Basic Custard Vanilla Recipes

Steps:

• Have eggs ready in a bowl, and set aside where it will be within reach.
• Using a whisk, combine milk, sugar and cornstarch in a medium saucepan over medium heat on stovetop. Allow milk to scald (heat to the point when tiny bubbles form around edges of pan). Whisk occasionally to prevent cornstarch from clumping on bottom edges of pan.
• Remove milk mixture from heat, preferably to a burner that's turned off.
• Mix about 2 tablespoons of scalded milk mixture into eggs using whisk, then introduce eggs into milk mixture in a slow stream, whisking milk mixture constantly.
• Immediately return pan to heat and whisk gently until custard thickens, another two or three minutes. Do not allow to boil. (If you find that you have egg white strands in custard, feel free to pass it through a fine-mesh sieve into a different bowl now.)
• Remove pan from heat and stir in vanilla.

Steps:

• Cook and stir milk, vanilla extract, and butter in a saucepan over medium heat until simmering. Remove mixture from heat before it comes to a boil.
• Whisk eggs, sugar, and cornstarch together in a bowl until sugar dissolves.
• Set saucepan back over low heat. Pour in egg mixture slowly, whisking constantly, until custard thickens enough to coat the bottom of a spoon, 5 to 10 minutes.

Steps:

• Heat the milk in the saucepan until it comes just up to the boil, then take off the heat immediately. In a bowl, beat together the egg yolks, vanilla sugar and flours. Pour the milk slowly over the egg mix, beating well.
• Return the mixture to the pan and place over a low heat, stirring for 8-10 mins until the mixture begins to thicken. Remove and serve with the dumplings.

Steps:

• Heat milk in a 2 1/2- to 3-quart heavy saucepan over moderate heat until hot but not boiling.
• While milk heats, whisk together yolks, sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a heatproof bowl until smooth.
• Add 1 cup hot milk to yolk mixture in a stream, whisking, then add remaining milk, whisking constantly. Transfer mixture to saucepan and cook over moderately low heat, stirring constantly, until thickened and registers 170°F on thermometer, 6 to 10 minutes (do not boil).
• Immediately force custard through a fine-mesh sieve into a clean bowl and stir in butter and vanilla. Chill custard, its surface covered with wax paper, until cold and thickened, at least 3 hours.

Steps:

• Combine milk and 1 tbsp sugar in a heavy saucepan, scald, and remove from heat.
• In a separate bowl, whisk the egg yolks and 1/2 tbsp sugar together.
• Temper yolks with the scalded milk, then whisk everything back into your pot.
• Return pot to medium heat, add 8 tbsp (1/2 cup) of sugar.
• Bring custard to the boil, stirring constantly, then IMMEDIATELY remove from heat (otherwise your custard will be lumpy).
• Add 1/2 tsp vanilla extract, or any flavor extract of your choice! (nutty flavors, mild spices, coffee, and chocolate work best).
• Serve hot and fresh or chilled.
• Tip: Many people (myself included) consider the skin on top the best part of the custard. If you don't like custard skin, however, you can cover your cooling container with any airtight seal like a tupperware lid or plastic wrap. Just don't put it in a glass jar and screw the top on!
• EDIT: People have been having trouble getting this to thicken, like in the comment. DON'T make this recipe unless you're willing to experiment. I need to do something to fix it, but I don't know how to make the recipe private -- sorry sorry everybody! Thanks to jetta_mel for pointing out the trouble with it!