CUSTARD A cooked mixture of eggs and milk with sugar and flavoring sometimes added. There are two basic kinds of custard - stirred and baked.

Stirred custard, also known as soft custard sauce or, erroneously, boiled custard, is cooked on top of the range to a creamy, but pourable consistency. Although some cooks like to cook the mixture in a double boiler over hot water, a heavy saucepan over low heat works as well. Stirred custard is eaten as a pudding or served over cake or fruit.

Baked custard is cooked in a water bath in the oven and has a firm, but delicate, gel-like consistency. It is a dessert in itself or it may serve as it base for toppings and sauces. Unsweetened baked custard can become a quiche or timbale.

The usual custard proportions are 1 egg plus 2 tablespoons sugar for each cup of milk. This is the minimum ratio of eggs to milk which will produce a properly thickened custard, although as many as 4 eggs may be used and the sugar may be increased to 4 tablespoons. Increasing the sugar makes the custard less firm and lengthens the cooking time. Increasing the egg makes the custard more firm and shortens the cooking time.

Two egg yolks may be substituted for I whole egg. Two egg whites will also thicken the custard as much as 1 whole egg but the characteristic color and flavor will be missing.