Garlic Custard

Recipe sent by Connie.

Serve as a starter or side dish or with a salad.

12 Garlic cloves (large), peeled
1¼ cups (300 mL) Whole milk
1 Bay leaf
2 sprigs Thyme
1 tsp (5 mL) Salt
4 Eggs, whisked
1 cup (250 mL) Whipping cream
Ground pepper to taste
Six ½ cup (125 mL) ovenproof ramekins or custard cups
One baking dish big and deep enough for the six ramekins.


Peel and cut garlic cloves in half.

Put halved garlic into saucepan and add the milk, bay leaf and 1 sprig of thyme.

Bring to a boil, and then simmer until the garlic is very soft, about 20 to 25 minutes.

Preheat the oven to 325ºF (160ºC).

Remove the bay leaf and thyme from the milk

Purée the milk and garlic with salt in a food processor or in a bowl with a hand blender.

Push this mixture through a sieve into a bowl, add the eggs, cream and pepper.

You will have 3 cups (750 mL) of mixture. Check the seasoning.

Place ramekins in a baking dish and divide the mixture between them.

Pour boiling water into the baking dish so that it comes at least halfway up the ramekins.

Cover the dish with aluminium foil and bake for 20 to 25 minutes until the custards are set but still wobbly in the centre.

Remove the ramekins from the baking dish and place a few thyme leaves on each one.

Serve warm or at room temperature.

*** These custards can be made ahead and gently reheated (15 minutes in 325°F oven), in a baking dish filled with boiling water and covered with aluminium foil. ***

Source: LCBO, Food & Drink Magazine, Autumn 2004 issue