Boiled Custards

Boiled puddings and Creams both contain milk (or a similar dairy base), sugar, and a starch; both are cooked by stirring over direct heat. They must be cooked, stirring constantly, until they come to a full boil, both so the starch is heated sufficiently to thicken the mixture and to remove any undesirable flavor and mouthfeel that uncooked starch would contribute. The starch in the mixture prevents the coagulation of the egg proteins, allowing these products to be cooked to higher temperatures than those made without a starch.