Top 36 Custards
in the World

Frozen custard comes from the "Custard Capital of the World", Milwaukee, Wisconsin, where it's sold more than anywhere else around the globe. It is a gourmet ice cream treat made with eggs, cream, and sugar, and it originated from Coney Island, New York, when it was a popular carnival treat. As the popularity of frozen custard grew, it quickly spread to the Midwest. As there is far less air added than in other similar treats, the result is a thick and dense custard with tons of flavor. A lot of frozen custard fans believe it is better than ice cream since it is served before being refrozen and mantains a soft, yet heavy consistency, so it is a unique regional treat in which you can really feel the difference when talking about flavor.Expand

This traditional egg custard dessert consists of egg yolks, cream, sugar, and vanilla, with a hard, burnt, toffee crust. The combination is cooked, transferred into ramekins, poached in a bain-marie, then well chilled. The chilled custard is typically set in wide, flat dishes, and is then topped with brown sugar which is either caramelized under a broiler or with a blowtorch. The origins of the dish are quite unclear, and England, Spain, and France all claim to have invented it. However, most food historians agree that custards were popular as far back as the Middle Ages, and recipes for custards circulated throughout Europe for centuries. The Spanish claim to have invented it in the 18th century under the name crema Catalana, while the English claim it was their invention from the 17th century, when it was known as burnt cream. At the end of the 19th century, the French term crème brûlée became popular, putting the dessert on the map from Paris to New York City. Regardless of its origins, this timeless classic remains a great example of simple, classical cooking – memorable, delicate, and flavorful, yet easy to make.Expand

This traditional Brazilian dessert is a type of creamy, caramel-coated custard flan. Although there are as many variations on the dessert as there are families in Brazil (and throughout Latin America), the standard ingredients of pudim de leite condensado include sweetened condensed milk, regular whole milk, eggs, and sugar. To make the custard, the condensed milk mixture is typically poured into round molds or cake pans that have been coated with a simple caramel sauce, before it is baked in a water bath until it’s become firm and set. According to popular belief, this simple dessert is thought to have evolved from an old Portuguese dish known as pudim de priscos, an invention that has been attributed to a certain Portuguese priest named Manuel Joaquim Machado, also known as Father Priscos. Earlier versions of pudim de leite condensado used whole milk instead of condensed milk, which made the entire process of making the dessert much more complicated and time-consuming. The present version of the pudding was born after condensed milk was introduced in the country, back in the early 19th century. This silky custard flan is usually enjoyed chilled and cut into wedges, and it is commonly served plain. Typical accompaniments to this dessert include whipped cream, berries, and fruit.Expand

Leche flan is a dessert that is essentially a caramel custard consisting of milk, sugar, and eggs, with the addition of vanilla flavoring. Traditionally, it's oval-shaped due to the use of tin molds called llaneras. It is recommended to serve it chilled and coated with leftover caramel syrup. Leche flan is very popular at numerous Filipino celebrations and social gatherings. Originally, it was brought over to the Philippines during the Spanish colonization, so it is believed that it has origins in the regions on the border of Spain and France. Today, apart from being consumed on its own as a sweet treat, pieces of leche flan can also be added to halo-halo, another popular Filipino dessert.Expand

Leite de creme is a traditional egg custard originating from Portugal. It's made with a combination of egg yolks, milk, sugar, corn starch, cinnamon, and grated lemon peel. The eggs are beaten with the milk, then mixed with sugar and corn starch. The combination is heated over low heat with cinnamon and lemon peel, and it's necessary to stir the mixture continuously. When the consistency becomes thick, leite de creme is poured into ramekins and left to cool. Before serving, a bit of sugar is sprinkled on top and it's browned with a blowtorch.Expand

Crema volteada (lit. upside-down cream) is the Peruvian version of the Spanish flan and the French crème caramel, prepared with sugar, condensed milk, evaporated milk, vanilla essence, and eggs. The vanilla-flavored custard made with milk and eggs is covered in caramel sauce, making the dessert sweet and rich. This dessert is beloved throughout the country, and it can be served cold or at room temperature.Expand

Flan de coco or coconut flan is a delicate dessert that is popular in Colombia, Costa Rica, and parts of the Caribbean. It is typically made with eggs, coconut milk, condensed milk, cream, vanilla extract, and flaked coconut. The dessert is usually baked in small ramekins with caramel on the inside, so when flan de coco is inverted, it has a nice caramel layer on top and on the sides. Before serving, the dessert is often topped with flaked coconut.Expand

Crema Catalana is a popular Spanish dessert made by baking a custard consisting of milk, cornstarch, and eggs in an oven. After baking and cooling, the dessert is sprinkled with sugar and broiled or burnt with a torch to create a crispy, burnt caramel top layer. Sometimes, crema Catalana may be flavored with cinnamon, lemon, or orange zest. The dessert is also known as Crema de Sant Josep, since it is traditionally prepared on March 19, celebrating the saint. It is also the oldest European custard dessert, dating back to the 14th century. Crema Catalana has such a distinctive flavor that it is often used in the preparation of other desserts such as ice cream and torró, a nougat-like sweet.Expand

This rich, silky egg custard is thickened with gelatin and combined with whipped cream. It is traditionally served cold, and is usually garnished with pieces of fresh fruit or drizzled over with sweet sauces. Although its origins are quite unclear, it is known that Bavarian cream hails from either Germany or France. Many French chefs worked in Bavaria during the 17th and 18th century, so it is believed that they learned the recipe there. Some believe that the dish was invented by a famous French chef Marie-Antoine Carême, who wrote a recipe for it in the early 18th century. Today, Bavarian cream is consumed on its own as a decadent dessert or used as a filling for various cakes and pastries.Expand

Natillas is a traditional dessert made by boiling a combination of milk, egg yolks, sugar, flour, salt, and vanilla. Although the vanilla-flavored variety is the most popular one, natillas can also be flavored with chocolate or turrón. The dessert is often sprinkled with cinnamon on top before serving in order to improve its flavors even further. It is believed that natillas was invented by nuns who used to prepare it in convents across Europe.Expand