Custards, Puddings, Mousses, and Soufflés

It is very difficult to come up with a definition of pudding that includes everything called by that name.
The term is used for such different dishes as chocolate pudding, blood sausages (blood puddings), and
steak-and-kidney pudding. Here we will be talking about dessert puddings. There are basically two kinds
of puddings, starch-thickened and baked, are the most frequently prepared in food service kitchens. A
third type, steamed pudding, is less often served, and then only in cold weather, because it is usually
rather heavy and filling. Since custards are the basis of so many puddings, we will begin with a general
discussion of this type of preparation.

CUSTARD

Custard is any liquid thickened by the coagulation of egg proteins. Custard’s consistency depends on the
ratio of eggs to liquid, whether whole eggs or just yolks are used, and the type of liquid used. The more
eggs used, the thicker and richer the final product will be. The richer the liquid (cream versus milk, for
example), the thicker the final product. One basic rule governs the preparation of both types of custard:
Do not heat custards higher than an internal temperature of 85°C. This is the point at which egg-liquid
mixtures coagulate. If they are heated beyond this, they tend to curdle. An over baked custard becomes
watery because the moisture separates from the toughened protein.

There are two basically kinds of custards:

STIRRED CUSTARD
The basic custard mixture is cooked over stove or range top and continuously stirred till the mixture
thickens.
Examples of Stirred Custard:
1. Crème anglaise, or vanilla custard sauce
2. Pastry cream (CRÈME PÂTISSIÈRE)
3. Sabayon

BAKED CUSTARDS
Unlike the sauce, it is baked rather than stirred over heat, so it sets and becomes firm. The container of
custard is usually placed in a water bath (bain marie) to help the custard cook evenly and protect the
eggs from curdling.

Examples of Baked Custard:

1. Crème caramel
2. Crème brûlée
  Crème anglaise, or vanilla custard sauce
When making a custard sauce, be extremely careful to stir the mixture continually and do not allow it to
boil, or it will curdle. Do not allow the temperature to exceed 85°C or the custard will curdle. A properly
made custard sauce should be smooth and thick enough to coat the back of a spoon. A custard sauce
can be served with cakes, pastries, fruits and soufflés and is often used for decorating dessert plates.

Adding milk to egg. Properly cooked sauce. Straining the sauce into a bowl.

 PASTRY CREAM (CRÈME PÂTISSIÈRE)

Pastry cream is stirred custard; it is made with egg yolks, sugar and milk and thickened with starch (flour,
cornstarch or a combination of the two). Due to the presence of starch the egg yolks do not curdle,
pastry cream is an exception to the rule of not heating custards over 85°C and in fact it can be heated till
boiling point. In fact, it must be boiled to fully gelatinize the starch and eliminate the taste of raw starch.
Pastry cream can be flavored with chocolate, liquors, extracts or fruits. It is used for filling éclairs, cream
puffs, napoleons, fruit tarts and other pastries. Pastry cream is thick enough to hold its shape without
making pastry dough soggy.

Stirring the pastry cream as it comes to a boil. Folding butter into the cooked pastry cream.

 SABAYON
Sabayon (sah-bah-yawn; It. zabaglione) is a foamy, stirred custard sauce made by whisking eggs, sugar
and wine over low heat. The egg proteins coagulate, thickening the mixture, while whisking air
incorporates to make it light and fluffy. Usually a sweet wine is used; Marsala and champagne are the
most popular choices. The flavor of the sabayon depends on the quality of the wine from which it is
made. The mixture can be served warm, or it can be chilled and lightened with whipped cream or
whipped egg whites. Sabayon may be served alone or as a sauce or topping with fruit or pastries such as
sponge cake or ladyfingers.

 Crème caramel
It is example of baked custard. The custard mixture is poured into a mold lined with caramel. The mold is
is placed in a water bath and cooked till the custard sets. Once the custard is cooled, demolded & served
as a dessert.

 Crème brûlée
Similar like crème caramel, it is also categorized under baked custard category. The custard mixture is
poured into a mold & cooked in water bath till it is set.

Difference between Crème Caramel & Crème Brûlée:

 Crème caramel is demolded & served.
 Crème brûlée is not demolded; it is gratinated with sugar & served.

PUDDINGS

1. RNGE TOP PUDDING

Most of these puddings are thickened with starch, so they must be boiled in order to cook or gelatinize
the starch.
A. Cornstarch pudding
Cornstarch pudding consists of milk, sugar, and flavorings, and is thickened with cornstarch. If enough
cornstarch is used, the hot mixture may be poured into molds, chilled, and unmolded for service.
Blancmange is an good example of cornstarch pudding.

B. Cream puddings
Cream puddings are the same as pastry cream. These puddings are usually made with less starch,
however, and contain any of several flavoring ingredients, such as coconut or chocolate. Butterscotch
pudding is given its flavor by using brown sugar instead of white sugar.If you look again at the formula
for pastry cream you will see that the only difference between cornstarch puddings and cream puddings
is that the latter contain eggs.

Once you understand the basic of pudding procedure, you will be able to make many variation by adding
additional ingredients:

 Vanilla pudding – by adding vanilla essence

 Coconut cream pudding – by adding coconut grated and essence or coconut milk and coconut
cream.
 Banana cream pudding - by adding bananas purée to the pudding mixture.
 Chocolate pudding – by adding cocoa or melted chocolate
 Butterscotch pudding

C. Puddings bound with gelatin

A pudding not thickened with starch or eggs must be bound or stabilized using Gelatin. One of the
simplest and most popular desserts of this type is panna cotta, which is Italian for “cooked cream. Panna
cotta is made by heating cream and milk with sugar, adding vanilla and gelatin, and chilling in molds until
set. It is often served with fruits or caramel sauce.

2. BAKED PUDDING

Many baked puddings are custards that contain additional ingredients, usually in large quantities. Bread
pudding, for example, is made by pouring a custard mixture over slices or cubes of bread arranged in a
baking pan and placing it in the oven to bake. Rice pudding, made of cooked rice and custard, is another
popular item.
The procedure for making many baked puddings, such as bread pudding, is the same as that for making
plain baked custard. A water bath may not be necessary if the starch content of the pudding is high.
These preparations are, strictly speaking, custards because they are liquids or semi liquids that are set
by the coagulation of eggs. They may also contain small amounts of starch as a stabilizer.

Few examples of baked puddings are:

 Bread pudding
 Rice pudding

3. STEAMED PUDDINGS

Steamed puddings are primarily cold-weather fare. Their heavy, dense texture and richness make them
warming, comforting desserts on winter nights. These characteristics, however, make them
inappropriate for year-round use. The most famous steamed pudding is the English Christmas pudding,
known in much of North America as plum pudding.

MOUSSES & SOUFFLES

These include light, fluffy or creamy-textured dessert items made by combining flavoring ingredients
with whipped egg whites or whipped cream (to lighten the mixture) and bound with gelatin.

1. Bavarian Cream

A Bavarian cream (In French Language it is known as Bavarois) is prepared by

first thickening custard sauce with gelatin, then folding in whipped cream.
The final product is poured into a mold and chilled until firm enough to
unmold and slice. Although a Bavarian cream can be molded into individual
servings, it is often poured into a round mold lined with sponge cake or
ladyfingers to create the classic dessert known as a charlotte.

2. Chiffon
Chiffon is similar to a Bavarian except that whipped egg whites instead of whipped cream are folded into
the thickened base. The base may be custard or a fruit mixture thickened with cornstarch. Although
chiffon may be molded like a Bavarian, it is most often used as a pie or tart filling.

3. Mousse
A mousse is similar to a Bavarian or chiffon in that it is lightened with whipped cream, whipped egg
whites or both. A mousse is generally softer than these other products, however, and only occasionally
contains a small amount of gelatin. Sweet mousses can be based on a custard sauce, melted chocolate
or puréed fruit. Based on the main ingredient used the mousse gets its name.

Folding in the whipped egg whites. Folding in the whipped egg whites.

NOTE: Commercially prepared powders and mixes can be used to make a wide assortment of puddings,
custards, mousses, gelatin desserts and creams. The advantages to these products are speed, quality
control and reduced labor costs. Packaged mixes are simply prepared according to the directions
provided by the manufacturer. The pastry cook can often improve on the final product by adding
whipped cream, fruit or an appropriate garnish.

SOUFFLÉS

Soufflés are lightened with beaten egg whites and then baked. Baking causes the soufflé to rise like a
cake because the air in the egg foam expands when heated. Toward the end of the baking time the egg
whites coagulate, or become firm. However, soufflés are not as stable as cakes, and they fall shortly
after they are removed from the oven. For this reason, they should be served immediately. Soufflé can
be served both savory and sweet. Savory soufflés are usually served in savory course. Dessert soufflés
are served in dessert course. Here we will discuss about dessert soufflé.

A standard soufflé consists of three elements:

1. Base

Many kinds of bases are used for dessert soufflés; most are heavy, starch-thickened preparations, such
as pastry creams or sweetened white sauces. If egg yolks are used, they are added to the base.

2. Flavoring ingredients

These are added to the base and mixed in well. Popular flavorings include melted chocolate, lemon, and
liqueurs. Small quantities of solid ingredients such as dried candied fruits or finely chopped nuts may
also be added. The base and flavor mixture may be prepared ahead of time and kept refrigerated.
Portions can then be scaled to order and mixed with egg whites.

3. Egg whites
Whenever possible, egg whites should be whipped with some of the sugar. This makes dessert soufflés
more stable. Butter soufflé dishes well and coat them with sugar. Fill dishes to about 1⁄2 in.(1 cm) below
the rim. When it is baked, the soufflé should rise 1–11⁄2 in. above the rim.

DIFFERENCES BETWEEN BAVARIAN, MOUSSE, SOUFFLE, CHIFFON

Bavarian. Mousse
 Base: Custard Sauce along with flavoring  Base: Flavoring ingredients e.g. Fruit puree,
ingredients. melted chocolate.
 Lightened with: Whipped cream  Lightened with: Egg whites and/or whipped
 Set with: Gelatin cream
 Set with: Little or no gelatin
Soufflé. Chiffon.
 Base: many varieties, usually containing egg  Base: following are the types.
yolk along with flavoring ingredients e.g. Starch-thickened (fruit filling type)
chocolate or fruit puree etc. Egg-thickened (custard type)
 Lightened with: Egg whites Egg- and starch-thickened (pastry cream type)
 Set with: Baked  Lightened with: Egg whites or whipped cream
 Set with: Gelatin