Custards

Simply stated, custard is a liquid — milk, cream, or a combination of the two — that is thickened with eggs and heat. The coagulation of the egg protein sets the custard. Custards are easy to prepare, can be made one to two days in advance, and need little or no finishing touch. The most basic custard formula contains simply eggs and sugar plus milk or cream. The consistency of the finished product is determined by the fat content of the milk or cream used and the ratio of whole eggs and/or egg yolks to that liquid.