Magic Custard Cake Recipe (2024)

FAQs

How to make custard thicker? ›

For a thick, hot custard you need to add cornflour (cornstarch) as a thickener. The custard needs to come up to boiling point to thicken and to loose the taste of the uncooked starch, but the cornflour stabilizes the egg yolks so that they can tolerate higher temperatures without scrambling.

What looks like magic is science—chemistry, to be exact. Baking at a lower temperature than most cakes (325 degrees F or 163 degrees C) causes the batter to separate into three layers of varying texture and density. The bottom layer is like a traditional, very moist cake. The middle layer is custard-like.

Heat the custard base, over medium heat, while whisking vigorously until it starts to thicken – this should take about 1 – 2 minutes depending on the heat of your stove and size of your saucepan.

Egg whites give the custard a firmer set than yolks do, at least when cooked conventionally.

Stir constantly with a wooden spoon, until the custard thickens and coats the back of the spoon. Stirring distributes the heat so the custard doesn't become too hot, which can curdle it. Draw a finger across the back of the spoon and if it leaves a trail, your custard is ready.

The custard is ready when you can draw a clean line through it on the back of a spoon, using your finger. Strain into a clean jug and serve hot or cold.

How to Fix Curdled Cake Batter. One way to fix broken cake batter is to add a bit of flour, one tablespoon at a time, until it smooths out again. The flour helps the liquid and fat come back together and creates a smooth, lump-free mixture.

If this happens, place your mixing bowl over a saucepan of hot tap water for a few minutes. This will help warm all the ingredients through. You can then try to beat the mixture again. Another fix for a curdled mix is to add a tablespoon of flour, stirring in until the batter emulsifies again.

The first option is to mix two tablespoons of flour with four tablespoons of cold water for every cup of custard you've made. Mix the flour into the water well, then whisk it into your custard mixture as it cooks on the stove. You can follow the same steps with cornstarch instead of flour if you prefer as well.

Do eggs thicken 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.

Whisking constantly also helps the custard thicken evenly. Be sure to whisk all around the saucepan, not just in one spot, so the milk and eggs don't stick to the pot and scorch or scramble. But don't beat it! A gentle stir with the whisk is just fine.

This is most likely due to the cooking temperature being too high. When cooking your custard base, make sure the temperature of your custard does not go higher than 185°F (85°C). This will cook the custard enough to pasteurize your eggs, but will not result in an eggy flavor.

Custard tends to scramble once the heat gets involved and can therefore prove tricky to master. You'll know your custard has scrambled once the mixture turns lumpy. This often happens as a result of overheating your liquid. But while curdled custard may seem like a lost cause, it doesn't have to be.

Custard is a decadent dessert made with eggs, milk, and sugar. Eggs are responsible for custard's thick and velvety texture, but some recipes (such as this one) call for thickeners such as cornstarch or arrowroot for extra richess.

Whole eggs, as opposed to just egg yolks, will also give you a firmer texture. If you are really concerned, you could add a teaspoon of flour to the ingredients to help firm up the custard's texture.

You don't want the custard so cold that it sets and breaks up as you spread it. The easiest way to cool the custard is to put it into a large bowl in a sink of cold water. It will take about 15 minutes. If you want it to set, put it in the fridge for an hour.

Microwave mixture 2 minutes on high. Stir and heat 2 minutes longer on high, stir again. What is this? Continue heating in 30-second intervals, stopping and stirring for each interval, for another 2 to 3 minutes, or until mixture is thick and custard reaches 170 degrees F.