How do eggs affect custard?

The eggs, especially the yolks, are the chemical stars – it's their actions that matter most, generating the thick gel that's the key for a custard pie, says Guy Crosby, food scientist and science editor at America's Test Kitchen.

How does egg thicken custard?

Stirred custard is thickened by coagulation of egg protein, while the same gives baked custard its gel structure. The type of milk used also impacts the result.

What to do with duck eggs?

Scrambled, boiled, fried, poached, coddled, smothered in Hollandaise sauce - however you like them, duck eggs can be cooked the same way as chicken eggs! No need to change anything, just prepare them as you normally would and enjoy the extra-rich taste.

What happens if you put whole eggs in custard?

To achieve the ideal texture and flavor balance, use whole eggs and milk. Custards made with egg yolks and cream are too eggy and rich in taste and too thick and creamy in texture; they lack the subtleties that make a custard great.

How do you keep eggs from scrambling in custard?

Add the milk in 1/2-cup increments to bring the temperature of the eggs up gradually while whisking. Tip: Whisking the eggs with sugar helps, too. Now you can add the tempered eggs to the hot milk without worrying that the eggs will curdle or scramble. Keep stirring over medium heat as the custard thickens.

What are the 2 rules for cooking with eggs?

Wash hands, utensils, equipment, and work surfaces with hot, soapy water before and after they come in contact with raw eggs and raw egg-containing foods. Cook eggs until both the yolk and the white are firm. Scrambled eggs should not be runny. Casseroles and other dishes containing eggs should be cooked to 160° F.

Can you use duck eggs like regular eggs?

You can cook duck eggs just like chicken eggs and will find that they have a creamier, richer taste. Some people prefer them deviled or in omelets or quiches, as they have a stronger flavor than chicken eggs when eaten plain.

Can you cook duck eggs like regular eggs?

Duck eggs cook up just the same as chicken eggs; they can be fried, scrambled, poached, and hard-boiled, in all of the usual ways eggs can be cooked. Because of their larger yolks, they might require an additional minute or so of poaching time to achieve the equivalent degree of doneness in the yolk.

Can I bake with duck eggs?

Baking with duck eggs Overcooking or using too much liquid or sugar can give you some unexpected results! The whites of duck eggs also have more protein than those from chickens. That gives them a bit of a different texture, and that can change things up a bit when baking. But for this angel food cake, that's a plus!

What is the purpose of adding egg yolk to a custard?

Time for a little science: Egg yolks and whites contain proteins that unwind, break apart, and reconnect to form long strands. Liquid gets trapped in the strands, causing the mixture to thicken. The liquid egg becomes firmer as it cooks, becoming semi-gelled or fully gelled when cooled.

Why are eggs in custard?

Silky custards and ice creams wouldn't be the same without the thickening power of eggs. Eggs have the unique ability to set milk and cream into a freestanding flan, a pourable crème anglaise, and many things in between.

Do eggs act as a thickening agent in custard pies?

When proteins denature, they coagulate (thicken or congeal during heating) and bond together to form solid clumps). The large percentage of eggs in custard pie allows the mixture to coagulate.

Maple Custard Recipe with Duck Eggs • The Prairie Homestead (2024)

Jump to Recipe

“Where did THESE come from?”

That was my first thought when the Prairie Kids brought in some abnormally large, blueish eggs a month or two ago. We’ve only hadbrown eggs since the raccoons got our Amerucana hens last year, and I couldn’t fathom why on earth our Plymouth Rocks and Red Sex Linkssuddenly started laying giant blue eggs.

Until I remembered we have ducks.

Duh, Jill. Duh.

Ever since, I’ve been on a mission to figure out the best ways to utilize these lovely duck eggs. Not only are duck eggs larger and richer than chicken eggs, but they also are reported to contain higher amounts of Omega-3s and protein. They have a bit more of an “intense” flavor, so most people prefer to add them to recipes, versus eating them plain.I’ve been experimenting with our duck eggs in all sorts of recipes lately, and have been nothing but impressed.

Most recently, I’ve been making duck egg custard, which makes me feel all sorts of fancy when I serve it in little custard cups after supper. But truthfully, homemade custard is incredibly simple to make, and uses milk and eggs, which are usually plentiful on a homestead.

Homemade Maple Custard Recipe

Makes 5-6 servings

3 whole duck eggs or 4 whole chicken eggs
1/3 cup* real maple syrup (like this)
1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt (I use this one)
1 teaspoon vanilla extract (how to make vanilla extract)
2 cups whole milk
Ground nutmeg
Hot water

*As written, these custards are delicately sweet. If you prefer a sweeter dessert, add 2-3 tablespoons of additional maple syrup.

Preheat your oven to 325 degrees.

Fill a teapot with water, and heat it just toboiling. Set aside.

Add the milk to a small saucepan, and scald it (heat it until it’s just about ready to boil, but don’t let it boil all the way).

In a separate bowl, beat together the eggs, maple syrup, salt, and vanilla.

Homemade Custard Notes

My Pyrex ramekins are slightly larger, so this recipe makes enough to fill 5 of them. If you are using smaller cups, you can easily get six servings from this recipe.
If you’d rather use granulated sugar in this recipe, you can. Simple omit the syrup and add 1/3 cup of sugar instead.
Although I haven’t tried it yet, honey would be awesomein this recipe too.
If it’s berry season, a handful of fresh berries would be heavenly on top of these maple custard cups.