The recipe I never asked for- Mom's Baked Egg Custard — Recipe Fiction (2024)

By Melinda 11 Comments

The recipe I never asked for- Mom's Baked Egg Custard — Recipe Fiction (2)

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The recipe I never asked for- Mom's Baked Egg Custard — Recipe Fiction (3)

Mom’s Baked Egg Custard: My Comfort Food

A few weeks ago I made a commitment to myself to get back to blogging. Shortly thereafter my mother had ‘routine’ heart surgery. Two days later I was holding my mother’s hand when that same heart stopped beating. And then it was my birthday. It seems impossible that I can be so unrelentingly sad and yet still not quite believe that she is gone. But each morning when I wake up and there is still no card from the one person in the world I could always count on to remember my birthday it sinks in a little bit more. And when I post new entries there will always be one less ‘like’ than there used to be because Mom was my biggest fan, my most loyal supporter, my sounding board, and my best friend. I am grateful for every moment we had.

It’s sort of funny that my last post was “Dad’s Eggs” because while he likes eggs just fine it was my mother that really loved them. The two comfort dishes I can conjure up from childhood are Swedish Pancakes and Custard. But because Mom decided several years ago that I was the better cook I never got the recipe for either. You don’t realize how many more questions you wanted to ask or how many more stories you wanted to hear until the teller is gone.

I know I have to get back to living and so I decided to start here with the custard my Mom made for me when I was sad, and sometimes when I was happy. The maple syrup bit is my own. We never had real maple syrup growing up- Mom would make the fake stuff with artificial maple flavoring and sugar water- and that is what I drenched my Swedish Pancakes in, the thick stuff in the bottle never seemed quite right.

This is for you Momma, I love you.

other Mom inspired comfort dishes you might like

Sunday Morning Swedish Pancakes

and Swedish Pancakes the sheet pan version for a lazy crowd

The recipe I never asked for- Mom's Baked Egg Custard — Recipe Fiction (4)
Custard, warm from the oven

The recipe I never asked for- Mom's Baked Egg Custard — Recipe Fiction (5)

Mom's Baked Egg Custard w/Real Maple Syrup

I don't have my Mother's recipe for baked egg custard but the result, adapted from Marilyn Eddy Siperek on SpicieFoodie.com, tastes like I remember. It helps that I still have the dish Mom always baked custard in, this blue pottery dish made by my Aunt Sally. So both dish and contents remind me of two of the most wonderful and generous women I have ever known- that's comfort food.

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Course Dessert, Gluten free

Cuisine American, Baking

Servings 10 servings

Ingredients

  • 6 eggs beaten
  • 1 cup sugar (225g )
  • 1 quart milk (946ml )
  • Dash of salt
  • 1 1/4 tsp vanilla
  • Nutmeg
  • 1 Tbsp or more Real Maple Syrup

Instructions

  • Preheat oven to 300.

  • Mix eggs and sugar together. Add milk, salt, and vanilla and mix. Pour into greased oven­safe casserole dish.

  • Shake or grate nutmeg so a light coating covers the mixture.

  • Place casserole dish into hot water bath. Bake for about 1 hour until a knife inserted into centre comes out clean.

  • Drizzle maple syrup over the top and broil for just a minute.

  • Serve warm, with more maple syrup if desired. It is also delicious the next day even if you are crying.

Notes

This dish bakes in a hot water bath. Choose an oven ­safe casserole dish and a larger pot that is large enough and deep enough to allow insertion of the casserole dish.

Tried this recipe?Mention @recipefiction or tag #recipefiction!

The recipe I never asked for- Mom's Baked Egg Custard — Recipe Fiction (6)

The recipe I never asked for- Mom's Baked Egg Custard — Recipe Fiction (7)

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. The recipe I never asked for- Mom's Baked Egg Custard — Recipe Fiction (8)Margaret says

    Thank you, Melinda. I’ll be making this soon. I never experienced Janet’s cooking, except the one time she came and made wonderful chiles rellenos at our house. That’s a dish I’ve never dared make at home and only order in restaurants. Maple extract in sugar syrup was the maple syrup of my childhood, too. I also treasure the Sally McC pottery pieces that we have–particularly a cookie jar with the Happy Birthday quote from Winnie the Pooh running around the edge: Hipy Papy Bthuthdth Bthuthdy. We keep quinoa in it, which seems fitting.

    Love, Margaret

    Reply

    • The recipe I never asked for- Mom's Baked Egg Custard — Recipe Fiction (9)Melinda says

      Mom was a better cook than she gave herself credit for. She gave me the casserole dish when she downsized and it’s been up on the shelf because I didn’t want to use it for just anything. But Mom didn’t believe in locking things away for special occasions.

      Reply

  2. The recipe I never asked for- Mom's Baked Egg Custard — Recipe Fiction (10)saramc says

    Thank you for this, and I know the heart break at losing your loyal supporter. I will send the swedish pancake recipe.

    Reply

    • The recipe I never asked for- Mom's Baked Egg Custard — Recipe Fiction (11)Melinda says

      Thanks and thanks for the recipe. Glad one side of the family kept it!

      Reply

  3. The recipe I never asked for- Mom's Baked Egg Custard — Recipe Fiction (12)anevolution says

    Awesome tribute to your mom. My heart breaks for you. Food evokes memories of my parents also. I never thought that maybe Why it was called comfort food. Sometimes it’s just a smell that brings me back to happy Sunday or any day really. Thanks for posting and sharing. *virtual hug*

    Reply

    • The recipe I never asked for- Mom's Baked Egg Custard — Recipe Fiction (13)Melinda says

      Thank you. I’m all about the comfort food right now. It’s a good thing that some of my comfort foods are actually good for me.

      Reply

  4. The recipe I never asked for- Mom's Baked Egg Custard — Recipe Fiction (14)Cheryl says

    Melinda, this is a beautiful tribute to your mom. I cannot yet believe she is gone either. I love custard, so when I have it I’ll think of her- like she’s sending comforting thoughts from afar. Hugs to you…

    Reply

    • The recipe I never asked for- Mom's Baked Egg Custard — Recipe Fiction (15)Melinda says

      Thank you Cheryl. I’m so glad you made it yesterday.

      Reply

  5. The recipe I never asked for- Mom's Baked Egg Custard — Recipe Fiction (16)Unknown says

    Hi Melinda…it was nice to meet you and to hear all the great things that were shared about your mom. She was a great person. Take Care and thank you for sharing.

    Reply

  6. The recipe I never asked for- Mom's Baked Egg Custard — Recipe Fiction (17)Esta Fish says

    Wow!! Love your blog, and after drying my eyes from your beautiful touching story, I can’t even begin to tell you how much I understand and know the pain you have from your loss. I cherish all the recipes my mother was so kind to leave me with her own handwriting, and now the ones I use the most are covered with years of splatters that make me smile, knowing they have been well used.
    You are a very special and wonderful lady, and I feel so blessed you are part of our family.
    Now to make the request for our thanksgiving dinner, I can’t wait to try the custard if you would like to do that.. My mouth is watering just thinking about it. My mom made this as it was a fave of my dads, and I loved it too. It is something I have only tried to make years ago, as I was the only one that liked it. Anyway great job with your site. We are so excited to see you and taste this wonderful dish and tribute to your mother.

    Reply

    • The recipe I never asked for- Mom's Baked Egg Custard — Recipe Fiction (18)recipefiction says

      Thanks for stopping by Esta. Of course I can make the custard for Thanksgiving. Excited to see you too.

      Reply

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The recipe I never asked for- Mom's Baked Egg Custard — Recipe Fiction (19)
The recipe I never asked for- Mom's Baked Egg Custard — Recipe Fiction (2024)

FAQs

Why does baked egg custard get watery? ›

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).

What's the difference between custard and egg custard? ›

Egg custard is a variation on cream custard. Egg custurd is a tick rich creamy sweet or savory dessert, made mixtures of eggs or egg yolks, milk or cream, flavorings (vanilla, nutmeg, etc.) and optionally, sweeteners (sugar, honey). Basic custards are thickened and set by eggs alone.

What is a good egg substitute for baked custard? ›

ARROWROOT POWDER OR CORNSTARCH

Starches like arrowroot powder and cornstarch are ideal egg substitutes for light, fluffy baked goods like mixed berry and almond cake, but can also work in custard, curd or pudding recipes that typically rely on eggs as a thickening agent.

What makes custard taste eggy? ›

But when you overcook a custard, suddenly the connection is very, very clear. A nasty eggy taste takes up residence and won't go away. That's likely the result of heat breaking down the protein components cysteine and methionine to release sulphur, says Crosby.

How do you tell when baked custard is done? ›

When is it done? Baked custard should be removed from the oven (and water bath) before the center is completely set. The center will jiggle slightly when dish or cup is gently shaken. Custard will continue to “cook” after it's removed and center will firm up quickly.

How do you keep baked egg custard from curdling? ›

By using the right ingredients, cooking the custard over low heat, adding the eggs slowly, straining the custard, cooling it properly, and refrigerating the filled tarts or tartlets, you can prevent your custard from curdling or weeping, and create a delicious dessert that everyone will love.

What are the 3 types of custard? ›

There are three types of custard: baked, stirred, and frozen. Baked custards include bread pudding, flan, and cheesecake, and are prepared by baking in an oven or water bath. Boiled Custards include beverages like eggnog. Puddings, creme anglaise (krem on-GLAYZ), and pastry cream are some examples of stirred custards.

Is egg custard healthy for you? ›

Obviously it depends on what kind of custard. They can be made super unhealthy or relatively harmless. But a basic unrefined custard, which is just eggs and milk (usually 1 egg to about half a cup milk) is much, much healthier than cream, which is 35% fat.

Is custard more unhealthy than ice cream? ›

Deciding what to serve with your pudding? Brands vary, but vanilla ice-cream typically has about 10 per cent more calories than custard, as well as twice the saturated fat, less protein and half the calcium and potassium.

Is creme brulee the same as egg custard? ›

Crème brûlée is a simple dessert consisting of egg yolks, cream, and sugar, making it rich in flavor and calories! Creme brulee and creme caramel are both classic French custards. They are the same in that they are both egg-based custards that consist of milk, sugar, and vanilla.

What is the difference between baked custard and custard? ›

Stirred custards are cooked in a saucepan until thick but still liquid in consistency, while baked custards are usually cooked in ovenproof dishes in a water bath or bain-marie until set.

What's the difference between egg pudding and egg custard? ›

While most custard and pudding recipes both typically call for eggs, the main difference is that pudding uses a starch for thickening, whereas custard's thickening agent is the egg itself (or egg yolk, in most instances). Custard's texture also tends to be firmer than pudding.

Why does my egg custard pie taste like scrambled eggs? ›

Why does my egg custard pie taste like scrambled eggs? Overbaked custard can lead to an eggy flavor and rubbery consistency. Make sure to bake the custard pie until slightly jiggly in the center.

Can you overcook egg custard? ›

Here's how to avoid one of the worst kitchen mishaps: overcooking. Egg-based puddings and custards can curdle if cooked beyond 185 degrees. We take crème anglaise off the heat when the mixture registers 175 to 180, but when making the base for ice cream we push the temperature to 180 to 185 for maximum thickness.

Why did my custard turn bitter? ›

Citrus fruits can cause the custard to get bitter, if left in for some time. Moreover, it is sometimes difficult to bite into fruits if they have been chilled along with the custard.

How do you keep custard from getting watery? ›

The greater the proportion of whole eggs or whites, the firmer and glossier the custard." Whole eggs, as opposed to just egg yolks, will also give you a firmer texture. If you are really concerned, you could add a teaspoon of flour to the ingredients to help firm up the custard's texture.

How do you stop watery custard? ›

The easy and sure way to thicken custard for trifle, tinned custard or homemade using powder, is, if it's tinned whisk in an egg yolk put it in a pan and bring to the boil whisking all the time. Keep whisking and boiling for 1 minute.

How do you keep custard pie from getting watery? ›

How do you keep a custard pie from getting watery? Custard pies may become watery if the eggs are not cooked all the way or evenly distributed over the mixture. To prevent this, make sure you beat your egg mixture very well and bake for as long as needed. Should you serve custard pie chilled?

At what temperature does egg custard thicken? ›

Generally, a fully cooked custard should not exceed 80 °C (~175 °F); it begins setting at 70 °C (~160 °F). A water bath slows heat transfer and makes it easier to remove the custard from the oven before it curdles.

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