Custards, Souffles, Fruit Curds, and Mousses

This is a chapter of spoonable, even spreadable, desserts. Most are baked, but several are made on the stovetop (mousses, curds), and these typically have versatile and various uses—for example, mousses are capable of being served on their own or used as a filling for cakes, pies, or tarts.

A custard is a liquid or semiliquid mixture that is combined with eggs or egg yolks and then gently cooked until it sets—either on the stovetop in a double boiler or in the oven in a bain marie, or water-filled baking pan. Virtually any sweet or savory mixture can be combined with beaten egg—one egg sets about ⅔ cup of mixture—and baked into a custard.