Can you make custard without custard powder? (Proper custard)

squeaky

Hiya

We have an older thread on custard which I'll merge your question into. Since posts are listed in date order you'll need to read from the beginning to catch up with us all

Good luck

zar

In the River Cottage family cookbook HFW remarks that custard powder (i.e. birds) is just flavoured cornflour which is what makes the custard thick, but when you make "real custard" the egg yolks are the thickening agent, which is why it doesn't go as thick.

Now I like both, and I just wondered if anyone had ever tried making birds-style custard with cornflour and vanilla flavouring (and sugar of course). It sounds horrible but in theory you might be able to make your own custard powder, for when you don't have the time/4 egg yolks for the proper method??

Sherratthead

Can anybody tell me how to make custard...

I've seen it made on tv but it always looks really complicated, what with using vanilla pods and everything!

WOULD it be easier for me to just buy a tin of 'Birds' powder, or is there a simple, easy (and cheapish) way I can make it myself?

Jayne xxx

tootles_2

Ingredients:

3 eggs yolks
20 fluid ozs milk
25g (1oz) sugar
A few drops of vanilla essence

Method:

Separate eggs leave the whites to one side, beat eggs yolks.
Warm the milk in a saucepan but don’t boil.
Beat the eggs yolks and the milk together.
Pour the mix into a heat proof jug or basin, put to stand in a saucepan of hot water.
Place the saucepan back to the heat and keep stirring until the mixture thickens.
Make sure the heat isn’t too high to avoid curdling the custard.
Mix the sugar and a couple of drops of vanilla essence to the custard.

Use the egg whites to make meringues with, you can lightly beat them with a tiny bit of salt and freeze them to use later.

Sherratthead

gawd.... that looks ever so complicated!!!!!

But I will percivere with it and give it a go......

Bet I end up with most of it splashed around the kitchen!!

but thanks eversomuchly!

squeaky

Hiya

I've just added your post onto an older thread about making custards the proper way, so if the version you are trying now doesn't suit - there are others listed earlier in this thread.

Good luck

Ticklemouse

zar wrote:

In the River Cottage family cookbook HFW remarks that custard powder (i.e. birds) is just flavoured cornflour which is what makes the custard thick, but when you make "real custard" the egg yolks are the thickening agent, which is why it doesn't go as thick.

Now I like both, and I just wondered if anyone had ever tried making birds-style custard with cornflour and vanilla flavouring (and sugar of course). It sounds horrible but in theory you might be able to make your own custard powder, for when you don't have the time/4 egg yolks for the proper method??

Zar - our minds must be on the same wavelength today. I haven't enough custard powder to make enough for everyone and was wondering only this morning whether you could add cornflour and vanilla and maybe an egg to it to 'stretch' it (It's in the book of random thoughts to have whilst driving on a by-pass )

As it happens we had ice cream tonight. I may experiment anyway

Curry_Queen

Ticklemouse wrote:

Zar - our minds must be on the same wavelength today. I haven't enough custard powder to make enough for everyone and was wondering only this morning whether you could add cornflour and vanilla and maybe an egg to it to 'stretch' it (It's in the book of random thoughts to have whilst driving on a by-pass )

As it happens we had ice cream tonight. I may experiment anyway

OOOOOoooooo ... it's the twiglet zone again!!! :eek:

I had exactly the same dilemma earlier with the custard powder, but the boys decided they'd have ice-cream instead :rotfl:

I'm sure it would work absolutely fine though as that's the way I make sweet white sauces (with cornflour, sugar and milk) so I reckon by adding an egg yolk and some vanilla extract (or use vanilla (pod) sugar) it would turn into something resembling custard

mandy_moo_1

I've got a load of eggs and loads of milk in the fridge, and i was wondering if anyone had any recipes for egg custard.

Is it basically the same as the eggy mix that you use for bread/butter pudding? and do i sprinkle nutmeg or cinammon on the top of it?

thanx

djtonyb

http://forums.moneysavingexpert.com/showthread.html?p=56083#post56083

This any good?