My Custard Didn't Set

[Shel_B]

I attempted my second custard yesterday, and the result showed strong improvement in some areas, which is good.  But, the custard didn't set. I cooked it to a temp of between 165º- and 170º-F in a water bath.  Here are the details:

 

2 cups warm milk

2 eggs

2 egg yolks

1/4 cup sugar

2 tsp vanilla extract

 

Mixed eggs, sugar, vanilla.  Added some egg mixture to 135º-F milk, then added milk to egg mixture.  Into cups set in a 160º-F water bath and baked, uncovered, @ 300º-F until internal temp was reached.  Setout on counter top, in water bath, for two hours.

 

There were some thicker areas in the custard, but it was mostly like the original batter, quite thin and liquidy.

 

Do you think the internal temp was too low?  I used 2% milk as that was what I had on hand.  Would full fat milk or half-and-half work better wrt setting the custard?

 

Would more eggs or egg yolks help?

 

I am going to try another batch today using half-and-half, and it would be great to get some advice before I start the project.

[JohnT]

I think you are trying to be too technical in making your custard. Your recipe should be fine with two whole eggs and two yolks. However, skip the temperature probe bit and set your oven at 350°F (180°C) and just bake for about 30 minutes in the water bath or until set. For a slightly deeper yellow add another yolk, which would also help them set up a bit better, depending how firm you want your final product. I normally bake custards in medium ramekins of which your recipe would make four. If you are only making two with that quantity, they will need at least another 5 minutes or so in the oven. I never use a temperature probe for baked custards - I bake until done and that's it!

John

ETA: I have just been doing a bit of Googling and found this egg site: http://www.incredibleegg.org/egg-facts/eggcyclopedia/c/custard- have a look and click on the link at the bottom of the write-up for baked custard. John.

Edited December 24, 2014 by JohnT (log)

[weinoo]

 

 I used 2% milk as that was what I had on hand.

 

Try milk, not water.

[Shelby]

I agree.  Use whole milk.

[Shel_B]

Just finished another custard this morning.  It's cooling on the counter as I type. 

 

I used half-and-half as I wanted a rich custard, 2 eggs and 3 yolks, and the custard looked pretty good when I took it from the oven.  It may be a scosh overcooked - if so, that's what I get for not watching it carefully.  But, it did set up, and I can't wait to taste it. 

 

[time passes]

 

Yep, it's just on the edge of being a bit overcooked, but for the most part the texture is where I want it.  Next time a little lower oven temp and perhaps a bit more sugar and I should be pretty close.

 

Thanks to all for the suggestions.

Edited December 24, 2014 by Shel_B (log)

[JohnT]

Shel_B, hope you did not discard the 3 egg whites you had left over! Just whip them up and slowly add about 55 to 60g caster sugar for each egg white. Whip until the sugar is desolved into the whites and spoon or pipe blobs onto a parchment lined baking sheet or make two large disks for a pavlova. Bake at 200°F (90°C) for about 1.5 hours and then turn off the oven and leave overnight to cool. You then will have meringues to experiment with. Meringues should always be the last thing you bake at the end of the day so that they can dry out overnight as the oven cools.

Enjoy your custards and have a great day tomorrow. John.

Edited December 24, 2014 by JohnT (log)