Baked Custards

Simple, old-fashioned and just right for learning the jiggle test. Warm or chilled.

Ingredients (4 portions)

• 500 ml semi-skimmed milk
• 3 medium eggs
• 40 g caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract
• Grating of nutmeg
• A little butter, for greasing

1. Heat the oven to 150°C fan (170°C conventional, gas 3). Grease four 150 ml ramekins and stand them in a roasting tin. Boil the kettle.
2. Heat the milk in a pan until steaming (not boiling). Whisk the eggs, sugar and vanilla in a bowl, then pour the hot milk onto them in a thin stream, whisking.
3. Strain into a jug, skim off any bubbles, and divide between the ramekins. Grate a little nutmeg over each.
4. Pour hot water into the tin until it comes halfway up the ramekins. Bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until set but with a slight wobble in the middle.
5. Lift out of the water and cool. Eat warm, or chill for 2 hours.

A baked custard turned upside-down onto its own caramel sauce. It looks smart and takes no more skill than the last recipe, apart from the caramel.

Ingredients (4 portions)

• 75 g granulated sugar, for the caramel
• 2 tbsp water
• 500 ml semi-skimmed milk
• 3 medium eggs
• 1 medium egg yolk
• 40 g caster sugar
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

The caramel

1. Put the granulated sugar and water in a small, light-coloured pan over medium heat. Don't stir: just swirl the pan gently until the sugar dissolves.
2. Boil without stirring for 4 to 6 minutes, until it turns a deep amber (the colour of a conker). Watch it closely, because it goes from amber to burnt in seconds.
3. Pour at once into the bottom of four 150 ml ramekins, tilting to coat. Leave to set.

The custard

1. Heat the oven to 150°C fan (170°C conventional, gas 3). Warm the milk until steaming. Whisk the eggs, yolk, caster sugar and vanilla and pour on the milk, whisking.
2. Strain over the caramel in the ramekins. Stand them in a roasting tin, add hot water halfway up and bake for 30 to 35 minutes, until set with a slight wobble.
3. Cool, then chill for at least 4 hours (overnight is best, because the caramel needs to melt into a sauce).
4. To serve, run a thin knife round the edge, put a plate on top, flip it over firmly and give it a shake. The custard drops out with the caramel running down it.

A baked custard with bread and fruit in it. It uses more milk and less cream than the traditional recipe, and one spoonful of jam.

Ingredients (4 portions)

• 4 slices day-old white or brioche bread, crusts left on
• 15 g butter, softened
• 1 tbsp apricot jam
• 40 g raisins or sultanas
• 3 medium eggs
• 400 ml semi-skimmed milk
• 100 ml single cream
• 2 tbsp caster sugar
• ½ tsp ground cinnamon
• A little extra butter, for greasing

1. Heat the oven to 160°C fan (180°C conventional, gas 4). Grease a 1 litre ovenproof dish.
2. Butter the bread thinly, spread a little jam on each slice and cut each into 4 triangles. Layer them in the dish, overlapping, scattering the raisins between.
3. Whisk the eggs, milk, cream and sugar and pour over the bread. Press the bread down gently and leave for 15 minutes to soak.
4. Sprinkle the cinnamon and a spoonful of sugar over the top. Bake for 35 to 40 minutes, until the custard is set and the top is golden and crisp.
5. Rest for 5 minutes and serve warm.

A stovetop rice pudding made richer with a single yolk stirred in at the end. It's a gentle lesson in tempering.

Ingredients (2 portions)

• 50 g pudding rice
• 400 ml whole milk
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• 1 medium egg yolk
• ½ tsp vanilla extract
• Grating of nutmeg

1. Put the rice, milk and sugar in a medium pan and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook on a low heat for 25 to 30 minutes, stirring often, until the rice is soft and the mixture creamy.
2. Beat the yolk in a small bowl. Take the pan off the heat, spoon 2 tbsp of the hot rice into the yolk and mix quickly (this tempers it). Stir the yolk back into the pan.
3. Return to a very low heat for 1 minute, stirring, without boiling. Add the vanilla and a grating of nutmeg.
4. Serve warm with berries or a spoon of jam.