Here’s a smooth, classic Creamy Baked Custard recipe — simple, comforting, and perfectly silky 🍮
🍮 Creamy Baked Custard
🛒 Ingredients (Serves 4–6)
- 4 large eggs
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 ½ cups whole milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Optional: ground nutmeg for topping
🔥 Instructions
1️⃣ Preheat Oven
- Preheat to 325°F (160°C).
- Place 4–6 ramekins in a deep baking dish.
2️⃣ Warm the Milk
- Heat milk in a saucepan over medium-low until steaming (do not boil).
- Remove from heat and stir in vanilla.
3️⃣ Mix the Custard
- In a bowl, whisk eggs, sugar, and salt until combined (don’t overbeat).
- Slowly pour warm milk into the egg mixture, whisking gently.
- Strain through a fine sieve for extra smooth texture (optional but recommended).
4️⃣ Fill & Prepare Water Bath
- Pour custard into ramekins.
- Sprinkle lightly with nutmeg if desired.
- Pour hot water into the baking dish until it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins (this water bath prevents cracking and keeps custard silky).
5️⃣ Bake
- Bake 35–45 minutes, until centers are just set but still slightly jiggly.
- A knife inserted near the center should come out clean.
6️⃣ Cool & Serve
- Remove ramekins from water bath.
- Cool to room temperature, then refrigerate at least 2 hours.
- Serve chilled or slightly cool.
💡 Tips for Ultra-Creamy Custard
- Don’t let milk boil — high heat causes curdling.
- Always use a water bath for smooth texture.
- For richer custard, replace ½ cup milk with heavy cream.
- For caramel flavor, add a caramel layer on the bottom before baking (like flan).
If you’d like, I can also share a 3-ingredient old-fashioned custard version that tastes like something from grandma’s kitchen.
