I’ve always enjoyed a delicious egg custard. Maybe because it reminds me of eggnog in solid form (does anyone else think eggnog should be available all year?Or it could be the surge of nostalgia that comes over me with the first bite. It’s the ideal treat, with a subtle sweetness and velvety texture. Wherever my love of custard comes from, there’s only one serious issue: I’ve never had much success cooking it myself. I’ve undercooked or curdled more custards than I’d like to admit.

My mother and grandma always made it look simple, and on paper it is. I resolved to put my failed attempts behind me and set out to find a foolproof egg custard recipe. And that’s exactly what we have for you today!Most custard recipes will have three major ingredients: eggs, milk, and sugar. We add some vanilla for flavor and salt to balance out the sweetness, but those components are more versatile.

Nutmeg is the usual custard topping (it really brings out the eggnog flavors), but cinnamon or other warm spices can also be utilized. With such simple components, the key to a successful custard is perfecting the technique for achieving that silky, even texture. The preparation is pretty simple; you only need to know a few things. Let’s go into them.

One of the most critical steps in creating custard is to heat the milk to the proper temperature. I prefer to cook the milk on the stovetop rather than in the microwave for easier monitoring, and I strongly advocate using a thermometer rather than eyeballing it. Bring the milk to an even 180 degrees Fahrenheit before slowly pouring it into the egg mixture and vigorously stirring.

If you’re concerned about fragments of cooked egg in your batter, pass it through a fine mesh strainer before transferring it to your baking dish.Keep an eye on your custard as it bakes, and when a knife comes out clean, remove it from the oven. It will continue to set as it cools, and there is nothing worse than curdled custard (after all of this effort). Follow the recipe closely and you’ll have a custard you’d be happy to present to Mom and Grandma! This custard recipe will never disappoint you, whether you’re sick or looking for an after-dinner treat.