Smooth and rich homemade Vanilla Custard is quick and easy to make right on your stovetop with eight simple ingredients. With just a few effortless tips, you too, can master this culinary delight.
There are so many great ways to serve this custard. In place of ice cream, spoon a little over a slice of pound cake or over your favorite apple pie. Use it to stuff pastries, or spoon it into small bowls or tarts and top with fresh berries.
This custard is a delicious treat with a velvety texture and true vanilla flavor. With just a few simple steps that even the novice cook can master, this culinary treat can be all yours. If you like this velvety custard, try my tapioca pudding or chocolate pudding.
Let’s Spill The Tea
- Cuisine type: American and many others
- Taste and texture: vanilly (is that a word) and creamy
- Effort and skill: moderate on both counts
- Pros: homemade is so much better than storebought
- Cons: the recipe needs your full attention for about 15 minutes
Ingredients for Homemade Vanilla Custard
- Eggs: for the yolks
- Dairy: whole milk and heavy cream
- Granulated sugar
- Cornstarch
- Salt
- Butter: unsalted or salted, if using salted, omit extra salt
- Vanilla extract: the pure stuff
How to make Vanilla Custard
This is just the nutshell version of the recipe. See the recipe card below for ingredients and complete directions.
- Add the egg yolks to a small bowl.
- In a medium saucepan, whisk together the milk, cream, sugar, cornstarch, and salt over medium heat. Whisk frequently until it starts to simmer.
- Remove the mixture from the heat. Whisk 2-3 tablespoons of the hot mixture into the egg yolks. Repeat!
- Return the saucepan to medium-low heat and slowly drizzle in the egg mixture while whisking. Do not let the mixture boil. Continue cooking and whisking for 2-3 minutes or until the mixture has thickened and reached approximately 180 degrees.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and vanilla.
- Let it cool for a couple of minutes while whisking. Pour the custard through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl.
- Cover the surface of the pudding with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Let the custard cool for about 40 minutes before placing it in the refrigerator. Chill for about 3 hours.
Recipe Tips For Perfect Vanilla Custard
- Whisk very frequently and use a spoon if necessary to reach those bottom edges of the saucepan.
- Use pure vanilla extract for the best flavor. For even more taste, substitute an equal amount of vanilla paste for the vanilla extract. The vanilla flavor is one of the stars here.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do not let the mixture boil. When whisking in the eggs and cooking the mixture after, try to keep the mixture between 170-180 degrees Fahrenheit. An instant-read thermometer or candy thermometer comes in handy for this.
Pour the custard through a fine mesh strainer to remove any little bits of cooked egg that might have formed. This extra step is worth it for ensuring a smooth and velvety custard, and it only takes 1-2 minutes.
Cover the custard with plastic wrap right after cooking to prevent a skin from forming. Place the plastic wrap directly on the surface of the custard.
Let’s Recap Folks
- This is a delicious vanilla custard that is made with wholesome, all-natural ingredients.
- Even though it is a homemade custard and you must temper the eggs, the reward in taste and texture far outweighs the effort.
- Everyone who tries it loves it. They will sing your praises.
Try These Next
Vanilla Custard Recipe
Ingredients
- 4 egg yolks room temperature
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/8 teaspoon salt large pinch
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Add the egg yolks to a small bowl that is large enough to add a little of the warm milk mixture to it.
- In a medium saucepan, whisk together the milk, cream, sugar, cornstarch, and salt over medium heat. Whisk frequently until it starts to simmer, with small bubbles appearing on the edges of the pan. This is known as scalding the milk. Do not let it reach a rolling boil or hard boil, so keep a close eye on it.
- Remove the mixture from the heat. Whisk 2-3 tablespoons of the hot mixture into the egg yolks. Repeat with 2-3 more tablespoons of the hot mixture.
- Return the saucepan to medium-low heat and slowly drizzle in the egg mixture while whisking. Do not let the mixture boil. Continue cooking and whisking for 2-3 minutes or until the mixture has thickened.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and vanilla.
- Let it cool for a couple of minutes while whisking. Pour the custard through a fine mesh sieve into a bowl. This step will remove any bits of egg or lumps that may have formed.
- Cover the surface of the pudding with plastic wrap to prevent a skin from forming. Let the custard cool for about 40 minutes before placing it in the refrigerator. Chill for about 3 hours.
Notes
Nutrition
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MARY JO REYNOLDS
I love this with a raspberry sauce😋😋😋
Jupiter
I love this vanilla custard! I did not know it was so easy to make! I will be making this on a regualr basis. Thank you for your recipe.
Tracey Kifford
This is such a lovely custard – really creamy and decadent. Perfect poured over a steamed fruit pudding
Sandra
This is seriously amazing! Everything in my house loved it! Thanks for the recipe!
Beth Pierce
My pleasure, Sandra!
Hari
My goodness gracious! What an awesome and truly yummy vanilla custard. Will be a wonderful dessert to serve during the Christmas day dinner.
Beth Pierce
I agree, Hari!
Luna S
I’ve never thought about making this on my own before, it sounds a lot easier than I thought it would be. I will try my hand at making this, thanks for sharing it.
Rose
Do you make your own vanilla paste that you could substitute for the extract? Sorry to sound novice here (but I am a novice). This custard sounds good.
Beth Pierce
I do not as vanilla bean is so pricey right now but you certainly can. I use vanilla extract. There are some brief instructions in the post.
Theresa
Your blog post on serving custard is making my taste buds dance with anticipation! The versatility you describe opens up a world of delicious possibilities. I love the idea of spooning this custard over a slice of pound cake – it adds a creamy, indulgent layer that must complement the cake’s texture perfectly.
Lisa
Vanilla custard is a simple yet delicious dessert. I like your recipe and will try making it again and again for the family.
Natalie
The recipe is actually simpler than I thought! Definitely a versatile sweet filling that can be used in so many baking recipes!
Beth Pierce
So true, Natalie!
Catalina
Vanilla custard is one of those classic desserts that always feels so comforting. The smooth, creamy texture combined with the subtle sweetness of vanilla—it’s just heavenly!
Beth Pierce
I could not agree more, Catalina!
kat
This vanilla custard is so velvetty and smooth. We loved it with some fresh blackberries I bought at the market. Thanks for the recipe!
Beth Pierce
Thanks, Kat! So glad that you liked it!
Stephanie
This vanilla custard is so creamy and decadent. I didn’t have any vanilla but I added the seeds from a vanilla bean and it was still a special dessert.
Beth Pierce
Awesome, great improvising!
Beth
I love custard so much. It’s a great dessert on its own, but it’s even better when you use it as a dip with cookies or other sweet dippers. Thanks for sharing.
Beth Pierce
You are most welcome, Beth! Enjoy!
Erin
Such a yummy treat and quite easy to make with your helpful tips! Thanks for sharing the recipe, Beth!
Anjali
This custard was the best easy dessert to serve to my family when they visited over the holidays! It was super smooth, rich, and perfectly sweet!
Beth Pierce
Thank you, Anjali! So glad that you and your family liked the custard!