Custard Pudding
This simple recipe makes the most amazing custard. It thickens as it cools. In some countries, cornstarch is called corn flour. My (American) cornstarch has a very fine powdery texture, resembling powdered sugar. - Jenny Jones
Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 5 minutes
Total Time: 15 minutes
Makes: 4 servings
Ingredients:
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 2 Tablespoons cornstarch (not corn flour)
- 2 cups milk (whole milk or low fat)
- 2 egg yolks
Instructions:
- In a medium saucepan, combine the sugar & cornstarch.
- Slowly whisk in the milk & egg yolks.
- Place over medium heat and bring to a boil. Cook about 1 minute, stirring constantly, until thickened. (it will thicken more as it cools)
- Pour into serving cups and let stand to cool or refrigerate, undisturbed, until it’s set – about an hour.
Notes: For some reason, when I stir the pudding while it’s cooling, it refuses to thicken and set. So don’t stir it until it sets.
For more on this recipe in my blog click here.
This was such a good post. Corn starch comment and not to stir after tip! So important! Thank you!
Years ago (we’ve been married 58 years) I used Argo whenever I needed cornstarch. and found that I used just what the recipe called for. Now, however, since I’ve been using an organic cornstarch (Lets Do Organic brand) I find that I have to use significantly more than the recipe calls for to obtain the same result. The only difference I can detect is the organic cornstarch seems lighter and fluffier than the non organic, which seemed heavier and denser. I’d like you to know, Jenny, how much I’ve enjoyed your videos and recipes. After 58 years, I was pretty bored with and tired of cooking. But then a friend put me on to your site and the Faster No Knead Bread. Because of the virus we’d had a hard time getting good bread. Well, the bread was fabulous and I make it two or three times a week now. Then I began looking at your other recipes and found myself enjoying cooking again because the results were tasty but simple. Now, instead of dreading the “what’s for dinner” I’m having some fun in the kitchen again. So we’re never too old to learn new tricks. Many thanks for a real lift.
Treat yourself, not meant to share. For a nice bowl of pudding, I use 1 can of evaporated milk, 1 egg, 1/3 C sugar, more or less to taste, 2Tbs. Cornstarch.
Mix milk, sugar, cornstarch together, as it heats, temper the egg in small amount of milk mixture, whisk it into pudding. Stirring constantly, on med. heat, let come to boil for a minute or so. I stir in a little vanilla and or banana flavoring. . If you can get it into your bowl before eating,chill and eat, but I like some of mine warm. Smooth and delicious. Never a problem thickening.
I was just thinking how good Carnation milk would be….. great minds!
I love your recipes, your humor, and your tips. You are great, I tell everyone about you. You are making my cooking life a little easier at this time, Thank You!
Omg this was so quick and easy!!! Only issue is, I can use a bit less sugar and I added some vanilla extract, OMG!!! I CAN’T STOP EATING IT HOT!
How much vanilla extract did you use?
We just made this and added Lemon extract. & a dash of cinnamon. So good.
Can i substitute custard powder for the cornstarch flour?
Sorry, I am not familiar with custard powder.
Custard powder usually has other flavorings and sometimes powdered eggs, we used it in custard I made in a bakery I worked in in Australia, I’m sure it’ll work out fine but you may want to tinker with it a bit.
No, you need to use the proportions on the Bird’s Custard Powder tin:
Mix 1/4 c custard powder and 3 Tbsp. sugar in a pot. Gradually add 2 1/2 c milk, whisking constantly till blended. Bring to a boil on medium heat, stirring frequently. Serve warm or chilled.
Yes, you can. Birds Custard powder is a UK Product that works well in a pinch.
Btw…real custard made from stratch does not contain corn starch.
So using custard powder which is corn starch with added vanilla flavour is fine.
To double the recipe add 5 tbsp of corn starch. I also found you can decrease the amount of sugar significantly! Add 2 tsp vanilla for added flavor!
This receioe turned out perfect!! Thank you so much for sharing!!
Jenny, This sounds exactly like a recipe my mom got in Cuba 65 years ago, but they added rum.
She said that as she doubled the recipe she had to more than double the cornstarch to thicken it.
Does anyone find that to be the case?
Thickening requires patience, heat & stirring
Made this last night. It was super fast and easy. Very tasty! Will make again! Thanks for the recipe.
Can you substitute heavy cream for milk?
I see this comes quite late after your initial inquiry….so, in case you haven’t tried, and still want to…
You can, yes. BUT!! As heavy cream is already quite sweet, it would mean cutting back significantly on the sugar. So I would honestly start out with 1/4 the amount of sugar Jenny calls for, then taste as it’s heating, and add a little more at a time, until you reach your desired sweetness.
Hope this helps.
I’m curious about exactly to what kind of heavy cream you are referring?
Heavy cream, or refrigerated whipping cream, is what I’m pretty sure the original poster was talking about, and in 55 years of cooking, I have yet to come across heavy whipping cream with any sweetness at all to it. You could put it in your coffee and still need to add sugar as usual, if you wanted your coffee sweet. If making real whipped cream, with a mixer, sugar would definitely need to be added.
The only alternate form of cow’s milk product I can think of which comes very sugary sweet would be canned condensed milk, as opposed to canned evaporated milk. Condensed milk is exceptionally sweet out of the can on its own, due to a large percentage of added sugar, and is used generally for making things like fudge, and certain kinds of pie fillings, depending on the recipe. The canned milk products I mentioned here are sort of semi-dehydrated, or have a good bit of the water removed, which is why they are thick.
Real whipping cream is not thickened by that process, it is the very high percentage of butterfat contained in it, which is why you can also use it to churn up your own butter with it!
Back in the day, they used to also call cream “top milk” when whole 4% milk – which was the kind of milk most everybody got – came in glass bottles with the heavy paper circle tabs on top of the bottle. If the milk bottles sat out too long on your doorstep (delivered by the milkman) it would all begin to freeze, and the “top milk” would rise up out of the neck of the bottle and push the closer up above the top of the bottle!
I remember the milk in glass bottles, with the cream forcing the cardboard cap to pop off sometimes during cold weather. Our milkman delivered our milk via horse-drawn cart. My mother would purchase milk tickets and put out the empty bottle with ticket(s) inside, then he would leave the requested milk at our doorstep. Thank you for the Memories! PS I now purchase Organic, glass bottled milk but need to return empties and get full bottles at the local grocery store. Wish they still had milkmen to deliver!
My mother used this as the base for her banana pudding. My husband loved it so much that she had to use her largest mixing bowl to make the banana pudding. That way the rest of the family could enjoy it also.
To do this recipe, it w b runny (unstirred)unless u double the cornscarch,then it works, then it is good. I’ve tried whole milk and 2%, now I use 2% and “heaping ” double the cornstarch.perfect
The recipe was easy enough but mine turned out runny and never thick it up I put it in the refrigerator and let it sit for hours and it still was runny so I have no idea what I did wrong I checked my recipe twice ,,I did everything exactly how you written down
Mine always turns out so assuming you did not stir it after it’s poured into serving cups I can’t think of any reason for failure. If you send me the exact brand & type of each ingredient I will try to help further.
It does not come out runny unless you stir it after it is done. I added a tablespoon of vanilla bean paste ( or you can use vanilla extract) which I stirred in as soon as it came off the heat and before pouring into custard cups. Love this recipe.
Try adding one, or two more tablespoons of cornstarch. That’s what I did and it thickened
Jenny can you add a flavouring to this recipe like lemon or coconut ?
I found your recipe very easy and it comes out great.
I do want to share with you that Bri g diabetic I replace the sugar with Honey Crystal’s with have no artificial aftertaste and they’re low on the glycemic so it doesn’t spike the blood sugars .
After all the research I’ve done over the past 45 years I don’t use any artificial sweeteners, too many of them at CAC the nerve shaft and the lining of the stomach and create problems for diabetics.
I hope this helps any fellow diabetics in using replacement for sugar in their cooking 🙂
Just made this earlier. I added nutmeg and 1/2 tsp vanilla.
Tasted just like custard and is more of a pudding than a true custard but I expected that from all the stirring. If I make this again I’m going to cut the sugar in half to 1/4 cup and add another egg yolk.
Thank you for this! We’re doing a surprise party for my mom while on family vacation, and I’ve decided to do a “make your own trifle” bar. Was looking for a simple custard, as I’ve never made it before. Turned out SPOT ON. I was expecting to botch the first batch and have to make a second to get the hang of it, but I didn’t! It was awesome on attempt one.
Does this custard separate when made in a trifle? What a good idea to ‘make your own trifle’. I make trifle for every special occasion, I’m from England so it comes with the territory. Thank you.
My mother taught me how to make this pudding when I was about 9 years old. That was 60 years ago. We had a wood burning stove. The recipe was much the same as your’s.
I must have made hundreds and hundreds of this pudding, some times add cocoa, sometimes use brown sugar. Now I don’t even measure just dump stir cook cool eat. And it still is very close to your precise measurements. Interesting to read the comments.
Can this recipe be used as a filling for a jelly roll? How much would it take to fill? Is this recipe similar to an éclair filling?
Jenny, I am 77 years old now and I am just now wanting to learn how to cook. I found you on line and I am going to keep you. For the first time in my life following your recipe I maid Egg custard Pudding, I have made it every night from this past weekend. It is soooooo good. Thank you. I will be trying your different receips. Your Good Girl!
I DID NOT SAY THIS PRIOR TO NOW !!!!
Donna, you made me laugh out loud. I will be 77 next month and I too have the desire now to learn to cook. I recently made a lasagna and had to throw it all away.😂. I messed up on the cheese. But that’s how you learn. I have never made custard pudding which bought me to this site.
Off I go…😊😊
Ummm ya u did at 6:17
Jenny, I am 77 years old now and I am just now wanting to learn how to cook. I found you on line and I am going to keep you. For the first time in my life following your recipe I maid Egg custard Pudding, I have made it every night from this past weekend. It is soooooo good. Thank you. I will be trying your different receips. Your Good Girl!
I have made this twice today and neither batch turn out.I poured both of them out after cooling for hours (yes I did say POURED, like liquid). I cannot get this to set and cannot figure out why. Am I not cooking it long enough? Is there an order to put in the ingredients? What can I do????
Assuming you let it cool undisturbed, I don’t really know. Can you please list all your ingredients and I’ll see if I can help.
Mix the ingredients and try cooking the pudding/custard in a doible boiler and see if that helps
Hello! I believe u need to make sure it is thickened before u remove from the heat and that is the trick dont take it off the heat untill its thick
Just made this custard/pudding and it is delicious!!!
Never had good luck cooking custards in saucepan so
I cooked in a double boiler over water, turned out perfect.
Thank you for sharing!
I was looking for this recipe. My Mom always made custard this way. Even id she was making coconut cream pie. It was delicious. Thank you.
Last week I found it to be too sweet. Today, reduced sugar to 1/3 cup, much better. Great recipe with slight adjustment
I add 1/2 teaspoon vanilla to mixture, and sprinkle a little nutmeg on top after pouring into cups. YUMMY!!!
i CAN’T NOT BELIEVE HOW DIFFERENT CUSTARDS RECIPES THERE ARE. SO DIFFERENT FROM EA OTHER. HOW DO YOU KNOW WHICH ONE IS THE BEST??
YOU TRY THEM ALL.
lol seriously though there’s not a “best” one, it’s mostly personal preference. I found this one looking for something between a custard and a pudding for a Christmas trifle.
Can u use heavy cream instead of milk for a thicker creamer texture?
Hi, I just made this great custard w 1/2 1/2 and milk and a c of w cream.I layering it in a trifle. Have not decided if I will mousse it with tempered egg whites. I made 4 batches at 1 time. I would not make it all w Cream.May be temperamental and clot. Not smooth as u would like.
Great recipe…. I Maki it at least once a week…. Thank you!!!
I don’t know if anyone addressed your comment about the custard not setting if you stir it while cooling but that is a characteristic of cornstarch puddungs & sauces. Stirring will “break” the structure.
Thanks so much for explaining this – I learned something new!
I would like to try your custard but as both my wife and I are diabetics we avoid sugar. Can I make this using Splenda?
Also, do you have a recipe for sugar free chocolate pudding.?
I’m sorry, I have no experience with sugar-free desserts.
Try a organic granulated stevia. Avail on Amazon. Try for sweetness. Cut back if needed.
Excuse me, cornstarch has 7 gms of carb per tbsp. Far less than a piece of toast. Especially split even for 2 people.
You should try looking at the Splenda website. They have wonderful sugar-free recipes. Enjoy!
Corn starch is a highly processed carbohydrate and has a high glycemic index. Even if you cut out the sugar entirely, this recipe is not suitable for diabetics. Sorry 🙁
Nope sorry, look it up. 1 cup is 87 on the glycolic load, more specific than index. 1 CUP.
Yes u can make it with Splenda. It is just as good.
My Grandmother always put Mace cinnamon vanilla and nutmeg in her custard , rice and bread puddings == Delicious.
I loved this recipe for custard pudding!! I feel like the addition of cornstarch alleviated much of trouble that I traditionally run into with custards (sometimes it doesn’t thicken as well as I’d like). THANKS! Oh, I also added a little vanilla, sooo yummy!
I put some cooked rice in to make it rice pudding. It is delicious!
I added a 1/2 cup of peanutbutter to this custard and use this for my peanutbutter pie filling! So creamy and my family loves this recipe!
I made this and love it! I make it for my sick friend and she loves it. Thank you, hope to see more of your good receipes.
Been looking for easy recipe since I moved to Fl and got sick needed something easy to swollow so going to try try it
Was so easy and good,had to be on soft diet was looking for something dif and this was great. Still eating it even tho not on soft diet anymore!
Thank you for this recipe. If I knew how easy custard was to make I would have made it sooner. I used whole milk insread and added vanilla extract. It’s was so delicious. 😊
How much vanilla extract may I add?
Do u have to put it into single servings or can i put it into one bowl?
Either cups or a bowl will work.
I love rice pudding lm no longer eating rice.So l try this custard so easy will make for my Grandbabies.😊
When my mom made custard she would sprinkle nutmeg on the top once it cooled.Im going to try this recipe and add the nutmeg .Hopefully it taste just like Moms
Good recipe but doesn’t make 4 servings…
LOL! Julia, the last person I heard making that remark was a comedienne named, “Elaine Boozler.” Only she was referring to Haagen daz ice cream. LOL
It makes 4 one-half cup servings.
Who can eat just one serving? LOL
Quick and easy to make…
subbed 1% milk for 2% (It gave it a thicker and creamier texture)and added some vanilla extract.
Quick and tasty comfort dessert…I rarely wait an hour to enjoy. I like it creamy and warm as opposed to thick. Yum! Thanks!
Very nice and tasty..Added a bit of Vanilla. Thank you
Great recipe. I only use whole milk and at the end, stir in 2 tbsp butter to make it silky. Depending on my mood, I add a bit of flavoring too. Sometimes coconut extract, butter pecan and lemon. All yummy
Can you use whole milk or lactose free whole milk? Also can you add vanilla flavoring? Thank you!!
Any of these are interchangeable
Oh I absolutely love this recipe. Reminds me of custard puddings when I was young. It cooks up perfectly(follow the recipe precisely)
Hey, is it gonna work without sugar
it would not be custard without the sugar.. use a measurable sugar substitute like Stevia. Without the sugar it would be thick egg milk ! YECH
Isn’t the total time supposed to say 1 hour and 15 minutes instead of 15min.?????????????????????? I was expecting to eat it right away after my wife Anne made it
None of my recipes include cooling time so 15 minutes is the correct time to make this recipe. I hope you liked it once you had some.
My goodness, Gilbert Blythe, what are you doing in this here century?
Comes out perfectly every time! Very easy to make!
I’ve doubled the recipe and that comes up good.
Can I add more eggs and milk, etc and bread cubes to make a bigger batch
I have only made this recipe the way I posted it so I’m not sure what you’ll get if you make too many changes. I guess you will just have to try. Your best bet at first would be just to double all the ingredients and see how it turns out. Puddings and custards can be a bit temperamental so good luck.
I believe you are looking for what is known in my part of the country as Pioneer Pudding or Bread Pudding. It is a fabulas desert and has the custard component. Raisins and cinnamon are often added as well. It’s great served warm and vanilla ice cream on top! Try looking under those titles for variations with the bread pudding type desert and if anyone has any good recipes for that, please share it with me, as my Mom and sister passed away and the recipes were lost with them! Thankyou all!
You could look at my bread pudding recipe under “Sweets.”
Hi Jenny, Can I make this recipe for 24 people by increasing the recipe amounts by 6? I cook once a month for a seniors’ group and believe they would like this dessert. Thanks
I wish I knew but I only cook for two. You may have to test it out.
I made 4 batches, layering in a large trifle. Came our great
Jenny, my mother made custard pies something like this. Boiled the custard on the stove, put it in baked pie shells then used the egg whites to make meringue Then browned them in the oven. She had no recipe and for years I have tried to figure this recipe out but have not had any luck. I remember she did not add vanilla , just scrapping off a nutlike thing which I can’t remember what it was called. I’m 75 now an still in search of this recipe. Can you help me figure it out? Thanks friend.
You might be able to make something like that using my custard recipe and the nut-like thing was likely nutmeg.
Sounds like classic American custard pie.
Here are a couple recipes. I’ve seen it in a lot of old cookbooks. And I agree it sounds like she was using a whole nutmeg and just grating off a little. Just leave off the vanilla if you prefer
http://www.kingarthurflour.com/recipes/custard-pie-recipe
http://www.food.com/recipe/grandmas-egg-custard-pie-181205
I think you use cream of starter in the egg whites and sugar. Makes them stiffer.
Yes, cream of “tartar” does make egg whites stiffer. 🙂
Can I substitute cocconut for the milk
I have only made it with milk so I don’t know. It’s best to look for a recipe that uses the ingredients you have rather than make changes.