Editing Custard (section)

== Variations ==
{{More citations needed|section|date=July 2024}}
[[File:Dessertcustard.jpg|right|thumb|A formal custard preparation, garnished with raspberries]]

While custard may refer to a wide variety of thickened dishes, technically (and in [[French cuisine|French cookery]]) the word ''custard'' (''crème'' or more precisely ''crème moulée''<!-- we are NOT talking about crème anglaise here, which is a thinner pouring custard used as a sauce -->, {{IPA|fr|kʁɛm mule|}}) refers only to an egg-thickened custard.

When [[starch]] is added, the result is called 'pastry cream' ({{langx|fr|crème pâtissière}}, {{IPA|fr|kʁɛm pɑtisjɛːʁ|pron}}) or confectioners' custard, made with a combination of milk or cream, egg yolks, fine sugar, flour or some other starch, and usually a flavoring such as vanilla, chocolate, or lemon. ''Crème pâtissière'' is a key ingredient in many French desserts, including ''[[mille-feuille]]'' (or Napoleons) and filled tarts. It is also used in Italian pastry and sometimes in [[Boston cream pie]]. The thickening of the custard is caused by the combination of egg and starch. [[Cornstarch|Corn flour]] or flour thickens at {{convert|100|°C|°F|abbr=on}} and as such many recipes instruct the pastry cream to be boiled. In a traditional custard such as a ''crème anglaise'', where eggs are used alone as a thickener, boiling results in the over-cooking and subsequent curdling of the custard; however, in a pastry cream, starch prevents this. Once cooled, the amount of starch in pastry cream sets the cream and requires it to be beaten or whipped before use.
[[File:Trifle-(cream-layer)-profile.jpg|right|thumb|Layers of a [[trifle]] showing the custard in between [[cake]], fruit and [[whipped cream]]]] [[File:Pastry cream.jpg|thumb|Pastry cream]]When [[gelatin]] is added, it is known as ''crème anglaise collée'' ({{IPA|fr|kʁɛm ɑ̃ɡlɛz kɔle|}}). When gelatin is added and [[whipped cream]] is folded in, and it sets in a mold, it is ''[[bavarois]]''. When starch is used alone as a thickener (without eggs), the result is a ''[[blancmange]]''.

In the United Kingdom, custard has various traditional recipes some thickened principally with cornflour (cornstarch) rather than the egg component, others involving regular flour; see [[custard powder]].

After the custard has thickened, it may be mixed with other ingredients: mixed with stiffly beaten egg whites and gelatin, it is [[chiboust cream]]; mixed with whipped cream, it is ''crème légère'', {{IPA|fr|kʁɛm leʒɛːʁ|}}. Beating in softened butter produces [[Buttercream#Custard-based buttercream|German buttercream]] or [[Buttercream#Custard-based buttercream|crème mousseline]].

A quiche is a savoury custard tart. Some kinds of [[Timbale (food)|timbale]] or vegetable loaf are made of a custard base mixed with chopped savoury ingredients. ''Custard royale'' is a thick custard cut into decorative shapes and used to garnish [[soup]], [[stew]] or [[broth]]. In German, it is known as ''Eierstich'' and is used as a garnish in German Wedding Soup (''Hochzeitssuppe'').<ref name="mcgavin_eierstich">{{Cite web |last=McGavin |first=Jennifer |title=Easy Eierstich Recipe- Royale as a Soup Garnish |url=http://germanfood.about.com/od/soupsandstews/r/eierstich-recipe.htm |access-date=4 November 2013 |website=About.com |archive-date=20 December 2016 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20161220094457/http://germanfood.about.com/od/soupsandstews/r/eierstich-recipe.htm |url-status=dead }}</ref> ''[[Chawanmushi]]'' is a [[Japanese cuisine|Japanese]] savoury custard, steamed and served in a small bowl or on a saucer. [[Chinese steamed egg]] is a similar but larger savoury egg dish. ''[[Bougatsa]]'' is a Greek breakfast [[pastry]] whose sweet version consists of [[semolina]] custard filling between layers of [[phyllo]].

Custard may also be used as a top layer in [[gratin]]s, such as the [[South African cuisine|South African]] [[bobotie]] and many [[Balkan cuisine|Balkan]] versions of ''[[moussaka]]''.

In Peru, ''leche asada'' ("baked milk") is custard baked in individual molds.<ref name="Elichondo1997">{{Cite book |first=Margarita |last=Elichondo |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=LV_33krxpx8C&pg=PA207 |title=La comida criolla: memorias y recetas |publisher=Ediciones Del Sol |year=1997 |isbn=978-950-9413-76-4 |page=207}}</ref> It is considered a restaurant dish.<ref name="CuadraEscardo2013">{{Cite book |last1=Morena |first1=Cuadra |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=gx7sDQAAQBAJ&pg=PT420 |title=The Everything Peruvian Cookbook: Includes Conchitas a la Parmesana, Chicken Empanadas, Arroz con Mariscos, Classic Fish Cebiche, Tres Leches Cake and hundreds more! |last2=Morena |first2=Escardo |date=18 January 2013 |publisher=Adams Media |isbn=978-1-4405-5678-4 |page=420}}</ref>

=== In French cuisine ===
French cuisine has several named variations on custard:<ref>{{Cite book |last1=Beck |first1=Simone |title=Mastering the art of French cooking |last2=Bertholle |first2=Louisette |last3=Child |first3=Julia |publisher=Alfred A. Knopf, Inc. |year=1964 |location=New York |chapter=Desserts and Cakes |orig-year=1961}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book |last=Gisslen |first=Wayne |title=Professional baking |publisher=John Wiley & Sons |year=2013 |isbn=978-1-118-08374-1 |edition=6th |location=Hoboken, NJ |chapter=Basic Syrups, Creams, and Sauces |oclc=753351232 }}</ref>
* ''[[Crème anglaise]]'' is a light custard made with eggs, sugar, milk, and vanilla (with the possible addition of starch), with other flavoring agents as desired
** With cream instead of milk, and more sugar, it is the basis of ''[[crème brûlée]]''
** With egg yolks and [[heavy cream]], it is the basis of [[ice cream]]
** With egg yolks and [[whipped cream]], and stabilised with [[gelatin]], it is the basis of [[Bavarian cream]]
** Thickened with butter, chocolate, or gelatin, it is a popular basis for a ''crémeux''
* ''Crème pâtissière'' (pastry cream) is similar to ''crème anglaise'', but with a thickening agent such as cornstach or flour
** With added flavoring or fresh fruit, it is the basis of ''crème plombières''
* ''Crème Saint-Honoré'' is ''crème pâtissière'' enriched with whipped egg whites
* ''[[Chiboust cream|Crème chiboust]]''  is similar to ''crème Saint-Honoré'', but stabilised with gelatin
<!-- Crème légère is not mentioned by either Beck et al. nor Gisslen, but since it's mentioned in a previous section it's included here for completeness -->
* ''Crème diplomate'' and ''crème légère'' are variations of ''crème pâtissière'' enriched with whipped cream
* ''Crème mousseline'' is a variation of ''crème pâtissière'' enriched with butter
* ''[[Frangipane]]'' is ''crème pâtissière'' mixed with powdered [[macaron]]s or [[almond]] powder