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To cool: Set on a wire rack for at least 15 minutes before serving.

To store: Once completely cooled, the dish can be wrapped in plastic and refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Note: To make fresh bread crumbs, tear a large, fresh, soft baguette or other soft bread into 2-inch chunks (remove the crust if it’s crunchy); place these chunks in a food processor fitted with the chopping blade and process until ground.

Apple Walnut Brown Betty: Substitute 2¾ pounds apples for the pears; substitute cinnamon for the ginger.

Puddings, Custards, Mousses, and Soufflés

EGGS BEGIN AND END THIS BOOK. IT’S NO WONDER BECAUSE EGGS ARE NATURE’S wonder, a perfect food. For the purposes of these desserts, eggs have long protein chains that must slowly unwind so they can reattach in wiry loops. Unfortunately, heat is both their friend and their enemy: it helps them elongate, but it can also solidify the bonds and make custards “break”—that is, become an incoherent mixture of goo and an unincorporable liquid.

But that rarely happens if you’re careful with eggs over the heat. While most puddings and custards are relatively quick desserts, they do need your attention while you’re making them. They’re not “walkaways” like a cake once it’s in the oven. Instead, carve out a moment when you can pay attention to what you’re doing and you’ll soon have bowls of comfort food.

If only all of life were like eggs: simple, pure, uncomplicated. The best of cooking. An ultimate pleasure.

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Puddings and Custards

There are two kinds of custards: those with starch (cornstarch and flour in our recipes) or those without. The former are stirred directly over the heat; the latter, baked in a humidity-rich water bath. Both keep the unwound egg proteins from forming rigid bonds and so create luscious, creamy, thick puddings, custards, crèmes, and the like.

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Vanilla Bean Pudding

This pudding is a little loose set, creamier than our Chocolate Pudding that follows. A vanilla bean gives it an intense taste without the unwelcome hint of alcohol. Makes 6 servings

1 vanilla bean

3 cups milk (regular, low-fat, or fat-free)

1 large egg plus 3 large egg yolks, at room temperature

1/3 cup sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

¼ teaspoon salt

Split the vanilla bean in half lengthwise; run a paring knife along the inside of the halves, thereby scraping out the tiny seeds. Stir these and the bean’s pod into the milk in a medium saucepan set over medium-low heat; continue stirring until little bubbles pop up around the pan’s inner rim. Cover and set aside off the heat for 15 minutes.

Fish the pod halves out of the milk, discard them, and return the pan to low heat, warming the milk gently just until wisps of steam come off its surface. Do not simmer.

Meanwhile, whisk the egg, egg yolks, and sugar in a medium bowl until creamy, pale yellow, and quite thick, about 3 minutes.

Slowly whisk about half the hot milk mixture into the egg mixture until smooth, then whisk this combined mixture back into the pan. Whisk in the cornstarch and salt until smooth.

Set the pan over low heat (if you’re using electric heat, set the pan over an unused burner just now turned to low). Cook, stirring constantly, just until the first bubble appears, until thickened somewhat and glossy, 2 to 3 minutes. Divide among six ½-or ¾-cup ramekins or custard cups. Refrigerate until set, about 4 hours or up to 3 days.

Rum and Vanilla Bean Pudding: Add 2 tablespoons gold or white rum or ½ teaspoon rum extract with the cornstarch.

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No Cream?

There are two ways to make puddings and custards rich: cream or egg yolks. We prefer the latter; they give the mixture a gelato-like smoothness without coating the tongue. What’s more, because the yolks intensify the flavors so well, you can craft a rich pudding even out of fat-free milk.

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Chocolate Pudding

Don’t skimp on the vanilla; use a high-grade pure extract that will balance the chocolate. And never stop whisking the pudding over the heat! Makes 6 servings