Old Fashioned Baked Vanilla Custard

Old Fashioned Baked Vanilla Custard ? A Dessert from Days Gone By

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Chefs spend a lot of their time trying to improve recipes and cooking methods, or at least they should. That?s why you don?t see boiled steaks on menus, but sometimes this culinary prime directive inadvertently steals a dish?s soul, and this simple baked vanilla custard is a great example.

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This primitive dessert is easy to make ?better,? by using cream instead of milk to achieve something richer, or by using egg yolks instead of whole eggs for something a little smoother, but while both of these ?improvements? would accomplish those goals, the final product would not be old fashioned baked custard. I like rich, and decadent, but that?s not what this is supposed to be.

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I always encourage experimentation when presenting these recipes, but before you?re tempted to modernize this classic, please try it as posted. It will be much lighter than you expect, with a texture that almost literally melts in your mouth. As long as you don?t overcook these, you?re in for a very special treat from days gone by, which is why I really do hope you give them a try soon. Enjoy!