Custard (English)

This is quite possibly one of my favourite desserts of all time. I have fond memories of my Granny making it when I was young, it represents comfort food for me. The warm custard was so smooth and velvety, I couldn’t wait for it to cool down. As I grew older, I realized it was worth the wait.

2 cups whole milk (500 mL)
2 cups heavy cream (500 mL)
6 Tbsp. granulated raw sugar
1 vanilla bean, scored lengthways
8 large egg yolks

Mix cream, milk, and four Tbsp. of sugar in a pot under medium low heat.

Scrape out all the seeds in the vanilla bean into the pot. Put the beans in the pot as well. Keep stirring with a wooden spoon until it boils and then turn off the heat. Let it sit for a few minutes to let the vanilla infuse with the cream and milk mixture.

In a separate bowl, whisk the yolks with 2 tablespoons of sugar until pale yellow in colour.

Remove the beans from the pot and slowly add one ladle of the cream mixture to the yolks while whisking them together. Keep whisking and slowly add a couple more ladles. This process is called tempering and this will ensure that the eggs won’t curdle when they come in contact with hot liquids.

Pour the yolk mixture back to the pot with cream and milk and stir with a wooden spoon under medium heat. As the eggs cook, the custard will thicken in several minutes. It is thick enough if it coats the back of the wooden spoon. When it’s nice and shiny, remove from heat and pour into a serving cup. You can serve it hot or cold.

Makes 8 cups (2 L).

Cook's Note: If you can't find vanilla bean, use 2 tsp. of pure vanilla extract instead.