Fabulous Fail-Proof Fruit Custard Recipe (2024)

FAQs

What are common mistakes with making custard? ›

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.

Rescuing the custard turned out to be a cinch with an immersion blender. A quick buzz effectively broke down the clumps, restoring a perfectly creamy texture (which didn't break when we refrigerated the fixed custard).

One thing you need to ensure is not to add too many fruits with high water content (watermelon, musk melon, sun melon and the likes), as they might make the Fruit Custard too watery.

The knife test: Test for doneness with a thin-bladed knife. Insert knife about 1 inch from the center of a one-dish custard; midway between center and edge of cups. If knife is clean when pulled out, the custard is done. If any custard clings to the blade, bake a few minutes longer and test again.

A low temperature and constant stirring are important to prevent the custard from curdling. Nigella also suggests that you half fill the sink with cold water so that if it looks as if the custard is starting to curdle you can dip the base of the pan into the water and whisk vigorously, to cool the custard quickly.

However if the proteins are overcooked, either by using a temperature that is too high or just cooking for too long, then the proteins will come together so tightly that they will start to squeeze out water and this causes the weeping in an egg custard (or the scientific term for this is syneresis).

Overheating the custard can cause it to curdle or separate. To prevent this, cook the custard over low heat, stirring constantly until it thickens. Do not let the custard boil. When adding eggs to the custard mixture, add them slowly while whisking continuously.

Curdling. Sweet custards (without starch) typically thicken between 160°F – 180°F / 71°C – 82°C , which is a bit below the boiling point of 212°F / 100°C milk or water. If the custard is heated beyond that point, the egg proteins lose their structure and can no longer retain the liquid.

More Tips for Best Fruit Custard

Adding pineapple can make the fruit custard taste bitter. You can also enjoy custard as is without adding any fruits. Milk: You can make the custard with both whole milk and almond milk.

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.

How do you know when the custard is the correct consistency? ›

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. Draw a finger across the back of the spoon and if it leaves a trail, your custard is ready.

Mix flour and cold water well, making sure the mixture is smooth. For 1 cup (240 mL) of custard, use 2 tablespoons (17 g) of flour mixed with 4 tablespoons (59 mL) of cold water. Add the mixture into your custard ingredients as they cook on the stove. Use cornstarch as an alternative to flour.

The custard is ready when you can draw a clean line through it on the back of a spoon, using your finger. Strain into a clean jug and serve hot or cold.

Custard is a decadent dessert made with eggs, milk, and sugar. Eggs are responsible for custard's thick and velvety texture, but some recipes (such as this one) call for thickeners such as cornstarch or arrowroot for extra richess.

Adding The Eggs To Your Custard Too Quickly

Make a misstep and you can easily be left with a scramble. To avoid this problem altogether, add the eggs to your milk or cream mixture slowly, and don't stop stirring. However, sometimes it's too late, and the mistake has already been made.

Custards can be tricky to get just right because you have to cook them since custard has eggs in it. If the custard is undercooked it might never set, while if you add the eggs without tempering them or while the mixture is too hot, you might end up with scrambled eggs.