We are independent & ad-supported. We may earn a commission for purchases made through our links.

Advertiser Disclosure

Our website is an independent, advertising-supported platform. We provide our content free of charge to our readers, and to keep it that way, we rely on revenue generated through advertisements and affiliate partnerships. This means that when you click on certain links on our site and make a purchase, we may earn a commission. Learn more.

How We Make Money

We sustain our operations through affiliate commissions and advertising. If you click on an affiliate link and make a purchase, we may receive a commission from the merchant at no additional cost to you. We also display advertisements on our website, which help generate revenue to support our work and keep our content free for readers. Our editorial team operates independently from our advertising and affiliate partnerships to ensure that our content remains unbiased and focused on providing you with the best information and recommendations based on thorough research and honest evaluations. To remain transparent, we’ve provided a list of our current affiliate partners here.

What is Custard?

Tricia Christensen
By
Updated May 16, 2024
Our promise to you
DelightedCooking is dedicated to creating trustworthy, high-quality content that always prioritizes transparency, integrity, and inclusivity above all else. Our ensure that our content creation and review process includes rigorous fact-checking, evidence-based, and continual updates to ensure accuracy and reliability.

Our Promise to you

Founded in 2002, our company has been a trusted resource for readers seeking informative and engaging content. Our dedication to quality remains unwavering—and will never change. We follow a strict editorial policy, ensuring that our content is authored by highly qualified professionals and edited by subject matter experts. This guarantees that everything we publish is objective, accurate, and trustworthy.

Over the years, we've refined our approach to cover a wide range of topics, providing readers with reliable and practical advice to enhance their knowledge and skills. That's why millions of readers turn to us each year. Join us in celebrating the joy of learning, guided by standards you can trust.

Editorial Standards

At DelightedCooking, we are committed to creating content that you can trust. Our editorial process is designed to ensure that every piece of content we publish is accurate, reliable, and informative.

Our team of experienced writers and editors follows a strict set of guidelines to ensure the highest quality content. We conduct thorough research, fact-check all information, and rely on credible sources to back up our claims. Our content is reviewed by subject matter experts to ensure accuracy and clarity.

We believe in transparency and maintain editorial independence from our advertisers. Our team does not receive direct compensation from advertisers, allowing us to create unbiased content that prioritizes your interests.

Custard is a traditional dessert in Europe. It differs from pudding in that it is thickened with eggs. It also forms the basis for gelato, and may be used as a thin sauce. A custard-type base is also used to make French toast, or to make egg dishes like quiche.

This dessert is typically cooked over a double boiler. It may be additionally thickened with cornstarch or with gelatin. The French distinguish custard made with such thickeners as separate from that made with no thickener.

Once the milk is thoroughly heated, the eggs are added in a very tricky process. They must be added one at a time so they do not “cook” in the hot milk mixture. If this process is done properly, the custard will have a smooth texture. Depending upon the amount of eggs added and additional thickening agents, the final product may be fairly firm, or it can be thin. A vanilla custard sauce makes a delicious and rich topping for desserts.

Milk products used in custard are usually cream or half-and-half. Lower fat milk tends not to provide much thickness as the milk heats. If using lower fat milk, it is advisable to use cornstarch as a thickener as well as eggs.

Typical custard varieties include either Blancmange or vanilla, and pots de crème, a thick chocolate custard. One delicious form is crème caramel, which is baked. It has a layer of sugar that is burned to give a crunchy bottom to the dish. Italian cream is another baked type without the caramel sugar layer.

One baked variety quite familiar to the US palate is pumpkin pie. Often Americans make no distinction between pudding and custard. Early American recipes called any type in a pie shell a pudding in a paste. Today, combining an already prepared custard with a pre-baked pie shell makes many pies. Chocolate custard pie, and banana cream pie are both made in this manner.

One can also buy instant puddings and custards. Gourmets, however, tend to prefer the homemade variety as it yields a fresher taste.

DelightedCooking is dedicated to providing accurate and trustworthy information. We carefully select reputable sources and employ a rigorous fact-checking process to maintain the highest standards. To learn more about our commitment to accuracy, read our editorial process.
Tricia Christensen
By Tricia Christensen , Writer
With a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and years of experience as a DelightedCooking contributor, Tricia Christensen is based in Northern California and brings a wealth of knowledge and passion to her writing. Her wide-ranging interests include reading, writing, medicine, art, film, history, politics, ethics, and religion, all of which she incorporates into her informative articles. Tricia is currently working on her first novel.

Discussion Comments

By sinefey — On Dec 27, 2009

Flan is a Mexican type of custard. Instead of a crunchy caramel it has a creamy caramel "sauce" that is poured over it after it's taken out of the baking dish.

Tricia Christensen

Tricia Christensen

Writer

With a Literature degree from Sonoma State University and years of experience as a DelightedCooking contributor, Tricia...
Read more
DelightedCooking, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.

DelightedCooking, in your inbox

Our latest articles, guides, and more, delivered daily.