Coconut Custard Recipe (from scratch) | Sugar Geek Show (2024)

FAQs

What makes custard grainy? ›

MAKING CUSTARD

Don't stir the sugar into the egg yolks too far in advance. It can 'cook' the yolks and cause them to go grainy.

When is it done? Baked custard should be removed from the oven (and water bath) before the center is completely set. The center will jiggle slightly when dish or cup is gently shaken. Custard will continue to “cook” after it's removed and center will firm up quickly.

Generally, a fully cooked custard should not exceed 80 °C (~175 °F); it begins setting at 70 °C (~160 °F).

The most common mistake people make in baking a custard is not putting enough water in the hot-water bath. The water should come up to the level of the custard inside the cups. You must protect your custard from the heat.

The secret to cooking stirred custard is to cook it in a large saucepan over medium-low heat. Stir constantly with a wooden spoon, until the custard thickens and coats the back of the spoon. Stirring distributes the heat so the custard doesn't become too hot, which can curdle it.

The custard will thicken though as it cools, so if you want a cold custard then please do look at the custard recipe in Nigella's Boozy British Trifle as this makes are relatively thick custard once it is chilled. For a thick, hot custard you need to add cornflour (cornstarch) as a thickener.

However, if they are overheated, too many bonds form and the proteins clump. To find a fix for lumps, we overcooked a simple custard to 205 degrees (the recommended temperature is 175 to 180 degrees), at which point it was full of large lumps. Rescuing the custard turned out to be a cinch with an immersion blender.

When adding eggs to the custard mixture, add them slowly while whisking continuously. This will help to prevent the eggs from curdling or scrambling. It is also important to temper the eggs before adding them to the custard mixture.

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.

If you've tried a few recipes and your custard is still runny, thicken your custard by increasing the stovetop cooking time (instead of adding a thickening agent). Follow your recipe stovetop cooking time, right up until the custard starts bubbling.

Should eggs be room temperature for making custard? ›

Most older recipes instruct you to scald the milk before adding it to the eggs. That's not really necessary. However, the eggs should be at room temperature.

Overbaked custard can lead to an eggy flavor and rubbery consistency. Make sure to bake the custard pie until slightly jiggly in the center. It will continue to set as it cools.

Here's how to know when custard pie is ready. The filling is set around the edges. The center is jiggly, but not liquidy. An instant-read thermometer inserted in the center registers about 180°F.

Think of it this way: poor pie dough wouldn't stand a chance (aka be a soggy mess) with a custard filling if we don't give it a head start. Hence why we pre-bake, because custard pies are too delicious to have soggy bottoms.

If you notice lumps beginning to form in a custard, immediately pour it out of the hot pot into a bowl and pulse it with a handheld blender in five-second intervals until it is nearly smooth. This can take from 15 to 45 seconds, depending on how big the lumps are.

The first option is to mix two tablespoons of flour with four tablespoons of cold water for every cup of custard you've made. Mix the flour into the water well, then whisk it into your custard mixture as it cooks on the stove.

Stirred custards are also prepared on the stovetop, but because they are made with just eggs and/or yolks, they do not need to come to a boil. Actually, bringing them to a full boil can cause the mixture to curdle, resulting in a lumpy, eggy-tasting mixture instead of a thick, silky-smooth custard.

If the custard is heated beyond that point, the egg proteins lose their structure and can no longer retain the liquid. Consequently, a baked custard like crème caramel will appear curdled and runny, while a stirred custard sauce like Crème Anglaise may contain bits of scrambled egg.