1. In a medium saucepan, bring milk and vanilla to a slow boil
2. Remove from heat and allow to sit 10 minutes to fully infuse
3. In a very clean bowl, whisk egg yolks and sugar until light and fluffy - a stand mixer helps
4. Add cornstarch and continue whisking until all lumps are dissolved
5. Add 1/4 cup of the hot milk mixture and continue whisking until fully incorporate
6. DO NOT ADD ALL THEM MILK AT ONCE AS YOU RISK SCRAMBLING YOUR EGG MIXTURE
7. Risk in remaining milk mixture and set saucepan aside
8. Pour the full mixture through a strainer back into saucepan
9. Over medium-high heat – whisking constantly – allow to come to a slow boil and thicken
10. Remove from heat and melt butter in
11. Pour into individual dessert dishes and chill at least 2 hours before serving
12. Custard can be made 24 hours in advance of serving, but should be covered with plastic wrap
13. Enjoy

The custard recipe as we have come to know it actually dates back thousands of years to Ancient Rome and refers to any number of sweet or savory dishes composed by cooking eggs and dairy – with the dairy slowly added to the egg mixture – resulting in an impossibly smooth, creamy and tantalizing texture.

In truth, a custard recipe by any other name could be called vanilla pudding, perhaps Crème Anglaise or even Crème Brûlée – classic and very rich – often reserved for the very rich.

Crème Anglaise is a thinner custard sauce popular in French cuisine and never better than when served with fresh fruit tarts, poached pears or bread pudding.

Crème Brûlée is also a classic French custard dessert that is baked the chilled with a layer of granulated sugar caramelized over the top just before serving.

Any number of dishes employ a custard base before cooking or baking such as a bread pudding which can be prepared either a as a savory dish or sweet dessert. Streaming Crème Anglaise over a warm bread pudding – perhaps with chocolate or bananas – elevates an already heavenly dish. Pudding such as vanilla, chocolate or butterscotch are technically custards. And the foundation for the always popular quiche is a savory custard base. A sweet baked custard in crust is the perenially popular custard tart.

While ice cream is in fact technically not a custard, many artisanal ice cream brands do use a custard base and a frozen custard is also a popular and enduring custard dessert.

We are cooking now, please wait for it to come out. It will be delicious.