Homemade Vanilla Custard – Spend With Pennies

I truly love vanilla custard for its delicate texture and light vanilla flavor. Best of all, it’s easy to master!

Make this sweet, thick, and velvety rich custard with egg yolks, milk and cream, butter, sugar, and some vanilla. Serve it on its own or add it to all kinds of recipes as an ingredient, a sauce, or a topper!

What is Vanilla Custard?

Vanilla custard is a pudding-like dish that can be enjoyed on its own, layered in cakes, or dolloped onto fruit desserts or pastries. While pudding is thickened with starch, a true custard uses cornstarch and extra egg yolks, giving it that sweet, rich flavor.

• This recipe uses simple ingredients that are probably already in the pantry and fridge!
• Easy to master, vanilla custard up-levels everything from waffles to gingerbread to fruit desserts like this cranberry trifle recipe.
• Turn vanilla custard into ice cream by freezing it for about 3 hours, whisking it every 30 minutes to keep it aerated.

Ingredients

DAIRY: The best custard is made from fresh eggs, milk, cream, butter, and sugar. Use large eggs, whole milk, and full-fat cream and butter for best results.

FLAVORINGS: Real vanilla beans can be used by scraping out the tiny beans from inside the pod and adding them in Step 4. Rum, maple, coconut, lemon, or banana extracts will add more flavor to pies, tarts, and other desserts.

How to Make Vanilla Custard

A thick and creamy custard is easy to make:

1. Whisk cornstarch & sugar in a pan before heating (per recipe below).
2. Add egg yolks, milk, & cream.
3. Bring to medium heat, whisking for about 15 minutes.
4. Allow to boil for one minute while whisking.
5. Remove from heat & stir in butter & vanilla.
6. Cover the surface of the custard with a piece of plastic wrap & place in the refrigerator to cool at least 2 hours.

Tips

• Mix the ingredients before heating.
• Heat over a low gentle heat, this keeps the custard smooth without “scrambling” the eggs.
• Whisk while it cooks or the milk can burn and the mixture won’t be smooth.
• Once cooked, ensure the plastic wrap rests on the surface of the custard as it cools. This keeps a skin form forming.
• Custard will thicken slightly as it cools.

Storing Custard

Keep vanilla custard in the refrigerator for up to 5 days with a piece of plastic wrap directly spread across the top to avoid a crust from forming. Vanilla custard can be frozen in a zippered bag for up to 2 weeks, however, once it’s thawed it won’t have the same consistency and would be better used mixed into a shake or smoothie. Or add some orange juice and make a grownup spiked creamsicle.

What Does Vanilla Custard Go With?

What do you serve with Vanilla Custard? Leave us a comment below!