This recipe was written by Stephanie Searor, MS RD LDN
Making custard using a sous vide is similar to water bath cooking; in both techniques, the containers are submerged in water. In sous vide cooking, the containers may be completely submerged (if you are in the market for a new sous vide machine, check out our reviews here). In water bath cooking using a traditional method like a low temperature oven, containers would be uncovered. Sous vide custard takes longer than a traditional water bath in a low temperature oven, but the extra time is worth it. The result is a creamy, smooth, silky custard with minimal effort; what’s more, you could turn the custard into crème brûlée with a sprinkling of raw sugar and a quick broil or kiss from a blow torch.
One thing that is different about this recipe is that instead of vacuum sealing the custards, they are being sealed in glass jars; you could use mason jars or any other food safe jar with a sealable top. If you do want to make this using traditional, vacuum seal methods, go ahead, give it a whirl! You could vacuum seal a ramekin, which doesn’t usually have a lid. Or, if you wanted to make a larger, family style custard, you could seal the entire container in a vacuum safe bag (depending on size; check out our article here to find the perfect vacuum sealer for the job).
Equipment
- Sous Vide Machine – our favorite right now is the Anova or the Joule.
- Container – not necessary, but nice to have for bigger cuts of meat. We recommend the Lipavi as it is large and sturdy. You can also use a pot.
- Vacuum sealer and bags, or a freezer Ziploc bag. If you only have a Ziploc make sure to check our our article on the water displacement method. You can find our favorite vacuum sealers here – 5 Best Sous Vide Vacuum Sealers (Reviews Updated 2021)
Simple Sous Vide Pumpkin Spice Custard Recipe
Prep time: 10 minutes
Total cook time: 70 minutes
Serves 4-6, depending on size of baking containers
Ingredients:
- 4 whole eggs
- 2 cups heavy whipping cream (or half and half, but the texture won’t be as decadent)
- ½ cup sugar
- ½ cup canned pumpkin (not pie filling)
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla (not imitation)
- 1/8 teaspoon salt
- 1/8 teaspoon nutmeg
- ½ teaspoon cinnamon
Directions
- Prepare a sous vide water bath to 178 degrees Fahrenheit.
- In a blender, combine all ingredients and blend until smooth.
- Divide the custard among 6-4oz glass jars or mason jars. Seal the glass jars and submerge.
- Cook the custard for at least 60 minutes.
- Cool and serve plain, or with a dollop of whipped cream.
