27 Custard Recipes, From Caramel Flan to Thick-Crust Quiche
Much like love, custard is a multifaceted custard that’s sure to melt your heart. Poured, sliced, or spooned, its lush richness is thanks to the presence of egg, which by definition is what’s used to thicken it. Most custards tend to be dairy-based—think dessert classics like flan, baked cheesecake, and French ice cream—but they can also be made with ingredients like juice, broth, or wine. Sweet or savory, they’re stirred together on the stovetop, baked, or steamed. Whether you’re looking to serve a grand quiche for brunch or an elegant crème caramel for dessert, here are some of our favorite custard recipes that will have you smitten.
Bunet (Chocolate Caramel Cream with Amaretti)
Also known as bonet, bunet is a delicious custard that originated in Piedmont, Italy. Amaretti biscuits enhance the almond flavor of the pudding while adding a delicious crunch to this silky dessert.
Strawberry Cake
Vanilla mousseline cream, a pastry cream topped with a generous amount of butter, is the star of this hit French dish. Accompanied by a moist sponge cake, it’s the perfect complement to sun-ripened strawberries.
Creme brulee
With its crunchy caramel topping, the classic French crème brûlée is the richest of all custards. The moment the spoon cracks the top to expose the creamy custard is our favorite part of enjoying this decadent dessert.
Turmeric Raspberry Cream Tart
Bright red raspberries add a hint of tart and sweet flavor to this silky, creamy tart. A pinch of black pepper adds a sweet salty note, while turmeric tints the filling a vibrant golden hue.
Mushroom Quiche to Excess
“I love quiche, but it has to be several inches high and well-made,” says chef Thomas Keller of the quintessential savory custard dish. This extravagant, deep-dish version, adapted from a recipe by his Cork A cookbook might just be the perfect example.
Citrus Rice Cakes (Italian Citrus Rice Cream)
As this sweet Tuscan rice dessert cooks, it separates into two layers: the top turns into a delicate, barely set custard, and the bottom turns into a firmer layer dotted with fluffy arborio rice.
Quindim (Brazilian Coconut Egg Custards)
These Brazilian treats feature a rich custard and a chewy coconut crust, both made from a single dough. The macaron-like crust is formed when the shredded coconut floats and browns during baking; once cooled, the desserts are inverted, revealing the shiny, glowing custard layer.
Bougatsa
Decadent and creamy, traditional Greek bougatsa is made by baking together layers of flaky phyllo dough and velvety custard. Chef Nasim Alikhani gives it a Persian twist by flavoring it with rose water, saffron and cardamom instead of the usual cinnamon.
Gyeranjjim (Korean steamed eggs)
Gyeranjjim is a savory steamed custard, usually served as a side dish. Fluffy and luxurious, the eggs are infused with a savory broth and topped with all sorts of optional garnishes, such as a drizzle of toasted sesame oil or hot chili oil, or a sprinkle of scallions, sesame seeds, or cod roe.
Roasted Strawberry and Vanilla Ice Cream
According to chef Fany Gerson, the key to French ice cream is making a custard base so good you can eat it without freezing it. That’s definitely true of Gerson’s homage to strawberries and cream: frozen, they transform into a thick, silky ice cream.
Banana Pudding Pie
Sliced bananas are layered over rich vanilla custard and a creamy crown of fresh whipped cream, all on a buttery crust of toasted macadamias and crushed vanilla wafers.
Kielbasa, Apple and Onion Strata with Mornay Sauce
Cubed country bread gets soaked in a savory, mustard-tinged custard before being tossed with smoky kielbasa, tart apples, and nutty Gouda, then baked to breakfast perfection. Take it a step further and make a delicious cheese sauce to pour over the top.
Frozen Citrus Soufflé
Pastry chef Michael Werrell layers silky lemon pastry cream with orange zest-infused whipped cream and tangy lemon curd to make these whimsical no-bake soufflés.
Guava Cheese Bread Pudding
Pastry chef Paola Velez celebrates the guava-cheese duo in this recipe for budin de pan, which was the brainchild of her husband’s 101-year-old grandmother. She uses excess evaporated milk for a sumptuous custard that soaks into the cubes of sourdough bread.
Morello cherry tart with almond frangipane
This irresistible tart takes full advantage of the affinity between tart cherries and rich almond custard. A sprinkling of toasted almonds on top adds a welcome crunch. Serve with French vanilla ice cream for double the custard deliciousness.
Chess Pie
You’ll only need basic pantry staples for this classic Southern dessert, a simple but decadent custard pie made with humble ingredients like eggs, milk, butter, sugar, and vanilla. Yellow cornmeal gives the filling some texture and helps create the pie’s crunchy top layer; a subtle hint of lemon balances the sweetness.
Cornmeal Cake with Sabayon and Candied Kumquats
In this bright trifle, layers of crumbly cornmeal cake and tangy citrus float atop rippling waves of barely alcoholic sabayon, a sweet wine custard. Crispy peaks of toasted Italian meringue crown the top.
Basque cheesecake
Baked cheesecakes fall into the category of custards; this extra-creamy one doesn’t require a bain-marie and comes out of the oven with a dark, deeply caramelized top.
Lemon Meringue Pie with Marcona Shortbread Crust
“I love lemon pie so much that I want the bright, sunny flavor of lemon to shine through even more,” cookbook author Ann Taylor Pittman says of the dessert’s extra-tart lemon curd. “It’s decidedly lemony, but not overly so, and it’s balanced by the fluffy meringue topping, which has the perfect sweetness and density to complement the tarter-than-usual filling.”
Pumpkin Pecan Cream Pie
Chef Joanne Chang’s tart cuts beautifully to reveal not one, but two custard fillings: lightly spiced pumpkin and gooey, syrupy pecans.
Floating Islands with Dark Chocolate Custard and Roasted Pistachios
A pool of rich, deep chocolate custard sauce contrasts beautifully with light, airy meringue “islands” and crunchy pistachios for this sensual French dessert.
Burnt Caramel Flan
Let the caramel sauce in this vanilla-tinged flan darken for a slight bitterness that contrasts with the dense, sweet custard. For a Cuban twist, top the flan with rum whipped cream.
Chawanmushi
Infused with umami-rich dashi and soy, these incredibly silky chawanmushi cook in a bain-marie like crème brûlée. They make a lovely starter with a drizzle of yuzu ponzu and a garnish of fresh crab or marinated crab.
Salted Caramel Cream Puffs with Hot Chocolate Sauce
Pastry chef David Lebovitz fills his irresistible cream puffs with sea salt-tinged caramel cream and tops them with a lush chocolate sauce.
Creamy Salted Caramel Pudding
Thickened with egg yolks and cornstarch, this rich caramel custard is considered a stovetop custard. Whipped cream and caramel crumbs make the perfect topping.
Acorn Squash with Coconut Cream
Excellent chef Winner and host Kristen Kish enhances her roasted acorn squash with an extravagant coconut custard that balances the dish’s earthy sweetness. The custard will set as it cools and slices beautifully at room temperature.
Natilla (creamy egg custard)
A direct descendant of Spanish crema catalana, this natilla recipe from Cuban culinary expert Lourdes Castro is a rich, creamy egg custard made without the crunchy sugar topping. It’s sweet, thick, comforting, and perfect for entertaining because it can be made ahead of time.
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