Egg Custard FAIL - please advise?

[KilroyJC]

In my experience, cracked eggs leak albumin and do not make the best boiled eggs.

The process I describe is for removing the shells after then have been boiled and cooled - I should have made that clearer (editing now)

 

[RobertN]

Since we got chickens back in May, we have plenty of eggs.

The cost per egg based on expenses is finally below $5/egg.

I decided to make some egg custard, and went with a very basic recipe of 1 gallon milk, one dozen eggs, two cups of sugar, and some vanilla extract.

Cooked it up as per instructions (simmer on stove for 30 minutes) and ladled it into a bunch of five-oz cups, and put them in the fridge overnight.

They did not set.

SO, I cracked another dozen eggs, beat in a 1/4 cup of flour and two tablespoons of cornstarch, emptied all the cups into a pot and added the additional eggs, repeated cooking, and ladled into cups and put them into the fridge overnight.

Woke up this morning and they still didn’t set!

Today, I will pick up some dark rum, strain/funnel the liquid into some bottles and add rum, and make eggnog for the winter, because I am not going to waste a gallon of milk and two dozen eggs.

Any culinary experts have any ideas why the custard never thickened?

Thanks.

Post your recipe?

FWIW, I would "test" with a smaller amount; scale recipe to 4 eggs accordingly, and experiment. Dial the recipe in, and then scale up.

Have you considered a baked custard?

 

[Raul-02]

Cooked it up as per instructions (simmer on stove for 30 minutes)

That might be your problem right there. It's often better to use your eyes and the touch and feel to determine if it is properly cooked
Your profile says Appalachia What is your altitude? Altitude matters when making custards because water boils at a lower temperature so you gotta cook longer.

 

[KilroyJC]

Post your recipe?

FWIW, I would "test" with a smaller amount; scale recipe to 4 eggs accordingly, and experiment. Dial the recipe in, and then scale up.

Have you considered a baked custard?

I love flan, but I wanted to try a stovetop custard. Right now, I a, glassing more eggs for storage, but I will try again in a couple weeks when it gets cooler.

 

[KilroyJC]

That might be your problem right there. It's often better to use your eyes and the touch and feel to determine if it is properly cooked
Your profile says Appalachia What is your altitude? Altitude matters when making custards because water boils at a lower temperature so you gotta cook longer.

2134 ft. According to GoogleEarth. Not ridiculously high.

 

[Raul-02]

2134 ft.

Your water boils at about 207F. Ya gotta cook it longer.

 

[KilroyJC]

Your water boils at about 207F. Ya gotta cook it longer.

Will do and will report back when I do - THANK YOU!

 

[Sheldon Hamblin]

Since we got chickens back in May, we have plenty of eggs.

The cost per egg based on expenses is finally below $5/egg.

I decided to make some egg custard, and went with a very basic recipe of 1 gallon milk, one dozen eggs, two cups of sugar, and some vanilla extract.

Cooked it up as per instructions (simmer on stove for 30 minutes) and ladled it into a bunch of five-oz cups, and put them in the fridge overnight.

They did not set.

SO, I cracked another dozen eggs, beat in a 1/4 cup of flour and two tablespoons of cornstarch, emptied all the cups into a pot and added the additional eggs, repeated cooking, and ladled into cups and put them into the fridge overnight.

Woke up this morning and they still didn’t set!

Today, I will pick up some dark rum, strain/funnel the liquid into some bottles and add rum, and make eggnog for the winter, because I am not going to waste a gallon of milk and two dozen eggs.

Any culinary experts have any ideas why the custard never thickened?

Thanks.

Been making custard from extra eggs for 40 years. Never boiled it, always baked it for 1.5 hours at 350 degrees. Always came out great.

 

[wmfamily]

Any culinary experts have any ideas why the custard never thickened?

Every custard I ever made was thickening by the time I took it off heat. An instant read thermometer is almost required.

Cook's Illustrated has a simple guide...

"Egg-based puddings and custards can curdle if cooked beyond 185 degrees. We take crème anglaise off the heat when the mixture registers 175 to 180, but when making the base for ice cream we push the temperature to 180 to 185 for maximum thickness. Baked custards, such as flan and crème brûlée, should jiggle (but not slosh) when gently shaken. This will occur between 170 to 175 degrees."