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This simple egg custard recipe uses a classic covered water bath technique in the oven to ensure perfectly rich and creamy steamed custard every time.
If you enjoy flan, crème caramel, or crème brûlée, you’ll love this simplified version! Pulling inspiration from these sweet dessert custards, as well as Chinese steamed eggs or egg pudding, this recipe is rich and silky-smooth.
If you’re familiar with steamed eggs, it’s likely that you’ve had the savory version, which can contain soy sauce, sesame seed oil, broth, scallion, mushrooms, etc. And if you’re not familiar with steamed eggs, they’re a dish of beaten eggs that are mixed with a liquid (such as water, broth, milk, etc.) and – you guessed it – steamed!
When I started experimenting with this recipe, I found that as much as I enjoy savory steamed egg pudding, I like sweet steamed eggs – similar to custard – even more! When I say “sweet” here, I really mean not savory. We don’t add savory components, but the only sweetness comes from heavy cream.
I add vanilla extract to this recipe, but I don’t typically add sweetener. This is just personal preference because I like to use this as a keto or carnivore dessert. However, you can add up to 3 tablespoons of granulated sweetener (such as granulated white sugar or your favorite keto sugar replacement) to make this closer to a regular dessert custard.
If you enjoy velvety-smooth puddings and custards, I think you’ll go crazy for this! There are a ton of ways you can customize it to make it your own.
Why This Recipe Works
- With just a few ingredients, we rely on the classic tried-and-true custard method. Egg (and/or egg yolk) is the traditional thickener in custard, and it does a beautiful job. We’re keeping it simple; you won’t find any cornstarch, flour, or gelatin here!
- Baking custard in a covered water bath ensures that the custard cooks slowly and evenly to help prevent curdling. The steam makes sure the custard doesn’t dry out and crack on top. You end up with the most silky-smooth texture!
- This recipe is great for a variety of special diets. It’s naturally gluten free, low carb, keto, and carnivore-friendly.
- If you’re on a budget and looking for economical recipes, this one is a great option. With eggs as the main ingredient it works for breakfast or a snack, but with a hint of rich vanilla it’s also a good choice for dessert. And if you like, you can add sweetener to make it even more decadent.
Ingredients
Breaking It Down
Ingredients Explained
In this section I explain the ingredients and give substitution ideas where applicable. For the full recipe (including the ingredient amounts), see the recipe card below.
- Eggs – The base ingredient in this custard.
- Egg yolks – In addition to whole eggs, we also include egg yolks here. They add richness, and also help the custard thicken perfectly into a melt-in-your-mouth creamy texture.
- Heavy whipping cream – This lends rich flavor and mouthfeel to the custard.
- Water – Adding a bit of water along with the heavy whipping cream makes sure this isn’t too heavy.
- Pure vanilla extract – I love the rich depth of flavor that vanilla adds here, even without added sweetener.
- Salt – This makes sure the custard isn’t bland.
How to Make This Simple Egg Custard Recipe
To prep, preheat the oven to 300F. Put a kettle of water on to boil (for a water bath).
- Add the eggs and egg yolks to a medium bowl, and whisk to combine. Add the cream, water, vanilla, and salt, and lightly whisk again. (Tip: Try not to over-whisk, otherwise your mixture will be frothy.) Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve.
- Put 4 individual ramekins or glass jars into an oven-safe casserole dish. Pour the custard into the ramekins or jars. Carefully pour the hot water into the casserole dish around the ramekins. Ideally, the water should come up to the same level as the custard in the ramekins, but at least halfway is fine. Cover the top of the dish with foil.
- Bake until the custard is set along the outside but still has a slight jiggle in the center, about 36 to 39 minutes.
This custard is creamiest when it’s fully set and chilled. To fully set, let the custard cool to room temperature (about 1 hour), and then refrigerate to chill (about 2 hours).
Storage
I like to make this custard in individual lidded glass jars (I use Weck mini tulip jelly jars, which are available on Amazon). Once they cool to room temperature, cover them and store them in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Recipe Tips
- To make this sweet, you can add 3 tablespoons of any type of granulated sweetened you like, such as regular sugar, or monk fruit/allulose blend. Another option for a very subtle sweetness is to add about 7 drops of liquid stevia.
- You can skip straining the egg mixture before baking if you like. However, straining the egg mixture removes any bits of egg that don’t incorporate and results in a silkier custard.
- To set up the water bath, choose any oven-safe dish that the ramekins will fit into that’s deep enough for you to pour in water at least halfway up the fill level of the ramekins. I use an oven-safe glass dish that’s 11.5 inches long by 9.75 inches wide by 3.75 inches deep (similar to this baking dish).
- You can’t rush perfection! This custard is the creamiest and most silky smooth when it’s chilled. Let it cool to room temperature, and then chill it in the fridge before serving.
Variations
- If you enjoy savory custards (such as quiche), omit the vanilla and add 1/2 cup shredded cheddar or gruyere cheese (or any cheese you like), 2 tablespoons minced onion or scallion, and 2 slices of cooked, crumbled bacon. Season it with a generous pinch of salt and pepper.
- Another delicious savory option is to add 1 cup of chopped baby spinach, 1/4 cup finely chopped roasted red pepper, and 1/2 cup crumbled feta or goat cheese. Don’t forget a generous pinch of salt and pepper!
- To make an extra delicious sweet version, add 3 tablespoons of sweetener and 1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon.
Frequently Asked Questions
Both recipes contain eggs, but the difference is usually in the thickeners. Egg pudding is thickened with starch, commonly cornstarch or flour. On the other hand, egg custard is thickened with the egg itself (or egg yolks).
Another difference between the two is that custard tends to have a firmer texture than pudding.
Egg custard is typically made of eggs (or egg yolks), cream (or milk), sweetener (frequently sugar), and flavorings (such as vanilla, nutmeg, etc.).
I’ve heard people say that egg custard doesn’t taste like eggs. I cannot say that. Friends, it’s made primarily of eggs – can we realistically expect it to not taste like egg? Egg-based custard does have an underlying eggy flavor. However, it’s not in-your-face like scrambled or fried eggs. Custard is creamy with a hint of vanilla.
If you add sweetener to this recipe, it will help cut the egg flavor even more.
Steamed eggs is a dish popular in Chinese, Korean, and other East Asian cuisines. It consists of eggs that are beaten with water (or another liquid, such as chicken broth), and steamed. They have a firm yet jiggly texture and a silky-smooth mouthfeel.
More Low Carb & Keto Breakfasts to Try
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Simple Egg Custard Recipe
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Equipment
- Weck mini tulip jelly jars or any individual-sized oven-safe glass jars or ramekins
Ingredients
- 2 large eggs
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/2 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 300F. Put a kettle of water on to boil (for a water bath).
- Add the eggs and egg yolks to a medium bowl, and whisk to combine. Add the cream, water, vanilla, and salt, and lightly whisk again. (Try not to over-whisk, otherwise your mixture will be frothy.)
- Strain the mixture through a fine mesh sieve.
- Put 4 individual ramekins or glass jars into an oven-safe casserole dish. Pour the custard into the ramekins or jars.
- Carefully pour the hot water into the casserole dish around the ramekins. Ideally, the water should come up to the same level as the custard in the ramekins, but at least halfway is fine. Cover the top of the dish with foil.
- Bake until the custard is set along the outside but still has a slight jiggle in the center, about 36 to 39 minutes.
- This custard is creamiest when it’s fully set and chilled. To fully set, let the custard cool to room temperature (about 1 hour), and then refrigerate to chill (about 2 hours).
Video
Notes
- To Make it Sweet: You can add 3 tablespoons of any type of granulated sweetened you like, such as regular sugar, or monk fruit/allulose blend. Another option for a very subtle sweetness is to add about 7 drops of liquid stevia.
- Straining the Egg Mixture: You can skip this step if you like. However, straining the egg mixture removes any bits of egg that don’t incorporate and results in a silkier custard.
- Setting Up the Water Bath: Choose any oven-safe dish that the ramekins will fit into that’s deep enough for you to pour in water at least halfway up the fill level of the ramekins. I use an oven-safe glass dish that’s 11.5 inches long by 9.75 inches wide by 3.75 inches deep (similar to this baking dish).
- Storage: Once these cool to room temperature, cover them and store them in the fridge for up to 4 days.
Nutrition
Nutritional information is automatically calculated and should be used as an approximate.
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I’m the writer, recipe developer, photographer, and food stylist behind this blog. I love finding the human connection through something we all do every day: eat! Food is a common ground that we can all relate to, and our tables tell a story. It’s my goal to inspire you to get in the kitchen, try something new, and find a favorite you didn’t know you had.
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