Steamed Milk and Egg Custard

Introduction

Beaten egg is mixed with milk in the right proportion, lightly sweetened, strained, and then gently steamed over low heat. The finished custard is pudding-like — it melts in your mouth, sweet and silky — and it's the kind of classic ovo-lacto vegetarian dessert many people grow up eating. The method looks simple, but getting a smooth, hole-free texture takes a little patience and a steady low heat throughout. It's delicious warm right out of the steamer, or chilled for a cool treat — good any time of year.

Nutrition Highlights

• Egg and milk together provide a double dose of high-quality protein, along with plenty of calcium
• The custard's fine, silky texture is easy to digest, making it suitable for eaters of all ages
• The sugar amount is easy to adjust — even a reduced-sugar version keeps the natural sweetness of milk and egg
• Gentle steaming preserves as much of the nutritional value of the egg and milk as possible

Tips

• Strain the egg-milk mixture twice before steaming to get a smooth texture free of air bubbles
• Cover the custard cups with plastic wrap or foil so condensation doesn't drip onto the surface and leave pockmarks
• Steam over low heat the entire time — high heat causes honeycomb-like holes to form, leaving the texture coarse rather than silky