Learn how to make creamy, smooth, and thick custard at home with simple ingredients and a super-easy recipe that will beat any store-bought custard. Perfect for filling eclairs and donuts, and to use in trifles.
There is nothing quite like a creamy, delicious custard. Whether you’re enjoying it in a trifle, a donut, or a creme brulee, or just eating it by the spoonful, it provides the kind of comforting and nostalgic flavor that’s hard to match.
And while there is a “shortcut” method to make custard using store-bought powder, nothing matches the taste and texture of homemade custard. And it’s not even hard to make!
A few simple ingredients and a relatively easy technique – with this recipe, you can create the best thick custard right at home in a few minutes.
Let’s get into the recipe.
Custard vs. Pastry Cream – are they the same thing?
Yes and no. There are many variations of custard that originally come from French pastry techniques like Crème Diplomat, Crèmeux, Crème Moussaline, and Bavarois. They are all made with an egg and milk base, but vary in textures.
In layman’s terms, all of these are usually referred to as just custard, but technically, they are all different. Generally, the term custard is used to describe the thick, creamy version that’s often used in Western desserts, but its real name is Creme Patisserie or Pastry Cream.
In this recipe, we will be learning how to make Pastry Cream or thick custard. So in this context, yes, custard and pastry cream are the same thing.
How to make Homemade Custard or Pastry Cream
Custard is one of the easiest things you can make at home, and it requires less than 15 minutes. The recipe is simple and easy to follow, but there are a few techniques that come into play. Let’s go through each step in detail to make the process easier.
- Heat the milk and vanilla: Pour the milk and vanilla into a saucepan and let it come to a simmer. Do not let it boil or form a film on top. The vanilla in the milk helps flavor the custard, so for maximum flavor, use a vanilla bean or high-quality vanilla extract.
- Whisk the egg yolks, sugar, and cornflour: While the milk heats, add the egg yolks, sugar, and cornflour in a bowl and whisk. Initially, the mixture will be thick and hard to mix, but after a few minutes, it will become pale, creamy, and runny.
- Temper the eggs: Once the milk has come to temperature, carefully pour it over the egg mixture while whisking continuously. This process is known as tempering the eggs, and it allows the eggs to get used to the heat of the milk so that they don’t scramble from the heat while being cooked.
- Place the mixture back on the heat: Once the eggs are tempered, pour the mixture back into the saucepan and place it on medium-low heat. Do not increase the heat at any point of cooking, as the eggs can scramble.
- Cook the custard: This is the most crucial step of the process. During the cooking process, we want to activate the starch in the cornflour to thicken the custard without scrambling the eggs. To make sure that the eggs don’t scramble, keep mixing the custard continuously while it’s cooking. Start by mixing with a silicone spatula, as it will allow you to reach all corners of the saucepan. If you use a whisk, the corners will not get mixed properly, and the egg will start to set in those places. After 1-2 minutes of mixing, the custard will start to set in places, which means that the starch in the cornflour is activated. At this point, immediately switch to a whisk and mix continuously to smooth the custard out. It should thicken immediately. Cook for 60-90 seconds until it has thickened enough to coat the back of a spoon. Do not cook it for longer, or it will become too thick and gloopy. The custard will also thicken further as it cools down.
- Add the butter: Take the custard off the heat, add the butter, and whisk until fully combined.
- Set in the fridge: Place the custard in a bowl and cover it tightly with cling film, making sure it’s touching the surface of the custard to stop a milk film from forming on top. Let it chill in the fridge for 2-3 hours before using. If you are using it for a trifle, you can add the custard layer before chilling to your trifle dish and let it set with the other layers.
- Ready to use: Give the custard a good whisk before using to smooth it out, and use as required.
Need custard recipe ideas? Give these a try!
Tips & Tricks for making Custard
- Heat the milk gently: Bring the milk just to a light simmer, not a boil. Boiling can cause a skin to form on the surface and may affect the final texture of the custard. If a skin does form, remove it before using the milk.
- Vanilla matters: Since vanilla is the primary flavour, using a vanilla bean or a good-quality vanilla extract will noticeably improve the taste of the custard. Adding the vanilla to the milk allows the flavour to infuse as it heats.
- Whisk the egg mixture thoroughly: When you first combine the egg yolks, sugar, and cornflour, the mixture will be thick and difficult to mix. Keep whisking until it becomes pale, smooth, and runny—this ensures the sugar is fully dissolved and prevents graininess later.
- Temper the eggs slowly: Always pour the hot milk into the egg mixture gradually while whisking constantly. This step gently warms the eggs so they don’t cook too quickly and turn into scrambled eggs when heated.
- Never increase the heat: Custard should always be cooked over low to medium-low heat. Turning up the heat to speed things up can cause the eggs to curdle and ruin the texture.
- Stir constantly while cooking: Continuous stirring is essential to prevent the eggs from setting unevenly. Use a silicone spatula at the start so you can reach the corners and bottom of the saucepan, where custard tends to cook faster.
- Know when to switch tools: As the custard begins to thicken and set in places, switch from a spatula to a whisk. This helps smooth out the custard quickly once the cornflour activates.
- Watch the thickening closely: Once thickening starts, the custard will come together very quickly. Cook it only until it coats the back of a spoon, usually within 60–90 seconds. Cooking it longer can make it overly thick and gluey.
- Remember it thickens as it cools: The custard will continue to firm up after it comes off the heat, so avoid cooking it to its final thickness on the stove.
- Add butter off the heat: Stirring in the butter once the custard is removed from the heat adds richness and helps create a smooth, glossy finish.
- Prevent a skin from forming: Press cling film directly onto the surface of the custard before chilling. This stops a milk film from developing on top.
- Chilling and usage: Let the custard chill for 2–3 hours before using. If you’re assembling a trifle, you can pour the custard directly into the dish and chill it with the other layers.
- Whisk before serving: Custard can firm up slightly in the fridge. A quick whisk before using will loosen it and restore a smooth, creamy texture.
- Troubleshooting tip: If the custard is too thick after chilling, mix 1-2 tbsps of warm milk and whisk to soften it.
Once you make homemade custard, you will never go back to the store-bought powder kind. Trust me, it’s just that much better. And once you know what to look out for during the process, you will be able to make custard with your eyes closed.
Ready to get started? Let’s go!
PS: I always measure ingredients in grams, never in cups. Using a measuring scale is the only way to bake accurately. Cups are unreliable and can give different measurements, so I suggest you buy a measuring scale before you start baking! If you can’t get your hands on one, you can use the online tools for converting grams into cups; however, I do not guarantee their accuracy.
Easy Homemade Custard (Pastry Cream)
Equipment
- Saucepan
- Hand whisk
- Silicone spatula
- Cling film
Ingredients
- 100 grams egg yolks about 5
- 120 grams granulated white sugar
- 50 grams cornflour/cornstarch
- 500 ml full-fat milk
- 2 tsp vanilla essence or 1 vanilla pod
- 50 grams unsalted butter
Instructions
- Add the milk and vanilla to a saucepan and gently heat until it just starts to steam and lightly simmers. Do not let it boil or develop a skin on top.
- In a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, sugar, and cornflour. The mixture will look thick at first, but will loosen and turn pale and smooth as you keep whisking.
- Temper the eggs by pouring the hot milk into the egg mixture while whisking constantly.
- Pour the combined mixture back into the saucepan and place it over low to medium-low heat. Keep the heat gentle at all times.
- Stir continuously using a silicone spatula, making sure to scrape the bottom and sides of the pan. After a minute or two, the custard will begin to thicken.
- Once it starts to set, switch to a whisk and whisk continuously until the custard becomes smooth and thick. Cook for about 1 minute, or until it coats the back of a spoon.
- Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter until fully melted and incorporated.
- Transfer the custard to a bowl and cover tightly with cling film, pressing it directly onto the surface. Chill in the fridge for 2-3 hours before using.
- Give the custard a quick whisk to loosen it and make it smooth before using.
Notes
If you give this recipe a try, don’t forget to let me know how you liked it in the comments. And of course, share it with me on Instagram!
Until next time!
