a trifle disaster
for xmas i decided to make a sherry trifle. i was doing great until i got to the custard. i seems to have some kind of block about it. in the past i've watched a nicely thickening custard turn to scrambled egg in seconds and wanted to avoid a repeat of that. so this time i undercooked it and it was too thin -- not thick at all.
i've heard about heating it until it coats the back of a wooden spoon and you can run a straight line through it with your finger, but is there anything more specific than that -- like temp? at what temp will the egg start to scramble and is it past the point of recovery then?
your advice is much appreciated!
Add a comment:
Previewing your comment:
HTML Hints
Some HTML is OK: <a href="URL">link</a>, <strong>strong</strong>, <em>em</em>
Comment Guidelines
Post whatever you want, just keep it seriously about eats, seriously. We reserve the right to delete off-topic or inflammatory comments. Learn more at our Comment Policy page.
If you see something not so nice, please, report an inappropriate comment.
Start Talking!
Need a question answered? Have advice to share? Start a Talk topic now!
Sign up to get your questions answered and share advice.
8 Comments:
Try cooking to around 160 and then checking the back of your spoon. If the mixture gets to 180, I think it will curdle. Check out
http://www.baking911.com/custard/101_intro.htm
There is also an excellent picture of nappe (the stage where you can draw a line through the custard) in the Williams-Sonoma Ice Cream cookbook. Also, look for recipes that give you a specific temperature for the custard and use a thermometer.
Good luck!
NuJoi at 9:20AM on 12/28/07
I cook all custards by feel and not temp. I whisk them till they coat the back or thicker if I am making pudding. It really is a wait and see exercise.
When you stopped cooking it was it thin? If you temper your eggs correctly no scrambled egg thing will happen. My suggestion is to go back in and try it again.
There is also cheating/quicker method if you feel unsure. Quicker method is using some condensed milk or heavy cream in your mix and making a slurry with some arrow root. I only use this when I have to hurry. Change out some of your milks to thicker milks, heavy cream or condensed milk. The condensed is going to be sweeter so adjust your sugar. When using arrow root it does not need to boil. Arrow root will firm up at a lower temp than cornstarch or flour. It will start to firm at a simmer, when it starts to firm pull it off the heat. You may have to make the slurry smooth or you will get lumps. In a trifle no one will really notice the lumps unless they are huge which if you are whisking effectively will not happen.
JerzeeTomato at 10:08AM on 12/28/07
If you have only curdled it a little, you can quickly put the pan in a sink of cold water and it will stop the cooking. Then you can press the custard through a sieve. If you do this, it usually ends up okay.
Good luck.
laura dot at 10:09AM on 12/28/07
cooks illustrated published a trifle recipe that had you baking the custard in the oven in a shallow dish. i made it and it turned out great -- really thick and rich, and it tasted spectacular. if you're a member of their website, you can try a search. it was originally published about eleven or twelve years ago. sorry i can't supply it myself but i moved and gave away all my back issues.
my other suggestion would be to invest in a flame tamer. bed bath and beyond sells them for about five bucks.
cybercita at 10:11AM on 12/28/07
I agree with JT, the problem is usually not the temperature but the tempering of the eggs. I've made the scramble mistake and so I am terribly cautious when I make custards now (usually as an ice cream base) and find as long as I temper the eggs carefully I am okay. It can cook until it is practically thick enough to stand a spoon in without scrambling.
lexophile at 10:41AM on 12/28/07
Tempering is essential -- but if you overcook a custard, it will turn to scrambled eggs no matter how well you tempered your eggs. It is the nature of eggs.
Use a good, heavy pan -- no thin aluminum bottoms. You want the slow even heat of a good heavy pot. Stir well and pay attention to the corners of the pan. If you have one, a Windsor pan (with slanted sides) is good cuz you can stir into the corners better. Use medium heat - slow & steady is is best while you learn. If you are experienced, you can cook a custard over higher heat, moving the pan on & off the heat to control temperature, but why tempt fate?
Keep a bowl of icewater handy and if your custard appears to be cooking to fast -- getting scrambled -- plunge the pan in the icewater to cool it off fast and stop the cooking,
Strain into a clean bowl to remove any overcooked bits. Your custard should thicken a tiny bit more while it cools.
kjgibson at 1:25PM on 12/28/07
Custard, like romance, takes time. Curdling isn't a function of temperature in and of itself- it happens when eggs are heated too quickly and/or haven't been adequately denatured before you start tempering.
I've had good luck with custards as long as I:
a) beat the egg yolks very, VERY thoroughly when you start the recipe,
b) temper very slowly and carefully, even if the recipe doesn't specify you do so,
c) use a double-boiler, and
d) whisk like a mofo. :) Not whipping, just stirring constantly with a whisk.
I've used a recipe that incorporates some cornstarch when you whisk the egg yolks with the sugar, and that provides some thickening and curdling insurance. It gets a little gelatinous for my tastes, but it makes an excellent base if you'll be mixing in other ingredients anyway.
Good luck!
pieninja at 1:43PM on 12/28/07
thanks all. re: tempering the eggs -- is that the part where you add the infused milk back to the beaten eggs and egg yolk?
when i did that i did it really slowly and the egg/milk mixture ended up really frothy (i used a whisk not a beater).
or is tempering heating it all back together? i think i'm going to get a bunch of eggs and figure this thing out. will try the ice bath trick too. from your comments it sounds like the trick is do this part really slowly and with an eagle eye. i'll also experiment with the arrowroot and thicker cream suggestions too.
thanks all!
astarteny at 2:38AM on 12/29/07