Custards, Puddings, etc. Taken to the Limits...

[flowerbug]

i've never done a full scientific analysis or taken precise measurements.

so i'm curious as there are a few people here who have a lot of eggs and milk so perhaps you know offhand which amount is good and when it is too much?

i ask because my last two batches of tapioca pudding have come out more like scrambled eggs instead of a custard or pudding, but at least the second batch is better (more sugar and i didn't cook it as long).

they are edible either way, but i sure like the texture better when it comes out right. still food and breakfast it is...

basically i think the problem was that i used a few too many eggs (because i wanted to use them up). oops...

 

[flowerbug]

probably cooked it too hot too fast. the second batch was smaller and i stirred more often.

but avoiding that is there too many eggs?

 

[Mini Horses]

I'd say both...too many eggs, first. Cook slow and stir. I'll look up recipe after in for evening. Boil or freeze extra eggs . I sometimes whip them with cooked sausage, bacon, onions, left over veggies....pour into muffin tins and bake. Makes for a fast breakfast to heat & eat during week.

 

[flowerbug]

at least i only have one quart left of the too much like scrambled ones and then another quart of the better batch.

i think what happened is that the too many eggs version overpowers the thickening provided by the tapioca so i'll dial those back next time for sure. the overcooking part didnt happen before because i could get the whole bowl going with a rolling boil it would still be fine.

i use the minute tapioca and follow the recipe on the box (except when i don't ). next time i'll be a little less eggy and measure a bit more precisely.

we hardly ever have extra eggs here and i do like them hard boiled for snacks when i can get them.

 

[tortoise]

Try lemon curd to use up those extra eggs? There's a recipe somewhere on the forum. Lots of sugar, but probably similar to pudding

 

[Mini Horses]

No extra eggs cause mom bakes !? I just gave away 4.5 dz....have 3 dz still here but there is normally an excess of milk & eggs because of my animals. Not a bad thing, usually

So egg ratio roughly 1/2 egg per cup liquid. Also, did you temper the eggs when cooking this? I'm guessing not -- prob mix all and began heat. Too many eggs, cooked to fast, yeah, they scramble.

You know, it can be made without eggs.

 

[farmerjan]

Rose Acre Farms... Aunt Esther's Vanilla custard recipe. Have been making this one for years when I got it off one of their egg cartons.... Simple and easy... But I adapted it to bake in a bowl instead of a baking dish... and put the bowl inside a slightly larger one with water ... a water bath.... it makes the custard a little smoother without the air bubbles around the edges...
I also do my bread pudding that way... Farm Journal country cookbook... men's favorite custard bread pudding or something like that .. cook in a water bath and it is topped with a meringue from the egg whites and lightly browned .... uses a bunch of eggs too but the custard uses at least 1/2 dozen... I make a double recipe so a dozen eggs at a time....

 

[flowerbug]

No extra eggs cause mom bakes !?

she normally bakes 200 - 500 cookies at a time when she does them. a normal month is usually a few rounds of that. not counting cakes or muffins. like yesterday for fun she ended up making some pumpkin bread and some boston brown bread.

I just gave away 4.5 dz....have 3 dz still here but there is normally an excess of milk & eggs because of my animals. Not a bad thing, usually

especially if you like custards!

So egg ratio roughly 1/2 egg per cup liquid. Also, did you temper the eggs when cooking this? I'm guessing not -- prob mix all and began heat. Too many eggs, cooked to fast, yeah, they scramble.

You know, it can be made without eggs.

yes, but i don't really like corn starch puddings and i'm used to different versions of flour based ones but on the whole the tapioca one that i like the best is pretty easy and the thickener for that is the eggs plus the tapioca.

the recipe is off the box of instant tapioca but extra eggs do not go well in it. so i won't make that mistake again.