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Just like love, custard is many-splendored and sure to make you swoon. Poured, sliced, or spooned, its lush richness owes to the presence of egg, which by definition is what’s used to thicken it. Most custards tend to be dairy-based — think dessert classics like flan, baked cheesecake, and French-style ice cream — but they can also be made from ingredients such as juice, broth, or wine. Sweet or savory, they are stirred together on the stovetop, baked, or steamed. Whether you’re looking to serve up a grand quiche for brunch or an elegant crème caramel for dessert, these are some of our favorite custard recipes to sweep you off your feet.
Bunet (Chocolate Crème Caramel with Amaretti)
Also known as bonet, bunet is a luscious custard from Piedmont, Italy. Amaretti cookies enhance the almond flavor of the pudding while adding a lovely crunch to this silky dessert.
Fraisier Cake
Food & Wine / Photo by Morgan Hunt Glaze / Prop Styling by Christina Daley / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling
Vanilla-flecked mousseline cream — a stovetop custard bolstered by a generous amount of butter — is the star of this French showstopper. Paired with fluffy sponge cake, it’s the perfect foil for sun-ripened strawberries.
Crème Brûlée
Victor Protasio / Food Styling by Julian Hensarling / Prop Styling by Julia Bayless
With its signature caramel crunch topping, classic French crème brûlée is the richest of all custards. The moment the spoon cracks the top to expose the creamy custard is our favorite part of eating this decadent dessert.
Turmeric Custard Pie with Raspberries
Brilliant red raspberries add a tangy-sweet burst of flavor to this silky, creamy pie. A pinch of black pepper adds a mild savory note, while turmeric tints the filling with its vibrant golden hue.
Over-the-Top Mushroom Quiche
Food & Wine / Photo by Greg Dupree / Prop Styling by Christina Daley / Food Styling Julian Hensarling
“I love quiche, but it has to be several inches high and made right,” says chef Thomas Keller of the quintessential savory custard dish. This over-the-top deep-dish version, adapted from a recipe in his Bouchon cookbook, just might be the perfect example.
Tortine di Riso Agli Agrumi (Italian-Style Rice Custard with Citrus)
Greg Dupree / Food Styling by Ruth Blackburn / Prop Styling by Thom Driver
As this sweet Tuscan rice dessert bakes, it separates into two layers: The top transforms into a delicate, barely set custard and the bottom develops into a firmer layer studded with soft arborio rice.
Quindim (Brazilian Coconut Egg Custards)
These Brazilian treats feature a rich eggy custard and a chewy coconut crust, both of which come from a single batter. The macaroon-like crust forms as the shredded coconut floats and browns while baking; once cooled, the desserts are inverted, revealing the shiny, bright custard layer.
Bougatsa
Ellen Silverman
Decadent and creamy, traditional Greek bougatsa is made by baking together layers of flaky phyllo and velvety custard. Chef Nasim Alikhani gives hers a Persian spin by flavoring it with rosewater, saffron, and cardamom rather than the usual cinnamon.
Gyeranjjim (Korean Steamed Eggs)
Gyeranjjim is a savory Korean steamed custard usually served as a side dish. Fluffy and luxurious, the eggs are infused with flavorful broth and topped with all kinds of optional garnishes, like a drizzle of toasted sesame oil or hot chile oil, or a sprinkle of scallions, sesame seeds, or cod roe.
Roasted Strawberry-Vanilla Ice Cream
Chef Fany Gerson says the key to French-style ice cream is making a custard base so good you could eat it without freezing it. This is definitely true of Gerson’s homage to strawberries and cream; frozen, it’s transformed into a thick, silky ice cream.
Banana Pudding Pie
Sliced bananas are layered with rich vanilla custard and a billowy crown of fresh whipped cream, all atop a buttery crust of roasted macadamias and crushed vanilla wafers.
Kielbasa, Apple, and Onion Strata with Mornay Sauce
Cubed country bread soaks up savory mustard-tinged custard before being tossed with smoky kielbasa, tart apples, and nutty Gouda and baked to breakfast perfection. Go the extra mile and make a luscious cheese sauce to drizzle on top.
Frozen Citrus Soufflé
Jennifer Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Christine Keely
Pastry chef Michael Werrell layers silky lemon custard with orange zest-infused whipped cream and tangy lemon curd to make these whimsical no-bake soufflés.
Guava and Cheese Bread Pudding
Pastry chef Paola Velez celebrates the duo of guava and cheese in this budin de pan recipe that originated with her husband’s 101-year-old grandmother. She uses an excess of evaporated milk for a lavish custard that permeates the cubes of sourdough.
Sour Cherry Tart with Almond Frangipane
This irresistible tart takes full advantage of the affinity between tangy sour cherries and rich almond custard. A sprinkle of toasted almonds on top adds a welcome crunch. Serve it with French-style vanilla ice cream to double down on the custard deliciousness.
Chess Pie
Jen Causey / Food Styling by Emily Nabors Hall / Prop Styling by Lydia Purcell
You’ll just need pantry staples for this classic Southern dessert, a simple yet decadent custard pie made from humble ingredients like eggs, milk, butter, sugar, and vanilla. Yellow cornmeal gives the filling some texture and helps create the pie’s crackly top layer; a subtle tang of lemon balances the sweetness.
Cornmeal Cake Trifle with Sabayon and Candied Kumquats
For this bright trifle, layers of crumbly cornmeal cake and tangy citrus float on billowy drifts of barely boozy sabayon, a sweet wine custard. Crisp peaks of toasted Italian meringue crown the top.
Basque Cheesecake
Baked cheesecakes fall into the custard category; this extra-creamy one does not require a water bath and emerges from the oven with a dark, deeply caramelized top.
Lemon Meringue Pie with Marcona Shortbread Crust
“I like lemon pie so much that I want even more of the bright, sunny lemon flavor to come through,” says cookbook author Ann Taylor Pittman of this dessert’s extra-tangy lemon custard. “It’s assertively — but not aggressively — lemony, and is balanced by the fluffy meringue topping, which has the perfect sweetness and density to complement the tarter-than-usual filling.”
Pecan-Pumpkin Cream Pie
Chef Joanne Chang’s pie slices beautifully to reveal not one but two custard fillings: lightly spiced pumpkin and gooey, syrupy pecan.
Floating Islands with Dark Chocolate Crème Anglaise and Toasted Pistachios
A pool of rich, deep chocolate custard sauce contrasts beautifully with light, airy meringue “islands” and crunchy pistachios for this sensual French dessert.
Burnt Caramel Flan
Let the requisite caramel sauce in this vanilla-flecked flan go a shade darker for a faint bitter edge that cuts through the dense, sweet custard. For a distinctly Cuban touch, top the flan with a rum-spiked whipped cream.
Chawanmushi
Infused with umami-rich dashi and soy, these incredibly silky chawanmushi cook in a water bath like crème brûlée. They make a beautiful first course with a drizzle of yuzu ponzu and a garnish of fresh crab or uni.
Salted-Caramel Cream Puffs with Warm Chocolate Sauce
Pastry chef David Lebovitz fills his irresistible cream puffs with sea salt-tinged caramel custard and tops them with lush chocolate sauce.
Creamy Butterscotch Pudding with Toffee
Thickened with both egg yolks and cornstarch, this rich butterscotch pudding is considered a stovetop custard. Whipped cream and toffee crumbles make the perfect garnish.
Acorn Squash with Coconut Custard
Top Chef winner and host Kristen Kish upgrades her roasted acorn squash with an extravagant coconut custard that offsets the dish’s earthy sweetness. The custard will set as it cools and slices beautifully at room temperature.
Natilla (Creamy Egg Custard)
© Lucy Schaeffer
A direct descendant of the Spanish crema Catalana, this natilla recipe from Cuban food expert Lourdes Castro is a rich, creamy egg custard made without the crispy sugar topping. It’s sweet, thick, comforting, and perfect for entertaining because it can be prepared ahead.
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