Custard preparation
The technique of combining eggs with a hot dairy or liquid base and heating the mixture to set egg proteins into a smooth, flowing or sliceable gel.
What it means in a kitchen
A standard stirred custard uses 2–3 egg yolks per 250 ml of cream or milk, with sugar providing structural interference that raises the coagulation temperature slightly. The critical threshold is 82–85°C: below this range the custard stays thin; above it, proteins over-coagulate and the mixture curdles or turns grainy. Tempering — adding the hot liquid to the eggs in a slow stream while whisking — prevents the eggs from scrambling on first contact before the mixture is stabilized at a lower blended temperature.
Common misunderstanding
Baking a custard tart or clafoutis at too high an oven temperature forces the internal temperature past 90°C, causing the liquid to weep out (syneresis). A water bath is not optional refinement — it slows heat transfer and holds the mixture within the narrow safe zone throughout the bake.
Example
Pouring hot cream into the egg yolks a tablespoon at a time before baking a cherry clafoutis prevents the eggs from seizing on contact with the hot liquid.