More on Coagulation: Basic Egg Custard

A basic egg custard is an egg-based cream consisting of eggs, milk or cream, sugar, and flavoring. The mixture is thickened or gelled through the heat coagulation of egg proteins. Examples of egg custards include crème caramel, crème brûlée, and crème anglaise (vanilla custard sauce). Many other products have a custard base. For example, pumpkin pie filling, cream pie filling, bread pudding, rice pudding, pastry cream, quiches, and even cheesecakes are variations on the basic egg custard.

A properly cooked custard-based product is a moist, tender gel or a smooth, creamy sauce. The thickening and gelling occur over time as the temperature of the mixture increases and the eggs coagulate.