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    Home » Cakes and Desserts » Puddings and Desserts

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    How to make Custard from scratch

    Homemade Custard using a food processor or blender is a revelation. It tastes delicious, it isn't difficult to make, and it isn't bright yellow! Modern kitchen tech banishes lumpy custard forever.

    Jump to Recipe
    Bowl of homemade custard with 2 eggs and a jug of milk
    How to make Custard

    Custard is one of those basic recipes that most of us have either never made, or have forgotten how to make. This easy custard recipe is almost foolproof, unlike the custard or crème anglaise recipes of my mother's day.

    I grew up eating custard made with Bird's Eye custard powder, although I didn't particularly like it. Once I realised that the real thing is mostly milk, eggs and sugar, and that a simple stick blender removes any lumps, homemade vanilla custard became a regular fixture in my repertoire.

    Versatile custard

    You can eat custard hot or cold. You can make a thick custard to spoon out or keep it thinner for a pouring custard. Once you've mastered the basic technique, branch out and make your own egg custard for a Sherry Trifle or as the basis of a Christmas Ice Cream Pudding.

    Key ingredients in Custard

    Whole Milk

    For the creamiest custard, use whole milk. Semi-skimmed will work too, but the flavour and texture won't be quite as luxurious. For an extra creamy custard substitute 50ml cream for milk.

    Medium or large eggs?

    In the UK medium eggs weigh 53-62g in the shell and large eggs are 63-72g. I use the largest medium eggs I have, or the smallest large eggs (and yes, I do weigh them).

    Cornflour

    If you're a purist you wouldn't use cornflour, but this is about making a tricky recipe easy. The cornflour helps with thickening and binds the eggs and milk to prevent curdling.

    Ring the Changes

    This recipe is for vanilla custard, but you can add rum or brandy for a special accompaniment, e.g. with Christmas Pudding.

    Although I wasn't fond of custard with other desserts as a child, my favourite pudding was Banana Custard - just slice 1 banana per person into the custard.

    Serve it cold

    If you want cold custard for a pudding such as a trifle, you need to cool the custard enough to pour or spoon it into the dish. You don't want the custard so cold that it sets and breaks up as you spread it.

    The easiest way to cool the custard is to put it into a large bowl in a sink of cold water. It will take about 15 minutes. If you want it to set, put it in the fridge for an hour.

    Secrets of Success

    How to thicken custard

    You thicken custard by heating it in a saucepan, which sets the eggs. There are two secrets of success:

    1. Don't heat it too quickly. Start with a LOW heat and turn it up to find the setting that works for your hob.
      Don't be afraid of increasing the heat if it's not thickening. I once spent half an hour waiting for it to do nothing. You should only need 2-3 minutes for pouring custard, 4-5 minutes for thick custard at the right heat.
      BUT, if the custard cooks too quickly it will clump and be lumpy.
    2. Keep stirring. Otherwise, the custard will set at the bottom of the pan and be lumpy.

    However, lumpy custard is not the end of the world:

    How to fix lumpy custard

    Lumpy custard is a doddle to fix with any sort of kitchen whisk or blender. I prefer a stick blender for this, which protects the saucepan and removes lumps from white sauce as well as custard. It transforms this:

    Lumpy custard on a white plate
    Lumpy Custard

    Into this:

    Custard whisked to remove the lumps, on a white plate
    Custard whisked to remove the lumps

    Make Custard Gluten-Free

    To make gluten-free Custard, check that your cornflour is produced in a GF environment. Cornflour itself is fine, but it may be contaminated in the factory.

    How long does Homemade Custard keep?

    Cover the custard and keep in the fridge for up to 5 days.

    What else do you need to make egg custard?

    • Stick blender - Invaluable in making all sorts of sauces which might curdle. As well as custard use it for perfect White Sauce or Cheese Sauce. This is one piece of my essential kitchen equipment - I even take it on holiday - and a basic one is quite inexpensive.

    If you like this...

    ...Why don't you try some other basic recipes:

    Cheese sauce in a red saucepan - ready to eat.

    Foolproof Cheese Sauce

    Cheese Sauce is one of the staple recipes that every cook needs. From a simple mac and cheese to a cheese souffle, cheese sauce is the basis for many meals.
    Homemade Mayonnaise with prawn cocktail sauce and curry mayonnaise

    Homemade Mayonnaise

    Homemade Mayonnaise is easy with a food processor or blender and some patience.
    Half a loaf of Easy No Yeast Bread with 2 slices, butter and butter knife on a beechwood board.

    Easy No Yeast Bread

    Emergency loaf, made with everyday ingredients in your store cupboard. You don't need yeast or bread flour. Ready in under an hour.

    Stockists

    Stick Blender with beaker and mini chopping bowl

    Stick Blender

    Buy Now →

    Pin Homemade Custard for Later

    Hover over any picture on the page and hit the Save button to pin the image to one of your Pinterest boards.

    Bowl of homemade custard with 2 eggs and a jug of milk

    Recipe

    Bowl of homemade custard
    Print Recipe
    4.13 from 8 votes

    Homemade Custard

    Thick and creamy custard, just milk, eggs and sugar. Make it thick or thin and serve hot or cold. Easiest with a food processor or blender.
    Prep Time15 minutes mins
    Cook Time5 minutes mins
    Total Time15 minutes mins
    Course: Dessert
    Cuisine: British
    Servings: 4
    Author: Susie@Everyday Cooks

    Ingredients

    Metric - US Customary
    • 2 medium eggs
    • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
    • 300 ml milk (full cream is best)
    • 1 rounded tablespoon cornflour/cornstarch, 30ml
    • 2 rounded tablespoons caster sugar, 60ml
    Prevent your screen from going dark

    Equipment

    Food processor
    Stick Blender

    Instructions

    • Put the eggs and vanilla in the food processor/ mixer bowl and blend. With the motor running add the sugar and cornflour/cornstarch
      2 medium eggs, 1 teaspoon vanilla extract, 1 rounded tablespoon cornflour/cornstarch,, 2 rounded tablespoons caster sugar,
    • Heat the milk in a saucepan until it's just coming up to boil and pour into the egg mixture with the machine running all the time. Blend until smooth
      300 ml milk
    • To thicken, return the custard to the saucepan and heat gently while stirring - about 2-3 minutes should be enough for pouring custard, 4-5 minutes for a thicker custard, e.g. for trifle.
      If the custard doesn't thicken, turn up the heat and stir continuously to prevent sticking.
    • If the custard goes lumpy, return to the food processor for a few seconds or blitz with a stick blender.

    More Pudding and Dessert Recipes

    • Sherry Trifle decorated with cream and raspberries in a crystal bowl on a dark worktop
      Sherry Trifle
    • Cakes and puddings using apples or pears
      Best Apple and Pear Recipes
    • Stack of 3 White Chocolate Brownies on a dark worktop
      White Chocolate Brownies
    • Easy Strawberry Mousse decorated with strawberry slices, in a glass bowl on a wooden table
      Easy Strawberry Mousse

    Reader Interactions

    Comments

    1. Jacqueline Rowlands says

      August 07, 2024 at 3:10 pm

      5 stars
      can this custard be put in the shop bought flan cases and how long to bake it and temperature please

      Reply
    2. Kathrine says

      December 13, 2022 at 10:17 pm

      Do you use whole eggs? ... I thought you had to use yolks only for real custard.

      Reply
      • Susie Collings says

        December 14, 2022 at 9:38 am

        You can use 4 egg yolks if you prefer. This everyday version doesn't leave you with egg whites to use up and is slightly lighter in texture.

        Reply
    3. Rhi says

      November 02, 2022 at 7:58 pm

      5 stars
      Custard is something I’ve always avoided making because I was taught with a double boiler and it taking ages and always going lumpy. This was so easy and only took 15 minutes!
      I added a little dash of cinnamon while it was thickening to have with an apple pie a friend brought over- I sent her home with your recipe cause we both loved it so much!

      Reply
      • Susie Collings says

        November 06, 2022 at 5:21 pm

        Hi Rhi, So pleased you gave it a go! Modern kitchen equipment makes so many 'difficult' recipes easy 🙂

        Reply
    4. JD says

      April 07, 2022 at 1:15 am

      What will be the difference if I use granulated sugar?

      Reply
      • Susie Collings says

        April 17, 2022 at 8:54 pm

        Hi JD, As long as the sugar dissolves you're ok. If you have a food processor or a stick blender you can whizz the sugar up first to pulverise it a ittle.

        Reply
    5. CustardtotheRescue says

      October 06, 2021 at 11:06 pm

      5 stars
      Have never made custard from scratch before, and my family thought it was delicious! I only tried this recipe because I did not have enough cream for any of the others, and I am so glad! I did not use a blender but a french style whisk, and it did go a bit lumpy once it started to thicken but I quickly took it off the heat and beat it until the lumps were gone. Everyone has asked me to make it again soon, and I certainly will!

      Reply
      • Susie Collings says

        October 07, 2021 at 4:46 pm

        I'm so pleased you like the recipe and that you had a go. Lots of people are put off making custard. I hope you feel pleased with yourself (I always do when I make it) 😉

        Reply
    6. Penny Burgess says

      September 03, 2021 at 10:57 pm

      Hi Anique, I am just making your custard recipe for a trifle and wondered why you measure the cornflour and castor sugar in mls rather than grams. There is a big difference but I thought I had better follow your recipe. The custard is very thick

      Reply
      • Susie Collings says

        September 08, 2021 at 7:39 pm

        Hi Penny. You're right that the volume (ml) is very different than the weigh (g) for these ingredients. I've used tablespoons in this recipe because it's quicker to measure. The thickness of the custard comes from how much you cook it, so if you want a thinner custard just heat for about 2 minutes.

        Reply
    7. Anique Newaz says

      April 12, 2021 at 6:17 pm

      Dear Susie,
      Does not a custard require a double boiler? I am afraid to place the pan of custard directly on heat

      Reply
      • Susie Collings says

        April 17, 2021 at 8:59 am

        Hi Anique, I know! That's how I first learned to make custard. Thank modern kitchen technology that we no longer have to:)

        Reply
    4.13 from 8 votes (5 ratings without comment)

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    Hi, I'm Susie. Mostly I love cooking and baking, but combining work and home life often leaves me feeling that providing healthy, tasty food for my family is a chore. On those days I am decidedly an Everyday Cook...

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    Bowl of homemade custard with 2 eggs and a jug of milk
    Bowl of homemade custard with 2 eggs and a jug of milk
    Bowl of homemade custard with 2 eggs and a jug of milk
    Bowl of homemade custard with 2 eggs and a jug of milk
    Bowl of homemade custard with 2 eggs and a jug of milk
    Bowl of homemade custard
    Bowl of homemade custard with 2 eggs and a jug of milk

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