Classic French Custard Recipe

By Sergio Boulanger

This is a simple yet refined French custard. It’s smooth, rich, and infused with flavors like tea, vanilla, or coffee. The key to success? Precise technique, controlled heat, and patience. Follow this method, and you’ll get a flawless custard every time.

The Custard Recipe:

• 275 ml whole milk

• 275 ml heavy cream

• 5 egg yolks

• 94 g sugar

Flavor Variations:

• Tea Custard: 2.2 tbsp black tea leaves

• Vanilla Custard: 2.2 vanilla beans, split, seeds scraped

• Coffee Custard: 22 g ground coffee + 2.2 g instant coffee

Step-by-Step Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200°F (90°C).

2. In a medium saucepan, bring the milk and cream to a gentle boil over medium heat.

3. Meanwhile, in a separate bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until the sugar just dissolves.

4. For Tea Custard: Once the milk mixture boils, remove it from heat, add the tea leaves, whisk, and let it steep for 10 minutes.
   For Vanilla Custard: Add the split vanilla beans and seeds to the boiling milk mixture, then remove from heat and let infuse for 10 minutes.
   For Coffee Custard: Stir in ground coffee and instant coffee, remove from heat, and let steep for 10 minutes.

5. Strain out the tea leaves, vanilla beans, or coffee grounds to ensure a smooth texture.

6. Gradually pour the infused milk mixture into the egg-sugar mixture, whisking continuously until fully incorporated and smooth.

7. Ladle the custard into cups, ensuring an even pour.

8. Place the custard cups onto a baking sheet and bake for 1 hour 30 minutes, or until set.

9. Cool completely before serving.

This is a straightforward custard recipe, but precision matters. The right temperature, proper infusion, and careful mixing make all the difference. At Art Bakery & Gourmet, we never rush these steps—quality always comes first.