Delicious Cherry Custard (Print)
A rich, velvety custard baked with sweet cherries for an elegant dessert that balances creamy texture with fruit brightness.
# What You Need:
→ Fruit
01 - 2 cups fresh or frozen pitted cherries
→ Custard Base
02 - 1 ½ cups whole milk
03 - ½ cup heavy cream
04 - 4 large eggs
05 - ½ cup granulated sugar
06 - 1 tsp pure vanilla extract
07 - ¼ tsp almond extract
08 - Pinch of salt
→ For Baking
09 - 2 tbsp unsalted butter, for greasing
10 - 2 tbsp granulated sugar, for dusting
# How To Make It:
01 - Preheat the oven to 350°F. Generously butter a 9-inch round baking dish or gratin dish, then sprinkle with 2 tablespoons sugar to coat the bottom and sides evenly.
02 - Spread the pitted cherries evenly across the bottom of the prepared baking dish in a single layer.
03 - In a medium bowl, whisk together the eggs and ½ cup granulated sugar until the mixture becomes pale and slightly thickened.
04 - Add the milk, heavy cream, vanilla extract, almond extract (if using), and pinch of salt to the egg mixture. Whisk until fully incorporated and smooth.
05 - Pour the custard mixture evenly over the cherries in the baking dish, ensuring the fruit is distributed throughout.
06 - Bake in the preheated oven for 35–40 minutes, or until the custard is set but still slightly wobbly in the center and the top is lightly golden.
07 - Remove from the oven and let cool for at least 15 minutes before serving. Enjoy warm, at room temperature, or chilled.
# Expert Tips:
01 -
- The custard comes out impossibly silky and creamy, barely sweet enough to let those cherries shine through without being cloying.
- It looks like something from a French bakery but takes maybe fifteen minutes of actual hands-on time and bakes while you handle cleanup.
02 -
- Overbaking is the death of custard, so pull it when the center still jiggles slightly or you will end up with something closer to a sweet sponge cake.
- Frozen cherries work beautifully here but toss them in the dish while still frozen and do not thaw first or they will release too much water into the custard.
03 -
- Room temperature ingredients are not just a suggestion because cold eggs can curdle when they hit warm milk and ruin all your efforts.
- That pinch of salt seems unnecessary but it actually makes the vanilla pop and keeps the sweetness from feeling one-dimensional.