Featured Recipe
Fried Custard Squares
By Kate
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Custard squares coated with a crisp crust. Uses cornstarch and all-purpose flour to stabilize the custard. Egg wash and panko for crunchy outer layer. Deep-fried until golden. Finished with a sprinkle of cinnamon sugar. Serve warm for best texture and flavor contrast.
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Prep:
25 min
Cook:
12 min
Total:
37 min
Serves:
8 servings
dessert
French-inspired
fried food
Introduction
Custard fried? Sounds odd but works. Rich, creamy base cut into hand-held squares. Coated crisp, fried till light gold. The contrast: hot crust, cool, soft center. Make ahead custard, chill till firm enough to cut without collapse. Dusting flour first is key for egg wash to stick evenly. Panko crumbs? Insane crunch, no sogginess, just right. Oil temp is king here. Too hot, burns crust, custard still cold inside. Too cool, greasy mess. Sizzle sounds tell you when it’s done. Cinnamon sugar at the end adds subtle heat and texture. Eat while warm or spoil the magic.
Ingredients
Custard
- 90 g sugar (about 3/8 cup)
- 20 g unbleached all-purpose flour (about 1 1/2 tbsp)
- 25 g cornstarch (about 2 tbsp)
- 1 large egg
- 360 ml warm whole milk (about 1 1/2 cup)
- 25 g unsalted butter (about 1 1/2 tbsp)
- 5 ml vanilla extract (1 tsp)
- Pinch ground cinnamon
- 90 g unbleached all-purpose flour (about 1/3 cup)
- 2 egg whites, lightly beaten
- 20 ml water (about 1 1/3 tbsp)
- 110 g panko breadcrumbs (about 1/2 cup)
- Canola or vegetable oil for frying
- 10 g granulated sugar (about 2 tsp)
- 5 g ground cinnamon (optional, mixed with sugar)
Coating
About the ingredients
Custard stability depends on flour and cornstarch ratio. Flour alone not enough, cornstarch prevents graininess. Use unbleached flour for pure flavor. Egg yolk replaced by a whole egg here—makes custard lighter but no big sacrifice. Butter for sheen and richness; never skip. Panko gives better texture than regular breadcrumbs—try cornflake crumbs if you want crunchier skin. Whipping egg whites with water is a trick for thinner, consistent coating that fries evenly. Keep custard cubes cold before frying; otherwise, they fall apart or absorb too much oil.
Method
Custard base
- Line a 22 X 12 cm loaf pan with plastic wrap, leaving enough overhang for easy removal. Lightly oil the wrap.
- Off heat, whisk sugar, flour, cornstarch in saucepan. Beat egg in separately until no lumps.
- Add warm milk bit by bit, whisking constantly. Heat on medium, whisk nonstop scraping sides. Watch thickening, subtle bubble pops at edges mean ready. Simmer 1-2 min until pudding coats spatula thickly.
- Off heat, whisk in butter til melted, vanilla, cinnamon. Pour into lined pan. Press plastic wrap on surface immediately — stops skin forming. Cool to room temp, refrigerate 5-7 hours or overnight. Custard must firm fully.
- Spread flour in shallow dish. Mix egg whites with water in another. Place panko in third plate.
- Turn custard onto board, peel plastic away. Cut into 8 equal squares. Handle gently, custard soft but solid.
- Dust squares with flour, shake off excess. Dip in egg wash, then press evenly into panko. Cover completely but avoid soggy spots.
- Chill coated squares on plate or tray 25-35 minutes. Chilling firms coating—prevents breaking in hot oil.
- Pour 1 cm oil in heavy skillet, heat to medium-high. Test oil temp by dropping a breadcrumb; steady sizzle means ready.
- Fry custard squares 2-3 minutes each side. Watch for deep golden crust, not dark brown. Turn carefully with slotted spatula.
- Drain on paper towels or wire rack to keep crust crisp. Sprinkle immediately with cinnamon sugar while warm.
- Serve right away. Cooling softens crust and custard texture changes.
- Use almond milk substitute for dairy-free but custard may be looser; add extra cornstarch.
- Swap panko with crushed cornflakes for crunchier bite.
- If crust falls off, check coating dryness before frying or chill longer.
- If custard too runny after cooling, cook longer initially. Should hold shape when cut.
- Reheat gently in low oven or toaster oven; microwave ruins crust crispness.
Prepare coating
Frying
Tips and Tweaks
Technique Tips
Line pan well, plastic wrap pressing right on custard avoids that annoying skin on chilled pudding—it’s a thin veil, not raw. Heat carefully, don’t walk away; custard thickens fast but can burn at bottom if ignored. Constant stirring, impossible to skip. Chill fully; not just cool, but firm enough to slice clean edged squares. Flour coating first—some skip, regret it later. Egg wash bonds crumbs, use water to loosen but avoid runny mess. Fry in just enough oil to cover bottom—deep frying not required. Looking for golden crust? Listen to sizzle: too soft means undercooked, dark spots mean oil too hot. Drain well or crust sogs. Sugar sprinkled hot melts slightly, sticky sweet finish.
Chef's Notes
- 💡 Use almond milk for dairy-free; adjust cornstarch to firm custard. Egg whites and water ensure even coating. Press panko tight. Grate love but avoid sogginess.
- 💡 Watch oil temp; too hot burns while inside stays cold. Listen for the sizzle, it tells all. Test with crumb first, adjust flame. Quickly fry till golden, not dark.
- 💡 Cut custard clean when chilled fully; not too runny. Flour it first, keeps egg wash on, prevents slipping. Watch edges. Cool completely on the wire rack.
- 💡 Panko for the crunch and texture; alternative? Cornflake crumbs. Dust flour first; no regrets later. Handle gently or you might lose that precious firmness.
- 💡 To save leftovers, chill. Can't sit out. Or refry later, get back that crunch. Microwaving kills crust; avoid that. Store in fridge, eat within a couple days.
