To make a good Castard
The good Huswifes Handmaide for the Kitchin
Take a platter full of Creame, if it bee a quart, then take sixe yolks of Egges, to a pint three Egges, and when you set your Creame, ouer the fire, cut your butter in smal peeces and but it into your creame, & it be litle more then the quantitie of a Walnut it is enough, and season it with salt, Sugar, cloues, mace, and saffron, and so couer it, and let it be set vpon a chafingdish or pot of seething water, and when it is well hardned, cast on it minced Dates and small Raisons, and so let it boyle till ye think it be wel hardned: and then serue them foorth.
Description
Custards appear in every English cookery book published in the Tudor era - not surprisingly so as custard is simple to make, but luxurious, and almost universally enjoyed. All custards begin with Cream, Eggs, and Sugar as a foundation but their proportions and the techniques used to cook them may vary, as well as how they are seasoned and what is served with them. If you have access to full-fat fresh Cream, that is the best choice, but be sure to see the note in the recipe regarding this. (Fresh, high quality cream should be about 40% butterfat whereas commercial homogenized Heavy Cream is usually closer to 34% so additional Butter is needed.)
For this recipe, I use the quote recipe above as my exemplar because it offers us proportions. To my delight, they match nearly identically to my own modern recipe for Crème Brûlée. To create this basic recipe, I increased the sugar from my own recipe to account for none being added on top afterward, included the Butter mentioned, and seasoned using the listed spices to match my taste. Many flavorings were available at this time, but Vanilla was not one used in this context. Though it was known to Europeans by the end of the 16th Century, it was not used in desserts until the 17th Century was in full swing.
However, we do see Mace, Nutmeg, Cloves, Saffron, Cinnamon, and Ginger attested in various recipes of the time. Rosewater, the zest of Oranges or Limes, Honey, and Almonds are also all appropriate flavors as well, though not attested in the sources I referenced. To accompany the Custard, fruits such as Raisins, Dates, and Figs are the ubiquitous choice. I have chosen Raisins and Dates since they were specifically called for, but any or all of them are appropriate choices, and can make simple but beautiful decorations for the dish. As a note, you may replace the Butter with Bone Marrow if you choose. This is attested throughout the period, but specifically for Custard in A Proper Newe Booke of Cokerye.
We see three techniques employed across these recipes - Stirring over the fire, setting unstirred over coals, or baking in a tart shell. This recipe will serve you faithfully for whichever you choose. I have recreated these techniques for the modern cook using a range top and and oven, which will provide identical results with greater ease. For the recipe below, I have demonstrated both the sauce pan method and the unstirred method (using a dish in a low oven.) If you want to serve it in a pie shell, harden it first, which is to say blind-bake it. By the late 16th Century a variety of pastry types are documented, so you use pie crust, hot water crust, or even Puff Pastry if you like. The first two photos show the Oven Method results, and the second two photos show the Stovetop Method results.
Ingredients
Instructions
Make the Custard Base
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Bring the Cream just barely to a simmer in a sauce pan.
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Combine the Eggs, Salt, Sugar, Cloves, and Mace in a heat-proof bowl and whisk together to combine thoroughly.
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Add the hot Cream little by little to the Egg mixture while stirring continuously.It is possible to do this too quickly and curdle your custard, but going too slowly will not create a problem. Err on the side of patience. You can use a 1/4 c. measure to add the Cream in batches and stir completely before adding the next.
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Add the Butter to the mixture and stir gently until fully combined.
Cook the Custard (3 Options)
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Stovetop Method
Return the Custard Base to the saucepan you used for the Cream, and stir continuously over low heat until the custard thickens to coat the back of a spoon, and reads 175°F on a probe thermometer. Once thickened, immediately pour into your serving dish and allow to cool to room temperature. alternately, refrigerate overnight and pour into the serving container the next day.
This method provides a smooth, silky, spoonable soft custard. -
Oven Method
Pour the custard base into a heatproof dish and cover with a lid. Use aluminum foil or plastic wrap if you do not have a heatproof lid. Bake in a preheated 250°F oven for about an hour, until the custard has set and reads 175°F on a probe thermometer. Remove the dish from the oven and allow to cool to room temperature, or refrigerate overnight, covered.
This will result in a smooth, firm custard with a slightly firmer set that can be sliced with a spoon. You may also find that a thin crust or layer of butterfat forms on the top of the dish. -
Pie Method
Blind-bake your Pie Shell using the method appropriate for your choice of dough. Add the fruit from the Decoration section to the Pie Shell. Pour the Custard Base into the Pie and Cover it. Bake at 350°F until the internal temperature reads 175°F on a probe thermometer and your crust is fully baked. Allow to cool to room temperature or refrigerate overnight.
This will result in a texture similar to the Oven method, but with the fruit cooked in the custard.
Decorating the Custard
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Soak the Raisins in warm water for a few minutes and then drain thoroughly. Unless you are using the Pie Shell method, decorate the top of your Custard with the fruits in a way you find pleasing. I used two different arrangements in the photos as examples, and to make it obvious that they were prepared in different ways.
