What am I doing wrong with egg custard

[debodun]

I like custard once in a while, but I've tried it several times and it always come out watery or separated. My mom used to make it all the time - easy recipe - for every cup of milk, beat in one egg and 1/2 cup white sugar. Pour into cups and bake 30 min at 300°. So what's my problem?

 

[Fern]

You could be over baking it.

 

[RadishRose]

Try a water bath. Place the cups in a pan of hot water, about halfway up the cups to heat gently.

 

[fureverywhere]

Plus using a whisk instead of a spoon. My aunt made the most lovely lemon sponge pie. Everyone else attempted it and it never worked. After experimenting I figured it out. I think the secret was a whisk.

 

[Jackie22]

Plus using a whisk instead of a spoon. My aunt made the most lovely lemon sponge pie. Everyone else attempted it and it never worked. After experimenting I figured it out. I think the secret was a whisk.

You may be right, fur.....I discovered this past Christmas when making pecan pies, that I was beating the egg mixture too much (with a mixer)...the pies were always runny...read in a cook book to use a whisk instead.

 

[hellomimi]

I separate the yolks from the egg whites and add evaporated milk and condensed milk to sweeten. I also add 1/2 tsp vanilla and 1 tsp grated lemon rind. I blend the mixture and put them in pans called llanera and cover tightly with aluminum foil. I use the water bath method and let it cook for an hour.

 

[C'est Moi]

I separate the yolks from the egg whites and add evaporated milk and condensed milk to sweeten. I also add 1/2 tsp vanilla and 1 tsp grated lemon rind. I blend the mixture and put them in pans called llanera and cover tightly with aluminum foil. I use the water bath method and let it cook for an hour.

Just curious, but why separate the yolks from whites if you're just going to mix them back together?

 

[Aunt Bea]

Custard is tricky stuff.

Weeping usually means that it is overcooked or cooked at too high a temperature.

I would use whole milk or add some heavy cream to low-fat milk, use a water bath, and double-check the temperature of your oven.

When we were kids my mother used to put a teaspoon of strawberry jam in the bottom of the custard cups before carefully adding the custard mixture.

Keep at it!

 

[hellomimi]

Just curious, but why separate the yolks from whites if you're just going to mix them back together?

I use the egg whites for other dishes. It is only the yolks that go into the custard.

 

[In The Sticks]

Could it be that eggs vary in size, so you have to adjust the volume of milk to suit?

Some dishes can be that way.