From Sharon Tyler Herbst’s book “The New Food Lover’s Tiptionary” (Hey,I don’t write the title’s, I just report them).
- Stirred custards are generally made in the top of a double boiler over hot, not boiling water. High heat can scorch the milk and/or cause the eggs to separate.
- Constant stirring is needed in order to allow the protein from the eggs to coagulate.
- If a custard begins to curdle, pour it into a blender, cover and process until smooth (starting at a slow speed and gradually increasing to high). Return the custard to a clean pan and continue cooking.
- Or you can pour a curdled custard through a sieve into the cold bowl.
- Cook the custard until it reaches 170 degrees F on a candy thermometer.
