CUSTARDS
Perform various methods of scaling, cooking, baking and testing custards. Understanding of the difference ratio of creme brulee. Understanding of recipe conversions and order of operations. Demonstrate different knowledge of cooking methods and what they are used for. Display plating skills.
What is a Custard? A custard is made by tempering steeped cream or milk into an egg yolk or combination of yolk and whole eggs base. It is the coagulation of the egg protein which gives the custard its thickened form. This is achieved by gently heating the custard either by low heat on a stove top ( Stirred Method), in a double boiler ( Ribbon stage Method) or in a water bath in the oven ( Baked Method).
Proteins, such as eggs, coagulate when heated. Undiluted egg proteins coagulate at 160 degrees F. The proportion of eggs to other ingredients in the mixture affects egg coagulation; cream, milk, and sugar interrupt this formation. The consistency depends on the ratio of egg to other liquid ingredients, likewise, acid will inhibit eggs from coagulation, therefore adding more egg to an acid rich base will act as an insurance policy to your custard base.
Egg Tempering Double Boiler Ribbon Stage Stirred Method Water Bath Method Churned Method
Tempering: Steep milk/cream and slowly add ⅓ of the heated cream into egg mixture while stirring, this brings the eggs to the temperature of the heated cream without cooking the egg. Once you have tempered the eggs it is safe to add all of the remaining heated cream to the mixture at once.
Double Boiler: Consists of cooking a delicate product by using steam as your heat. By placing a bowl over a pot of lightly boiling water the steam heats/melts the product slowly with low heat. Uses for this would be melting chocolate or cooking egg yolks so as not to coagulate them. This is not to say that you CANNOT scramble egg over a double boiler, it does help ensure the product heats up slowly enough that it takes longer to cook therefore it will stay at the consistency you are looking for for a longer period of time.
Ribbon Stage: Is the process in which you cook your egg yolks and sugar together over a double boiler until they are pale in color and when a spoon is run through the product and you run your finger down the back of the spoon a clear passing mark is made without the sides running back together, nappage. When this stage is reached the product is done.
Stove Top Stirred: This is the method in which the cream is steeped, strained especially if infusing flavor and then tempered into the yolk mixture, the entire mixture is then strained, put back on the stove and stirred constantly until product forms a smooth silky consistency. The custard is then strained again to insure a smooth consistency and to remove any impurities.
Ribbon Stage: Is the process in which you cook your egg yolks and sugar together over a double boiler until they are pale in color and when a spoon is run through the product and you run your finger down the back of the spoon a clear passing mark is made without the sides running back together, nappage. When this stage is reached the product is done.
Water bath: Is the process in which the custard is made in the same process as the stove top stirred method only instead of returning it to the heat it is poured into baking dishes and baked in a shallow pan with water ⅓ up the side of the dish. This is to insulate the custard and insure even cooking. Some custards are cooked using this method and covered with tin foil to steam the custard as well. We always bake custards at low temperature, 300F is the highest we will bake custards at.
Churned: This is the method in which the cream/milk is steeped and tempered into the egg yolks (if used) and then returned to the heat to reach ribbon stage at 165 degrees and then either cooled down and put in a ice cream machine to be spun or slowly frozen and folded onto itself, as in the process of making Gelato.
Crème Anglaise Fruit Curds Pastry Cream Bavarian Cream Creme Brulee Bread Pudding Quiche Cheesecake Ice Cream Gelato
Crème Anglaise: Mother Sauce in pastry Yolk to Milk Ratio 4:1, yolks 4oz (4 yolks), milk 8 oz (1 cup) Stovetop stirred method. Adds moisture to tarts, pound cakes, high fat ratio pastries, wonderful sauce to put over fruit, meringue, or generally anything...
Fruit Curd: Rich fruit, egg and butter custard. 3oz Yolks 4 oz fruit 4-6 oz sugar 1-5 oz butter The sugar varies in curd based on the fruit that is being used i.e., lemon juice versus raspberries. Used for pie fillings, cake layer fillings, ect.
Pastry Cream: Yolk to Milk Ratio 3:1, yolks 3 (3oz), milk 1 cup (8oz), sugar 4oz, butter 1oz, Vanilla TT Variations: no butter, add flour or cornstarch to help stabilize and thicken. Used for Bavarian Crème (with the addition of equal parts Chantilly), custard pies, tarts, cake layer fillings.
Creme Brulee: Rich Custard with a burnt sugar topping Yolk to Cream Ratio 3:1, yolks 3 (3 oz), heavy cream 1 cup (8oz) Standard Formula: Yield 4-6oz ramekins Yolks 6 (6oz), heavy cream 2c (16oz), sugar 1/2c (4oz) This custard can be infused with many different flavors, if infusing add any herbs, zests or teas into the cream while its steeping. These will be removed when cream is strained and tempered into yolks. Ensure to add in extra eggs when adding other ingredients.
Bread Pudding & Quiche: Ratio 4:2:1, Bread, Egg, Milk Bread pudding can be made either sweet or savory by adding herbs and vegetables or fruit and sugar. Quiche: Ratio 2:1, Eggs 2, Milk 1 cup (1 cup additional filling) Fillings: ham, cheese, onion, peppers, tomatoes
Bread Pudding & Quiche: Ratio 4:2:1, Bread, Egg, Milk Bread pudding can be made either sweet or savory by adding herbs and vegetables or fruit and sugar. Quiche: Ratio 2:1, Eggs 2, Milk 1 cup (1 cup additional filling)
Sweet or Savory? Yolk to Cream Cheese Ratio: 2:1, yolks 2, cream cheese 1 cup (8oz) Standard formula: Yield 1 Cheese Cake Yolks 4, CC 2c, sugar 1c, sour cream 1c, vanilla 1T Any flavor can be added to this formula to make the cheese cake either sweet or savory, omit the sugar for savory.
Ice Cream: 2 C Milk 5 C Heavy Cream 9ea Egg Yolks 1 ½ C Sugar Ice cream is stove top stirred then turned in an ice cream maker to incorporate air and to form ice crystals with gives it a firmer colder texture. It is higher in milk fats to help keep its smooth mouth feel.
Flavorings provide the desired flavors that you want the custard to impart. Flavorings Include: Extracts Chocolate Spices Salt Butter Sugar Teas