Classic Baked Milk Pudding (Print Version)
Silky vanilla custard dessert with golden caramelized top, made from simple ingredients for cozy evenings.
# What You Need:
→ Dairy
01 - 4 cups whole milk
02 - 1/2 cup heavy cream
03 - 3 large eggs
→ Sweeteners
04 - 3/4 cup granulated sugar
→ Flavorings
05 - 2 tsp vanilla extract
06 - Pinch of salt
→ Optional Topping
07 - 2 tbsp granulated sugar for caramelized top
# How to Prepare:
01 - Preheat oven to 325°F. Lightly butter a 2-quart baking dish or six individual ramekins.
02 - Combine milk and heavy cream in a medium saucepan. Heat gently over medium heat until just steaming, not boiling.
03 - In a large mixing bowl, whisk together eggs, sugar, vanilla extract, and salt until smooth and pale.
04 - Gradually pour the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture, whisking constantly to prevent curdling.
05 - Strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a large jug to remove any cooked egg bits.
06 - Pour custard into the prepared baking dish or ramekins. Place in a large roasting pan and fill pan halfway with hot water to create a water bath.
07 - Bake for 40-45 minutes, or until set but still slightly wobbly in the center.
08 - Remove from oven and cool slightly. If desired, sprinkle sugar on top and caramelize with a kitchen torch or under the broiler for a golden finish.
09 - Serve warm or chilled.
# Expert Advice:
01 -
- Its incredibly forgiving, unlike some finicky French desserts that punish every small mistake
- The texture is somewhere between a custard and a pudding, that perfect silky middle ground
02 -
- That water bath is nonnegotiable, it prevents the eggs from cooking too fast and turning into something closer to scrambled eggs than pudding
- Every oven is different, so start checking at 35 minutes, because an overcooked custard is sad and rubbery
03 -
- Put your ramekins or baking dish on a kitchen towel in the water bath to prevent them from sliding around when you move the pan
- If you don't have a kitchen torch, the broiler works in about 2 minutes, but watch it like a hawk because sugar goes from perfect to burned in seconds