Classic egg custard has remained relatively unchanged since it made its culinary debut somewhere during the Middle Ages. A simple concoction of eggs, milk, sugar and flavoring, custard is often passed over for one of its fancier cousins, such as flan, panna cotta or creme brulee. Although eggs are a good-for-you food that are low-calorie and filled with protein, one egg contains almost 5 g of fat. Add sugar to that, and you have a smooth and silky dessert that packs almost 150 calories and 7 g of fat in a 1/2-cup serving, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture.
Step 1
Preheat the oven to 325 F.
Step 2
Crack the eggs into a medium bowl, and beat them lightly with a fork or whisk.
Step 3
Add the milk, sugar, vanilla and salt to the eggs, and stir to combine them.
Step 4
Place the casserole dish in the baking or roasting pan. Add the egg mixture to the casserole dish, and sprinkle nutmeg over the top. Pour boiling water into the baking or roasting pan so that it surrounds the casserole dish to a minimum depth of 1 inch.
Step 5
Place the pan in the preheated oven and cook the custard for roughly 60 minutes. Insert a knife into the center of the custard to check for doneness. The knife will come out clean if the custard is fully cooked. Serve the egg custard warm, or allow it to cool and chill in the refrigerator.
Tips and Warnings
- For individual custards, pour the mixture into eight individual ramekins and cook for 30 to 40 minutes. For a fancy presentation, run a knife around the edges of the ramekin after chilling the custard, and invert the custards onto individual dessert plates. For a different taste, add some coconut to the custard and bake in a pie shell for a classic coconut custard pie. Celebrity chef Sandra Lee uses a graham cracker crust for her custard pie, and she tops it with fresh berries for a bit of added flavor.
- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's medical epidemiologist, Dr. Shua Chai cautions that eggs often contain salmonella bacteria that can cause severe illness. Refrigerate eggs promptly to prevent the bacteria from multiplying and always cook eggs thoroughly before serving.
Things You'll Need
- Medium bowl
- 6 eggs
- 3 cups milk
- 3/4 cup granulated sugar
- 1.5 tsp. vanilla
- 1/4 tsp. salt
- 1.5 qt. glass or ceramic casserole dish
- Large baking or roasting pan
- Nutmeg
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