Custard

Custard is a classic when it comes to filled desserts. Here is the original recipe (with a bit of history) and the most famous variations.

Custard is one of the basic pastry recipes . Used to fill tarts, cream puffs and cannoncini, it is capable of making everyone agree. If you then add the fact that it is easily customizable not only based on tastes, varying the aroma, but also to satisfy different dietary needs, then it really has no rivals.

For over 300 years the custard recipe has remained unchanged. So get the four basic ingredients to prepare it, which have been the same since the dawn of time, and dedicate yourself to this simple preparation. Trust me, it has nothing to do with the ready-made ones. At the end of the procedure we will leave you all the most famous variations so that you can easily adapt it according to your needs.

• Recipe
• Advice
• Variants
• Conservation
• History

How to prepare the custard recipe

1. Preparing the custard is really very simple. First, put the milk with the lemon zest or vanilla in a saucepan. In this last case, divide the berry in half lengthwise, remove the seeds with the tip of the knife and place them together with the berry in the milk. Heat everything until it comes to the boil.
2. In a separate saucepan, combine the egg yolks with the sugar and flour and mix with a whisk until you obtain a smooth cream.
3. When the milk is hot, pour it over the eggs, filtering it through a sieve.
4. Mix with the kitchen whisk and put everything back on the heat. Cook until the cream has thickened (about 10 minutes ).
5. Transfer to a bowl and cover with cling film . This trick is used to prevent skin from forming on the surface. Once cold you can use it in your recipes.

We also leave you a video where you can see all the steps and the final consistency you need to achieve.

Extra tips for a perfect custard

As you can see, the recipe is really simple but we are about to reveal some tricks to achieve perfection. For example, to obtain a nice bright yellow cream you can use yellow eggs , the ones usually used for fresh pasta.

If the cream forms a few lumps or loses its creaminess as it cools , blend it with an immersion blender for a few seconds: it will return as freshly made.

Custard: variations

In the introduction we talked to you about how simple it is to modify the recipe in order to obtain variations that adapt to various tastes as well as different diets. Staying on the subject of tastes, the most famous and delicious is the chocolate custard but trust me, even the pistachio one is no joke. We loved the coffee variant , also excellent to enjoy on its own.

Then there are those who don't like throwing egg whites or finding an alternative way to use them. Custard with whole eggs comes to their rescue, equally creamy and simple to make. For celiacs and intolerants, the gluten-free custard is a real godsend and in terms of taste it is identical to the original. It can be prepared with corn starch, rice starch or potato starch.

Without milk and eggs, vegan custard is the turning point for all those who have decided to follow this diet but absolutely don't want to give up this preparation.

Conservation

The custard will keep in the refrigerator for up to 4 days.

Origin and history

Custard has over 300 years of history. It was born in 1705 at the hands of the French chef Francois Massialot, born in 1660 in Limoges, France. Life led him to work at the courts of popes and prominent figures of society including the Duke of Orleans, brother of King Louis XIV.

It was precisely in 1705 that he published “Le Cuisinier Royal et Bourgeois” , considered one of the first culinary dictionaries in the world. And it is precisely in this volume that the recipe for the original and traditional custard is found.

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