as is. Refrigerate any leftovers and serve the following day. This quantity will serve six. * Notes: I use unrefined golden caster sugar and Heilala Vanilla ground vanilla bean powder. Full cream milk is best, but I use low fat A2. For a little extra decadence, replace 1/2 cup of the milk with some cream. Please respect my literary work and do not copy. Kindly ask permission before re-blogging and provide full acknowledgement to Bizzy Lizzy's Good Things with a visible link back to my original blog post. Fresh...Warm...Combine...Grate...Bake...Totally yum... Disclaimer: sincere thanks to the folks at World Kitchen for sending me a CorningWare etch square baker to play with, as well as the large Pyrex mixing bowl, both pictured here. These items will be treasured and well used in my kitchen. Tell me dear readers, do you like baked custard, or do you prefer junket? What's your ultimate comfort dessert in winter? And have you ever lobbed a custard pie at anyone?
Lizzy
30/6/2014 02:17:38 pm
Rosa, thank you very much, me too! 30/6/2014 01:23:29 am
I adore custard too Liz. Eggs, cream, vanilla and nutmeg... what's not to love?
Lizzy
30/6/2014 02:17:59 pm
Thanks Jennifer, it's the CorningWare etch... rather striking! And so functional!
Lizzy
30/6/2014 02:18:09 pm
Thanks Susan. Delicious too! 30/6/2014 09:48:28 am
Now that's comfort food. I did have British school custard forced on me and loathed it for years. But I have discovered that there is real custard and school custard. Very, very different things. This looks wonderful and Mr Glam would love it. GG
Lizzy
30/6/2014 02:18:36 pm
Hi Amanda... so true... though I have never really tasted school custard. Enjoy xo
Lizzy
30/6/2014 08:08:18 pm
Francesca, thank you... trust you are enjoying your trip!
Lizzy
30/6/2014 08:08:43 pm
Glenda, that's so true, and I'm with you... thanks for your kind words.
Lizzy
30/6/2014 08:08:59 pm
Oh me too, Maureen and it really IS! : ) 30/6/2014 06:49:06 pm
Men...baked, so good. Custard is one of the best things there is, surprises me every time how good it is...
Lizzy
30/6/2014 08:09:15 pm
I love those kinds of surprises Ela : ) 30/6/2014 07:29:42 pm
i love peter's comment on the 'watery' one. sounds like the kind of compliment my dad would give :-)
Lizzy
30/6/2014 08:09:37 pm
Hi Elizabeth, that made me smile... yes, you do need to try this. 30/6/2014 08:05:22 pm
This does look yummy Lizzy! My Nan would make baked custard, but she would aways cook it too high and it would split, so I never really liked it :( Your recipe looks much nicer and might just make me change my mind! x
Lizzy
30/6/2014 08:09:57 pm
Hi Becca, this one is a goodie... a keeper. Enjoy xo 30/6/2014 08:34:50 pm
What lovely proper custard! My husband would also like this in tart form too. Men. Can't leave well enough alone :-) I hope you are mending well and no too housebound.
Lizzy
1/7/2014 11:19:16 pm
Thanks Kellie and I know exactly what you mean! Yes, I am at this stage, but good news is that today my foot is not hurting! Little by little....
Lizzy
1/7/2014 11:19:33 pm
Hi Elizabeth, oh yes, do : )
Lizzy
1/7/2014 11:19:46 pm
Absolutely Mandy! xo 1/7/2014 12:01:08 am
Ahh - egg custard tarts are a favourite of my mother and I, too! Love anything custard. Lovely post, Lizzy!
Lizzy
1/7/2014 11:20:08 pm
Thank you Rachel! : ) 1/7/2014 03:29:35 am
Totally yum indeed! I have no bad childhood custard associations, so I love the stuff. This looks great. And it's not watery! :-)
Lizzy
1/7/2014 11:20:24 pm
LOL, John. : ) 4/7/2014 02:26:44 am
Liz - I love custard of any kind - baked, poured, panna cotta, etc. This is the ultimate "need my mommy" comfort food.
Lizzy
19/7/2014 12:39:27 pm
So true, David.
Lizzy
19/7/2014 12:39:39 pm
Oh Manu, so do I :) Comments are closed.
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Cooking and writing have been a lifelong passion. Join me as I share with you my favourite recipes; postcards and morsels from my travels; conversations with cookery writers and chefs; and news on food, cookbooks and cooking. - Liz Posmyk
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NB: I use Australian standard measuring cups and spoons in my recipes.
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