This recipe is from All Recipes and features a delicious taste.
- Carbohydrate 116.567120033712 g
- Cholesterol 1666.25500051933 mg
- Fat 137.147060140257 g
- Fiber 0 g
- Protein 22.3432100077993 g
- Saturated Fat 78.2624300873079 g
- Serving Size 1 1 Serving (507g)
- Sodium 177.599000150652 mg
- Sugar 116.567120033712 g
- Trans Fat 6.74499600723271 g
- Calories 1760 calories
Step-by-step
- Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C).
- Beat egg yolks, 4 tablespoons sugar and vanilla in a mixing bowl until thick and creamy.
- Pour cream into a saucepan and stir over low heat until it almost comes to boil. Remove the cream from heat immediately. Stir cream into the egg yolk mixture; beat until combined.
- Pour cream mixture into the top of a double boiler. Stir over simmering water until mixture lightly coats the back of a spoon; approximately 3 minutes. Remove mixture from heat immediately and pour into a shallow heat-proof dish.
- Bake in preheated oven for 30 minutes. Remove from oven and cool to room temperature. Refrigerate for 1 hour, or overnight.
- Preheat oven to broil.
- In a small bowl combine remaining 2 tablespoons white sugar and brown sugar. Sift this mixture evenly over custard. Place dish under broiler until sugar melts, about 2 minutes. Watch carefully so as not to burn.
- Remove from heat and allow to cool. Refrigerate until custard is set again.
Stiffening dairy fats with egg yolks requires precise thermal management to avoid curdling. Six large egg yolks combined with heavy cream demand steady, moderate heat during the thickening phase. Whole dairy provides the necessary protein structure for proper gelation without requiring commercial thickeners. Standard white sugar supplies the clean sweetness needed inside the custard, while brown sugar in the topping brings molasses notes that caramelize quickly under high heat.
Adapting Custard for Dietary Restrictions
Standard heavy cream contains roughly 36 to 40 percent butterfat, which dictates the rich mouthfeel of the dessert. Full-fat canned coconut milk serves as a viable dairy-free substitute at a one-to-one ratio. Coconut milk introduces lauric acid, behaving similarly to dairy fats when exposed to gentle heat. Egg yolks remain critical for structure when substituting plant-based milks, as they supply the essential emulsifiers that prevent separation. Monitor the double boiler closely during thickening. The mixture reaches proper consistency when it coats the back of a spoon thickly enough to hold a clear path drawn by a finger.
- Remove the cream from heat the moment tiny bubbles form near the edge of the saucepan to prevent scorching.
- Maintain the oven temperature precisely at 300 degrees Fahrenheit to ensure even thermal transfer through the water bath.
- Chill the baked custard for at least one full hour to allow the protein matrix to fully set before applying the sugar crust.
