Classic French Custard Recipes

Crème Anglaise (Pouring Custard)

Ingredients:

• 500ml milk (or half milk, half cream for richness)

• 100g caster sugar

• 6 large egg yolks

• 1 tsp vanilla extract or ½ vanilla bean

Method:

1. Heat milk with vanilla until just below boiling, then remove from heat.

2. Whisk egg yolks and sugar until pale.

3. Gradually pour hot milk into yolks, whisking constantly.

4. Return to low heat, stirring continuously, until mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon (do not boil).

5. Strain if needed. Serve warm or chilled.

Notes: Use as sauce for desserts, ice cream base, or classic puddings.

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Crème Pâtissière (Pastry Cream)

Ingredients:

• 500ml milk

• 100g caster sugar

• 4 large egg yolks

• 50g cornflour (or plain flour)

• 50g butter

• 1 tsp vanilla extract or ½ vanilla bean

Method:

1. Heat milk with half the sugar and vanilla until steaming.

2. Whisk yolks, remaining sugar, and cornflour to a smooth paste.

3. Slowly pour hot milk into yolk mixture, whisking continuously.

4. Return to pan, cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thick and bubbling.

5. Remove from heat, whisk in butter for smoothness.

6. Cool with cling film touching surface to avoid skin forming.

Notes: Pipe into tarts, éclairs, profiteroles, mille-feuille.

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Crème Diplomate (Lightened Pastry Cream)

Ingredients:

• 500ml crème pâtissière (cooled)

• 250ml thickened cream, whipped to soft peaks

• 1–2 tsp powdered gelatine (optional for extra stability)

Method:

1. If using, bloom gelatine in cold water, dissolve gently, and mix into pastry cream.

2. Gently fold whipped cream into cooled pastry cream.

3. Chill to set if needed.

Notes: Use for lighter tarts, parfaits, delicate cream puffs.

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Crème Chiboust (Mousse-Like Custard)

Ingredients:

• 500ml crème pâtissière (warm)

• 3 egg whites

• 75g caster sugar

• 1–2 tsp powdered gelatine (optional for stability)

Method:

1. Bloom and dissolve gelatine, mix into warm pastry cream.

2. Whisk egg whites to stiff peaks, gradually adding sugar to form glossy meringue.

3. Fold meringue gently into pastry cream.

4. Chill to set.

Notes: Ideal for fruit flans, layered cakes, set moulded desserts.

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Crème Caramel (Baked & Inverted Custard)

Ingredients:
Caramel:

• 150g sugar

• 2 tbsp water

Custard:

• 500ml milk

• 100g caster sugar

• 4 large eggs

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Method:

1. Make caramel: Heat sugar and water until deep golden, pour into ramekins.

2. Heat milk and vanilla.

3. Whisk eggs and sugar, pour warm milk in slowly.

4. Strain mixture into ramekins over caramel.

5. Bake in water bath at 150°C for ~35–40 minutes until set but still jiggly.

6. Cool, chill, invert to serve.

Notes: Classic, elegant, great for make-ahead desserts.

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Crème Brûlée (Baked Custard with Caramelised Top)

Ingredients:

• 500ml thickened cream

• 100g caster sugar

• 5 large egg yolks

• 1 tsp vanilla extract

• Extra sugar for topping

Method:

1. Heat cream and vanilla until just below boiling.

2. Whisk yolks and sugar until pale.

3. Gradually mix hot cream into yolks.

4. Strain mixture into ramekins.

5. Bake in water bath at 150°C for 30–35 minutes until just set.

6. Chill completely.

7. Sprinkle sugar on top, caramelise with blow torch until golden and crackly.

Notes: Rich, creamy base with dramatic crackling sugar top.

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TIPS FOR THE BEST CUSTARD

 Low & Slow Heat

Custard is delicate — too much heat and you'll scramble the eggs.
Tip:

• Always cook over low to medium heat.

• For stovetop custards (Crème Anglaise, Crème Pâtissière), stir constantly and remove from heat the second it thickens.

• For baked custards (Crème Brûlée, Crème Caramel), use a water bath to ensure gentle, even cooking.

 Temper Your Eggs

Pouring hot milk straight into eggs can curdle them.
Tip:

• Slowly drizzle hot milk or cream into your egg mixture while whisking constantly.

• This gradually raises the temperature without shocking the eggs — crucial for smooth, lump-free custard.

 Strain for Silky Perfection

Even if you’re careful, tiny lumps can happen — professional kitchens always strain custard.
Tip:

• Pass your finished custard through a fine sieve before chilling or baking.

• This removes any cooked egg bits and guarantees a silky, luxurious texture.

Bonus: Patience is your best friend — rush a custard and it shows. Master these tricks, and your custard will always be smooth, creamy, and restaurant-worthy.

Want me to turn this into a printable kitchen tip sheet? Just say the word!

Frittata

It's Bin Night and there is a fridge full of little bits of leftover everything, and you don’t want to throw anything away. What do you do?

The Frittata is a great way to manage your waste all you need is eggs, cream (I buy the UHT cream for these occasions), cheese of any kind of variety and combination and whatever you have in the fridge.

I always start with an onion as my base and just build on that. Fry up the leftovers in a large frying pan on medium heat and then pour in your egg and cheese mixture. Resist the urge to stir.

For the egg mix, add your cheese and seasoning (Salt and pepper, thyme, tarragon) together with the eggs and cream and whisk.

Once the egg mix is in the pan leave it to cook for 5min to get in cooking from the base. Then place into the oven under the grill to cook from the top.

TOP TIP: don’t cook it all the way through. Take it out when there is still a little wobble. Let it sit in the pan for 5 min out of the oven to cook through then turn out onto a board or plate. A classic error is overcooking your eggs.

Labneh

Lets Talk Labneh

This is a relatively new discovery for me. Maybe 5 years ago.

It is strained Greek yoghurt and a very healthy alternative to sour cream.

Trust me, no one will know the difference!

You can also use it like creamed cheese, and it lasts for ages in the fridge.

I strain my yoghurt with a muslin cloth (fold it over a few times, you don’t want the creamy goodness seeping out.) You could also use a clean oversized hanky if you have one in the house.

I twist the cloth so it is nice and tight, and sit it in a strainer which I balance on a Pyrex measuring cup. It takes a couple of hours, be patient it’s worth it.

Every so often I just give the cloth another twist to get excess moisture out. You can leave overnight if you want to.

For a Labneh with something a little special here is a small tip: Before I pour my yoghurt into the muslin cloth I add salt, pepper, lemon or lime rind with a little bit of juice and stir it through.

Zingy Goodness that goes well with salads, vegetables, spread on crackers, nachos, lots and lots of choices.

The Labneh It is a blank canvas so go crazy and add whatever you like.

Confit Garlic

Confit Garlic is a versatile ingredient that adds a rich, mellow garlic flavour to a variety of dishes. Enjoy experimenting with it in your cooking!

Confot Garlic

Ingredients:
Whole peeled garlic cloves
Quality Olive Oil
Fresh Thyme Sprigs
Bay Leaves
Peppercorns

Method:

1. Place everything into a pot and bring to a gentle simmer for around 20min. The garlic will start to float and colour slightly.

2. Place into sterilised jars and keep in the fridge. The smell will knock your socks off.

You kill two birds with one stone here. Not only do you have beautiful buttery garlic you also have garlic oil to play with in your cooking.

Look at the photos below to see how easy it is to make a mouthwatering Garlic Bread using your homemade Confit Garlic!

Chilli Coriander Jam

Food is about sharing, but trust me unless you make a year’s supply of this, it will be hidden in the fridge from your nearest and dearest. We did some investigating and found that one of Tanya's favourite ways to enjoy this delicious jam is on a crusty bread roll with pastrami, fetta, and spinach.

Chilli Coriander Jam

Ingrediants:
2kg Tomatoes
2/3 Cup Olive oil
10 Cloves of garlic (buy bulk peeled garlic from your grocer, it last for a month in the fridge)
1tbls Grated Fresh Ginger
10 Small red Thai chillies
2 tbls Cumin Seeds
2 tbls Black Mustard Seeds
1 tbls ground Turmeric
¾ Cup Red Wine Vinegar
¼ Fish Sauce (adjust his to taste)
1 ¼ Cups chopped Palm Sugar
½ Cup finely chopped Coriander leaves (buy with the roots on and throw in the roots as well with the tomatoes)

Method:

1. Rub Tomatoes with olive oil, place in moderate oven for 30 min or until softish

2. While the tomatoes are cooking process garlic, ginger, chillies, and seeds. Transfer to a large heavy based pan and fry off until fragrant 5min approximately.

3. Add all your other ingredients sans the fresh coriander, simmer uncovered for 2 hours. Don’t forget the coriander roots.

4. Remove the roots and process in batches then return to the heat for 5min stirring in your coriander leaves. Pour into sterilized jars.

Tip: You can keep your coriander roots in the freezer.

Tanya's Bejewelled Lamb

Tanya's Bejewelled Lamb takes center stage in this week's cook-up! It's a toast to not just scrumptious food, but the bliss of savouring it with good company and a fine glass of wine.

Leave the take-out menus in the drawer this Sunday, we're becoming home chefs! Tanya's Bejewelled Lamb is sure to turn your kitchen into the hottest spot in town. Are you in for an evening of flavor and friendship?

Tanya’s Bejewlled Lamb

6 Servings | Prep Time: 20 minutes | Cook Time: 6 hours
The lamb takes between 5 and 6 hours to cook so you’ll need to start this dish well in advance

INGREDIENTS:

3 kg boneless lamb shoulder
2 tbsp sea salt
4 litres olive oil
1 bunch of thyme
1 head of garlic, unpeeled halved widthways
4 fresh bay leaves
Seeds from 1 pomegranate
80 gm (/2 cup) pine nuts, lightly roasted
80 gm (½ cup) currants, soaked in warm water for 10 minutes, then drained
½ bunch of mint, leaves picked, coarsely torn
Labne
200 gm natural yoghurt
Parsnip cream
40 gm butter
4 large parsnips, peeled, core removed, finely sliced
500 ml (2 cups) milk
200. gm sour cream
100 ml olive oil
Roasted spice mix
1tosp each of fennel seeds and coriander seeds, lightly roasted
1 tbsp pumpkin kernels, lightly roasted
½ tbsp cumin seeds and caraway seeds, lightly roasted
1 tsp black peppercorns

INSTRUCTIONS:

1. Season lamb with sea salt and ½ tsp freshly ground black pepper. Place in a large saucepan over low heat, cover with oil add thyme, garlic and bay leaves, weight down lamb with a heavy plate and simmer gently until meltingly tender (5-6 hours). Cool.

2. Meanwhile, for labne, place yoghurt in a muslin-lined sieve placed over a small bowl and stand in the refrigerator to drain (about 2 hours). Transfer to a bowl and whisk in a little salt and white pepper to taste. Cover and refrigerate until required.

3. For parsnip cream, melt butter in a saucepan over medium heat, add parsnip and sauté until tender (about 15 minutes). Add milk, simmer for 5 minutes, season to taste and cool to room temperature. Place in a blender and blend until smooth, add sour cream and blend again. With motor running, add olive oil in a steady stream. Keep warm.

4. For roasted spice mix, combine ingredients in a mortar and, using a pestle, coarsely grind, then season to taste and set aside.

5. Remove lamb from oil and coarsely shred. Smear a large tablespoon of parsnip cream on each plate, scatter over lamb, then spice mix. Place dollops of labne on and around lamb, scatter over pomegranate seeds, pine nuts, currants and mint, season with sea salt and serve.

Omelettes

I've said it before - the classic error when cooking eggs is overcooking them.
Omelettes should be super silky and melt in your mouth. Take it off the stove while it still looks a little undercooked. It will continue to cook on the plate.
Sunday mornings usually start with an Omelette in our house, and I like mine very simple.

The secret art of Omelettes

• Butter in the pan (lots of butter) medium heat

• For the egg mix, I use two eggs , a good dash of thickened cream or UHT whipping cream from the cupboard, grated parmesan, salt, pepper, dried thyme or tarragon or both depending on my mood.

• My filling is caramelized onion, feta, and fresh parsley. I might have a side of bacon but it's already pretty fatty. I also like to add fresh chilli if I have some.

IMPORTANT: Remove from the pan when not quite cooked.

Yum Yum Chooks Bum

Barra Season

With barra season in full swing, it’s a must to add fish to your midweek menu! Tomatoes are available in the North year-round but are especially delicious right now . When I think of fish, I can’t go past my homemade chili lime salt , which is always on hand in the kitchen. Let’s cook barra with tomatoes and leeks (even though they’re just out of season ).

Barra with Tomatoes and Leeks

Ingredients:
Barra fillet (regular size, serves 3-4 people)
Thickly sliced tomatoes
Thickly cut leeks or onions
Thinly sliced lemon
Knobs of butter
Olive oil
Fresh or dried herbs (e.g., tarragon, thyme, chives)
Spices (e.g., homemade Chilli Lime Salt , Old Bay seasoning, or Peri Peri Salt)

Method:

1. Preheat your BBQ to 240°C and place a pizza stone in the middle (optional but helps protect the casserole dish).

2. Line a casserole dish with aluminum foil and place baking paper on top.

3. Arrange the thickly sliced tomatoes and leeks on the baking paper. Season with herbs and spices.

4. Place the barra fillet on top of the tomatoes and leeks. Season the fish with herbs and spices.

5. Top with thinly sliced lemon, knobs of butter, and a drizzle of olive oil.

6. Wrap the foil around the fish and vegetables, sealing it well but leaving some room for air circulation inside.

Cooking Instructions:

1. Place the casserole dish on the pizza stone in the BBQ.

2. Cook for 10 minutes at 240°C to heat through.

3. After 10 minutes, turn off the middle burner and lower the BBQ temperature to 180°C (356°F). Roast the fish for 20-30 minutes, keeping the lid closed.

4. Check the fish with a fork . If it flakes easily with no resistance, it’s done. If not, wrap it back up and check again in 5-10 minutes.

Serving:
Serve with your choice of side dishes. Enjoy!

Chilli Lime Salt:
2 teaspoons cayenne pepper
2 teaspoons chili flakes
4 teaspoons lime zest (dried in the oven for 5 minutes)
3/4 cup Himalayan salt flakes
Mix all ingredients together and store in a sterilised jar.

Ready to fire up the BBQ and give this a try? Let’s cook!