[food] once more with custard

[kaberett]

By which I mean: I have now settled on a version I am unambiguously happy with, as of yesterday. I am still pretty pleased with myself.

170ml double cream
3 egg yolks (mixed weight)
1 tbsp sugar

Boil the dairy. (No, really.)

While that's happening, and then cooling down again, whisk together the yolks and sugar until it does the pale-and-foamy thing.

When the dairy has come back down off the boil and cooled a little, drizzle it into the yolk while stirring. Move bowl to act as the top half of a double boiler and heat very gently (I'm usually using the lowest flame on the smallest ring), stirring all the while, for 10-15 minutes. You can keep stirring for 5 minutes after turning the heat off, if you feel like it.

This thickens up to the point that it can be used for crème brûlée without further baking or similar. This quantity makes for 3 minimalist crème brûlée in standard supermarket-dessert ramekins, or probably two reasonable ones; it will try to act like it wants to form a pile in the middle of the ramekin rather than produce a smooth top, but this is a lie -- it is still fundamentally liquid and will settle down while chilling. Nonetheless it doesn't hurt to transfer to the ramekins before it's cooled down particularly.

The previous batch of custard was weirdly grainy after first heating, without actually tasting overcooked; on heating it gently a second time from the fridge the graininess went away. No idea what caused it, but the problem didn't recur, so...

eta didn't replicate on subsequent attempt either. NTS:
500ml double cream
9 egg yolks
3 tbsp sugar

serves 6 slightly generously

Comments

[onyxlynx]

Quiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiche.

(What I last did with custard. But yes, brulee.)

[kaberett]

... oh I don't bother with all this for quiche, I just beat egg and dairy together and pour it into the case to bake >>;

(I should perhaps learn how to do "proper" quiche at some point, but...)

[onyxlynx]

Ah. I learned to make quiche from an old Joy of Cooking, but I never did the canonical bacon on the bottom, so not proper, either. (Even so, my quiche was Heart Attack in a Slice, and I don't do it anymore.)

[davidgillon]

stirring all the while, for 10-15 minutes.

Arms start aching in sympathy.... (They weren't happy to start with, but they definitely went Eeeuuww! No thanks! ;) )

The previous batch of custard was weirdly grainy after first heating, without actually tasting overcooked; on heating it gently a second time from the fridge the graininess went away. No idea what caused it,

Sort of sounds like the sugar crystallized back out, then went back into solution when you reheated it.

[kaberett]

I mean, I say "stirring all the while", it's a gentle rather than vigorous poking!

Mmm, I don't think so? The graininess wasn't notably sweet, there was... not really that much sugar in it, and didn't feel quite like sugar? *chinhands*

[davidgillon]

Even the gentle poking would do me in, I really can't handle repetitive arm movements. (Not that you would have caught me stirring custard even when I could!).

And that was A Level chemistry brain talking about the sugar, I am conscious you're rather more qualified than I am WRT crystallization. (And cookery!)