Country Baked Custards

How to make Country Baked Custards Recipe - A basic custard which you can make richer by using half and half, or reduce the calories by making it with skim milk. For a custard that is more easily unmolded, add the extra egg yolks.

Makes 4 servings

Ingredients:
1 pint milk or half and half (2 cups)
1/4 cup sugar
Dash of salt
2 eggs or 2 eggs plus 2 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Freshly grated nutmeg

Method:
Preheat oven to 325F (165C).

Place 4 custard cups in a shallow baking pan. Scald milk or half and half by heating almost to boiling point. Stir in sugar and salt. In a medium-sized bowl, beat eggs.

Gradually whisk in hot milk or half and half. Add vanilla. Strain mixture into custard cups. Sprinkle with nutmeg. Place pan with filled custard cups in oven. Pour boiling water in baking pan to come about halfway up sides of cups.

Bake 30 minutes or until custards are set and a silver knife inserted off center in a custard comes out clean. Do not overbake or custards will be watery. Serve warm or chilled.

Variations
Cream Custards:
Follow directions for Country Baked Custards, above, but substitute 1 pint whipping cream for milk or half and half. Substitute 4 egg yolks for 2 whole eggs. Pour mixture into 6 tiny pot de creme cups or in heatproof demitasse cups. Set in a pan with hot water and bake as above. Makes 6 servings.

Chocolate Cream Custards:
Prepare Cream Custards, above, but add 3 ounces melted semisweet chocolate to mixture. Chilled baked custard is good sprinkled with rum before serving.