Good Eats (1999–2012): Season 3, Episode 3 - The Egg Files: Part 2 - Man with a Flan - full transcript

(Alton Brown)
WHEN WE FIRST
CRACKED THE EGG FILES,

WE CHOSE TO CONCENTRATE
ON ISOLATED APPLICATIONS,

KEEPING THE EGG
SAFELY QUARANTINED.

BUT THE TIME HAS COME
TO UNLEASH

THE MOST POTENT COMBINATION
SINCE NITRO MET GLYCERIN --

DAIRY...
AND EGGS.

ONCE COMBINED, THIS DUO
CAN BE TRANSFORMED BY HEAT

INTO A CREAMY QUASI-SOLID
POSSESSING INFINITE VERSATILITY.

BREAD PUDDING, PASTRY CREAM,
CRèME ANGLAISE,

ICE CREAM, CRèME BRûLéE,
SABAYON, QUICHE,

AND CRèME CARAMEL --
A.K.A. FLAN --



ARE ALL BORN OF THIS
PROTEAN SUBSTANCE

THAT WE CALL CUSTARD.

OF COURSE, WE ALSO
CALL IT, "GOOD EATS."

WHETHER SWEET OR SAVORY,
STIRRED OR BAKED,

ALL CUSTARDS ADHERE
TO STRICT PHYSICAL LAWS.

NOW TECHNICALLY, A CUSTARD
IS ANY COOKED COMBINATION

OF EGG AND A LIQUID.

AND IN WESTERN COOKING, THE
LIQUID IS ALMOST ALWAYS DAIRY,

EITHER MILK, HALF-AND-HALF,
OR HEAVY CREAM, WHICH I LIKE.

NOW IF YOU WERE TO TAKE
ONE CUP OF SAID DAIRY

AND ADD TWO LARGE EGGS,

YOU'D HAVE WHAT
THE FRENCH CALL A ROYALE.

NOW THEY USE IT TO BIND UP
JUST ABOUT ANYTHING,

FROM DESSERT SAUCES,
TO RENAULT ENGINES,



TO QUICHE, WHICH IS JUST
A FANCY-PANTS NAME

FOR WHAT WE LIKE TO CALL
REFRIGERATOR PIE.

IT ALL STARTS WITH A CRUST.

THEN YOU JUST GO THROUGH
YOUR REFRIGERATOR,

HUNT UP SOME LEFTOVERS --
JUST ABOUT ANYTHING
YOU'VE GOT...

YEAH, IT'S FROZEN,
SO WHAT?

COME ON, COME ON, COME ON.

LIKE I WAS SAYING --
LEFTOVERS.

MAYBE YOU'VE GOT
SOME COOKED SPINACH.

FROZEN'S FINE, TOO, AS LONG AS
IT IS SQUEEZED BONE-DRY.

AND CHEESE IS
ALSO A CLASSIC.

I LIKE CHEDDAR,
BUT YOU COULD USE SWISS,

GRUYèRE, ANYTHING
THAT YOU WANT.

THERE WE GO.

AND I'VE GOT SOME
CUBED HAM HERE, AS WELL.

JUST TOSS THAT
ALL TOGETHER.

THE KEY TO THIS
IS TO MAKE SURE

THAT YOUR LAYERS ARE EVEN,
AND THAT THERE'S PLENTY OF ROOM

FOR THE ROYALE TO GET
IN THERE AND MOVE AROUND.

DON'T PACK IT TOO FULL,
BUT I THINK

I COULD GET A LITTLE BIT
MORE INGREDIENT IN THERE.

YOU DO NOT WANT IT
TO COME ALL THE WAY UP

TO THE TOP, THOUGH,
OR THE EGG MIXTURE

WILL COOK RIGHT UP
OUT OF THE TOP.

NOW AS FOR THE ROYALE,
ALL IT REALLY NEEDS

AT THIS POINT IS
A COUPLE OF HEAVY
PINCHES OF SALT,

ONE... TWO...

AND A GRATING OF NUTMEG.

IT'S A FRENCH THING,
BUT IT'S OKAY ANYWAY.

DOESN'T TAKE MUCH,
JUST A FEW GRATINGS.

THERE.

GIVE THAT A FINAL WHISKING,

AND THEN POUR IT ON.

THE FINAL SECRET HERE
IS TO GET IT VERY EVEN,

AND TO GO VERY SLOWLY.

YOU WANT THE ROYALE TO HAVE
PLENTY OF ROOM TO MOVE
AROUND IN THERE.

YOU DON'T WANT
ANY AIR BUBBLES,

YOU DON'T WANT ANY CLUMPS,
IT'S GOTTA HAVE SPACE.

AND BECAUSE IT'S
GOT EGGS IN IT,

IT IS GOING TO EXPAND
IN THE OVEN,

SO DO NOT THINK THAT YOU'VE
GOTTA FILL THIS UP

TO THE TOP,
OR YOU'LL HAVE A MESS.

OF COURSE,
IF A MESS DOES HAPPEN,

YOU'VE GOT THIS
ON A SHEET PAN.

THAT WILL CATCH ANY
POSSIBLE MISTAKES
THAT HAPPEN IN THE OVEN.

AND AS FOR THE OVEN, YOU
WANNA GO WITH 350 DEGREES

FOR ABOUT
45 MINUTES,
ALTHOUGH I USUALLY

START CHECKING IN
ON IT AT ABOUT
35 MINUTES.

THERE...
NOW.

WHAT FORCES COULD POSSIBLY
CONVERT THIS MESSY
BOWL OF GOO

INTO A DISK
OF LOVELY GOODNESS?

WHY ARE YOU LOOKING AT ME?
SHE'S THE MAD FOOD SCIENTIST!

ACTUALLY, IT ALL BEGINS
WITH EGG PROTEINS.

(Shirley)
NOW PICTURE PROTEINS
AS LITTLE PIECES OF RIBBON,

AND THEY HAVE LITTLE BONDS
HOLDING THEM TOGETHER,

AND THEN YOU HEAT THEM
WITH CUSTARD, AND POW!

THESE PROTEINS POP OPEN,

AND THEN THEY'RE
FLOATING AROUND, UNWOUND,

WITH THEIR LITTLE BONDS
STICKING OUT.

AND ALMOST IMMEDIATELY, THEY
BUMP INTO ANOTHER PROTEIN

THAT'S FLOATING AROUND
WITH ITS BONDS STICKING OUT,

AND THEY JOIN TOGETHER,

TRAPPING ALL THESE
WONDERFUL INGREDIENTS

IN THIS MESH, AND YOU HAVE
A WONDERFUL CUSTARD.

THANKS, SHIRLEY.

WELL, 45 MINUTES
HAS GONE BY ALREADY.

LOOKS DONE,
BUT LOOKS CAN LIE.

THE ONLY TO BE SURE
IS TO FEEL.

JUST PUSH GENTLY.

IF IT FEELS LIKE SET JELLO,
YOU'RE THERE.

IF YOU'RE REALLY IN DOUBT,
POKE A HOLE IN THE MIDDLE

WITH A KNIFE, SKEWER,
OR TOOTHPICK --
LIKE THAT --

AND THEN PUSH.

IF LIQUID COMES AND GUSHES
UP THROUGH THE HOLE,

IT'S GOT MORE COOKING TO GO.

THIS, HOWEVER, DOES NOT.

QUICHE -- OH, SORRY,
REFRIGERATOR PIE --

IS BEST SERVED JUST
ABOVE ROOM TEMPERATURE.

SO THAT LET THIS COOL DOWN
FOR AT LEAST 15 MINUTES

BEFORE YOU ATTEMPT
THE FIRST CUT.

NOW IF YOU HAD A BIG OVEN,
AND A LOT OF LEFTOVERS,

YOU COULD MULTIPLY
YOUR ONE BATCH

OF WELL-WHISKED ELIXIR
BY SAY, OH... EIGHT,

AND HAVE A PARTY.

FOR INSTANCE,
A LITTLE BACON,

SOME SWEATED-OFF LEEKS,
AND GRUYèRE, ALWAYS NICE.

THEN, OF COURSE,
WE COULD GO

WITH SAUTEED MUSHROOMS
AND SWISS CHEESE --

ALWAYS A FAVORITE,
AND ONE OF MINE --

CERTAINLY A CLASSIC.

OOOH, SPINACH, ARTICHOKE
HEARTS, AND PARMESAN...

VERY, VERY,
VERY CONTINENTAL.

OOOH, THEN OF COURSE,
THERE'S LAST NIGHT'S
ROAST CHICKEN,

WITH A LITTLE BIT
OF GOAT CHEESE

AND SUN-DRIED TOMATOES.

OOOH, DON'T OVERFILL THAT ONE,
IT'LL BE VERY CREAMY.

AH, BLANCHED ASPARAGUS
AND SMOKED SALMON --

YOU CAN'T BEAT THAT
FOR A SUNDAY BRUNCH.

AND THEN, PERSONALLY,
ONE OF MY FAVORITES,

A FRUITY, FRENCH
PORT SALUT AND SPAM.

(several men, loudly)
SPAM, SPAM, SPAM, SPAM,

SPAM, SPAM, SPAM, SPAM,
SPAM, SPAM, SPAM...
SILENCE!

(Alton)
SEVENTEENTH-CENTURY SPAIN --

A CUSTARD LOVER
AND A CARAMEL FAN

ARE SHARING A RIDE
ON THE CROSS-TOWN
PALOMA EXPRESS

WHEN SUDDENLY, THEY
ENCOUNTER A HERD OF
STAMPEDING BULLS.

(crashing noises)

AS THE DUST CLEARS,
THE LONE SURVIVOR
SURVEYS THE DAMAGE --

CULINARY, AND OTHERWISE.

HMMM...

MMMMM!

(Alton)
THUS WAS BORN... FLAN.

NOW I GUESS THE FRENCH
THOUGHT FLAN SOUNDED
TOO MUCH LIKE PHLEGM,

BECAUSE THEY CHANGED IT
TO CRèME CARAMEL.

BUT EITHER WAY, IT'S A
DELICIOUSLY SIMPLE EGG CUSTARD

BAKED ON TOP OF A POOL
OF SOMETHING THAT,

WHEN INVERTED, TURNS OUT
TO BE A SAUCE ON TOP.

NOW TRADITIONALLY,
THAT SOMETHING IS CARAMEL,

BUT EVER-FLEXIBLE FLAN
IS JUST AS ADEPT

AT SHOWING OFF
THE DEPTH OF YOUR PANTRY

AS THE DEPTH
OF YOUR CUSTARD SKILLS.

INTRODUCING...
THE SOFTWARE.

ONE AND A HALF CUPS
OF WHOLE MILK,

A CUP OF HALF-AND-HALF,
SIX EGGS,

HALF A CUP OF SUGAR,
AND A TEASPOON
OF VANILLA EXTRACT

WILL TAKE CARE
OF THE CUSTARD SIDE
OF THE EQUATION,

WHILE THE TRADITIONAL ROLE
OF CARAMEL

WILL BE FILLED BY STUFF
FROM THE PANTRY AND THE FRIDGE.

BLUEBERRY JAM...
APRICOT PRESERVES...

SOME ICE CREAM TOPPING --
OOOH, BUTTERSCOTCH --

AND UH....
YEAH, FUDGE.

NOW...
HARDWARE.

A ROASTING OR BAKING PAN
BIG ENOUGH

TO COMFORTABLY ACCOMMODATE
EIGHT CUSTARD CUPS

WITH AT LEAST AN INCH TO SPARE
ALL THE WAY AROUND,

A GLASS, OR STAINLESS STEEL,
BOWL WITH A SPOUT,

A FINE MESH STRAINER,
A SMALL, NON-REACTIVE SAUCEPAN,

A KETTLE
OF BOILING WATER --

AND YES, IN THIS CASE,
WATER IS HARDWARE --

AND A WHISK.

EXCUSE ME.

YOU KNOW, THESE ARCHAIC DEVICES
ARE DOWNRIGHT INDISPENSABLE.

HAVE YOU EVER THOUGHT ABOUT
WHAT A WHISK REALLY DOES?

WELL, IT DEPENDS ON WHAT
IT'S GOT ITS TINES INTO.

SEE, THE MULTIPLEX OF THIN
WIRES ON THIS BALLOON WHISK

ARE CONFIGURED TO INTEGRATE
LARGE VOLUMES OF AIR

INTO EGG WHITES, LIGHT
BATTERS, WHIPPED CREAM --

THAT KIND OF THING.

THE SHAPE IS BEST SUITED
TO A BOWL.

OKAY, NOW THE CONFIGURATION
OF SAY, THIS FRENCH WHISK
IS DIFFERENT.

SEE, IT'S IDEAL FOR WORKING
SAUCES AND STRAIGHT-SIDED PANS,

AND IT'S STURDY ENOUGH TO
THOROUGHLY MIX HEAVIER BATTERS.

NOW THIS FLAT ROUX WHISK

AND THIS SCANDINAVIAN
WIRE WHISK

ARE BOTTOM-DWELLERS, MEANT FOR
ROUX AND SHALLOW PAN GRAVIES,

THAT REQUIRE SOME
POND SCRAPING.

NOW I KEEP ONE OF THESE
NEAR ME AT ALL TIMES.

BUT IF I HAD TO PULL
A SOPHIE'S CHOICE, I'D...

I'D GO WITH THE STURDY
BALLOON WHISK

WITH A WIDE, WOODEN HANDLE.

WHY IS WIDER BETTER?

TRY DOING THIS
AND GETTING DECENT RPMs
OUT OF A SKINNY HANDLE.

WHY WOOD?
IT'S SOLID.

IT WON'T FILL UP WITH WATER
WHEN YOU WASH IT.

OTHER WHISKS TO AVOID?
LOOK AT THIS.

FLIMSY, DUMB CONSTRUCTION,
RUST... HORRIBLE THING.

AND THIS,
WHAT IS THIS ABOUT?

I DON'T KNOW WHAT
IT'S GOOD FOR,

BUT I KNOW WHISKING ISN'T
THE THING IT'S GOOD FOR.

BY THE WAY, YOU CAN
USE A QUALITY WHISK

ON ALMOST ALL OF TODAY'S
QUALITY, NONSTICK PANS.

IF YOU'RE ACTUALLY
CONSIDERING BUYING A PAN

THAT SAYS YOU HAVE TO USE
A SPECIAL WHISK,

I'D CONSIDER
RECONSIDERING...

THE PAN,
NOT THE WHISK.

STEP ONE --
DAIRY SCALDING.

COMBINE YOUR MILK
AND YOUR CREAM,

AND TOP IT OFF
WITH YOUR VANILLA

AND YOUR SUGAR.

NOW YOU WANNA BRING THIS
TO A BARE SIMMER

OVER MEDIUM HEAT.

WHY BOTHER?
LOTS OF REASONS.

BUT I'M NOT GONNA
TELL YOU YET.

PREP THE CUPS BY SPOONING IN
A TABLESPOON OR TWO

OF YOUR FAVORITE
JARRED THING.

YOU WANNA COME UP ABOUT
A COUPLE OF MILLIMETERS
FROM THE BOTTOM.

JUST GUESS, DON'T MEASURE.

NOW BESIDES ADDING FLAVOR,
THIS IS ALSO GONNA PROTECT

THE CUSTARD FROM THE HEAT
COMING UP FROM THE
BOTTOM OF THE PAN.

NOW IF YOU REALLY
WANNA KEEP TRACK
OF WHICH ONE IS WHERE,

JUST WRITE THE NAME
OF THE TOPPING

ON PARCHMENT
ON THE BOTTOM OF THE PAN.

NOW OVER TO LES OEUFS.

YOU'RE GONNA NEED
THREE OF THEM,

AND THREE YOLKS.

NOW IF YOU'RE SQUEAMISH
ABOUT SEPARATING EGGS
WITH YOUR FINGERS,

JUST WASH 'EM
AND GET OVER IT.

IT'S THE BEST TOOL
FOR THE JOB, BELIEVE ME.

NOW WHY WOULD YOU
WANT TO GO SO FAR

AS TO SEPARATE SUCH
A PERFECT PACKAGE
AS AN EGG?

WELL, IT'S GOT TO DO
WITH THE ADDITIONAL FAT
THAT'S INSIDE THE YOLK,

AND THE EMULSIFIERS THAT
ARE INSIDE THE YOLK.

WHEN THEY CONVERGE WITH THE
DAIRY INSIDE THE DESSERT,

THEY WILL RENDER AN
INCREDIBLY CREAMY TEXTURE.

IN FACT, FOR ANY
DESSERT CUSTARD,

I NEVER USE MORE THAN HALF
THE AMOUNT OF WHITES
AS YOLKS.

AND IN A STIRRED CUSTARD --
HECK, I DON'T USE ANY
EGG WHITES AT ALL.

SO THERE WE GO.

OF COURSE, THERE ARE
SOME REFUGES INVOLVED,

NAMELY, EGG WHITES.

IF WE WERE MAKING
MERINGUES, OF COURSE,

IT WOULD BE EGG YOLKS.

EITHER WAY, YOU DO NOT
WANT TO WASTE THESE
LIQUID ASSETS.

SO I POUR EACH
INDIVIDUAL WHITE

INTO A SLOT IN THE ICE TRAY
AND FREEZE 'EM.

NOW BEFORE YOU BRING
THE CUSTARD TOGETHER,

YOU WANNA WHIP YOUR EGGS
UNTIL THEY ARE

SLIGHTLY THICKENED
AND LIGHTER IN COLOR.

NOW IF I SOUND LIKE
I'M QUOTING A COOKBOOK,

THAT'S BECAUSE JUST ABOUT
EVERY COOKBOOK ON PLANET EARTH

CONTAINING A
CUSTARD RECIPE

INVOKES THAT
MANTRA-LIKE COMMAND.

WHY?

WELL, IT'S GOT TO DO
WITH EGG PROTEINS.

YOU SEE, GIVING THEM
A GOOD BEATING
AT THIS POINT

HELPS THEM TO GET READY
TO DENATURE --

BREAKS UP SOME
OF THOSE BONDS

THAT KEEPS 'EM
SO DARNED SELF-CONTAINED.

THINK OF IT
AS A PRE-GAME WARMUP.

YEAH, THESE ARE
JUST ABOUT READY.

YOU CAN SEE THAT THEY'RE
SLIGHTLY THICKER,
THEY'RE VERY FOAMY,

AND THEY'RE NOT QUITE AS
YELLOW AS THEY USED TO BE,

SO TIME TO INTRODUCE
OUR BLIND DATE CONTESTANTS.

THE PROBLEM HERE IS THAT
WE'VE GOT SOMETHING
AT ROOM TEMPERATURE

AND OUR DAIRY MIXTURE,
WHICH IS, OF COURSE, HOT.

JUST THROWING ONE OF THESE
INTO THE OTHER

WILL RESULT
IN SCRAMBLED EGGS,

WHICH, GRANTED, IS
A KIND OF CUSTARD,

BUT NOT THE CUSTARD
WE'RE OUT FOR HERE.

IN FACT, THE
TEMPERATURE DIFFERENCE
ISN'T REALLY THE PROBLEM.

IT'S THE SPEED AT WHICH
THE TEMPERATURE COULD CHANGE

IF WE WERE
TO THROW THEM TOGETHER.

YOU SEE, THE FASTER
THAT EGGS HEAT,

THE QUICKER THEY ARE
TO CURDLE.

SO BASICALLY, THEY
WANNA HAVE SOME TIME

TO GET TO KNOW
THE HOT STUFF,

AND IT'S A PROCESS
CALLED TEMPERING.

NOW MAKE SURE THAT YOUR BOWL
IS NICE AND STABLE.

I'VE GOT A TOWEL KIND OF
MADE INTO A CIRCLE HERE

TO HELP HOLD THE BOWL.

TAKE YOUR HOT STUFF,
AND SUSPEND IT

ABOUT A FOOT
ABOVE THE EGGS.

START WHISKING BEFORE
YOU START POURING.

NOW SLOWLY DRIZZLE
ABOUT 1/4 OF THE HOT STUFF

INTO THE
ROOM TEMPERATURE STUFF.

THIS IS GONNA SLOWLY
RAISE THE TEMPERATURE
OF THE EGGS,

WHICH IS WHAT WE WANT --
NICE AND SLOW.

DO NOT STOP WHISKING
AT THIS POINT,

OR SADNESS WILL RESULT.

NOW AT THIS POINT,
THE EGGS ARE TEMPERED.

IN OTHER WORDS, THEY'VE
INCREASED THEIR TEMPERATURE

BY AT LEAST TWO-FOLD.

SO IT'S SAFE TO GO AHEAD
AND ADD THIS

BACK INTO THE HOT.

SO WE MOVE THE WHISK
AND GO THE OTHER WAY.

NOW YOU MAY HAVE NOTICED

THAT THE EGG-TO-DAIRY
PROPORTIONS IN THIS DISH

ARE GREATLY DIFFERENT THAN THOSE
IN OUR REFRIGERATOR PIE.

WHY?
THE REASON IS SUGAR.

(Alton)
NOW HERE WE HAVE
SOME EGG PROTEINS,

JUST HANGIN' AROUND,
GETTING READY

TO COZY UP TO ONE ANOTHER.

UH-OH, HERE COME
SOME SUGAR MOLECULES.

THEY'RE SO HUMONGOUS
THAT THE PROTEINS

CAN'T GET AROUND THEM
TO REACH ONE ANOTHER.

SO IF WE WANT
A SWEETENED CUSTARD TO SET,

WE'VE GOTTA ADD MORE EGGS.

NEXT STEP BRINGS
THE STRAINER INTO PLAY.

WE'RE GONNA MOVE
THE CUSTARD ONE MORE TIME,

INTO OUR SPOUTED BOWL.

NOW WHY BOTHER STRAINING?

WELL, IF ANY OF THE EGG
DID CURDLE,

THIS IS GONNA TO CATCH IT,
NO PROBLEM.

BUT EVEN IF YOU DID MANAGE
TO KEEP YOUR TEMPER,

THERE'S ANOTHER REASON
FOR STRAINING,

LOCKED AWAY
IN THE EGG ITSELF.

LET ME JUST GET DOWN
GRANDMA BROWN'S EGG HERE...

THERE WE GO.

NOW SAY THIS IS AN EGG --

WITH A SEE-THROUGH SHELL,
OF COURSE.

NOW THERE'S THE WHITE,
OR ALBUMIN.

THERE'S THE AIR SPACE,
THE YOLK...

NOW THAT BUNGEE CORD-LOOKING
THING IS THE CHALAZAE.

NOW THAT'S A GREEK WORD
THAT MEANS HAILSTONE.

AND NO, THAT'S NOT
A NOMENCLATURAL CONUNDRUM

I'M UNCOMFORTABLY
CONTEMPLATING RIGHT NOW.

WHAT'S IMPORTANT IS THAT
IT'S ESSENTIALLY

A ROPE OF EGG WHITE THAT
TWISTS ITSELF INTO BEING,

AS THE EGG TRAVELS
FROM THE OVARY TO THE NEST.

ITS SOLE PURPOSE IS TO KEEP
THE YOLK CENTERED IN THE EGG.

NOW THE FRESHER THE EGG,
THE STRONGER,

OR MORE PRONOUNCED,
THE CHALAZAE.

AND THIS THING CAN'T BE
BOUGHT OFF, ALL RIGHT?

YOU CAN'T WHISK IT OUT,
AND YOU CAN'T BAKE IT OUT.

SO UNLESS YOU LIKE
YOUR CUSTARD CHUNKY-STYLE,

YOU'RE EITHER GONNA
HAVE TO STRAIN IT OUT,

OR WAIT IT OUT.

'CAUSE INDEED, AS THE EGG AGES,
THE CHALAZAE WILL DISSOLVE.

THE PROBLEM IS, SO WILL
THE MEMBRANE AROUND THE YOLK,

AND THAT WILL RENDER THE EGG
ALMOST UN-SEPARABLE.

NOW EVENLY DISTRIBUTE
YOUR MIXTURE,

AND GO A LITTLE SHORT
ON THE FIRST PASS.

THE REASON IS,
IF YOU TRY TO FILL THEM UP

ALL THE WAY ON THIS PASS,
YOU WILL RUN OUT

BEFORE YOU GET TO THE END,
I PROMISE.

THE NEXT STEP IS THE OVEN.

GET IT RIGHT
ON THE MIDDLE RACK

OF A 350-DEGREE OVEN,
THEN GO FOR THE WATER.

THE POINT HERE IS TO COME
RIGHT UP THE SIDE
OF THE RAMEKINS,

JUST UP ALMOST
TO THE SAME LEVEL

AS THE LIQUID IN THE CUPS,

BUT NOT QUITE ALL THE WAY.

THERE.

NOW CAREFULLY SLIDE
YOUR RACK IN.

NOW HOW LONG
UNTIL THIS IS DONE?

UNFORTUNATELY,
UNTIL IT'S DONE.

THERE'S NO HARD-AND-FAST ANSWER.

I USUALLY GO 25 MINUTES,
AND THEN I START CHECKING.

NOW WHY THE WATER?

BECAUSE IT'S A LONG,
LONG TRIP TO CUSTARD,

AND HOW YOU TRAVEL IT...
MATTERS.

NOW SINCE WE SCALDED
THAT MIXTURE

BEFORE POURING IT,
IT'S ALREADY HOT,

BUT IT'S GOT A LONG WAY
TO GO TO BECOME CUSTARD.

HOW FAR?

WELL, LET'S JUST SAY
FOR A MINUTE

THAT THIS LITTLE 4-BY-4
IS YOUR CUSTARD.

AND THIS LITTLE TEST TRACK
WE'VE SET UP

REPRESENTS ALL THE TEMPERATURES
IT'S GONNA PASS THROUGH

ON ITS WAY
TO THE SWEET SPOT --

THE SETTING POINT --
WHERE LIQUID BECOMES
ETHEREAL DESSERT.

NOW YOU'LL NOTICE THAT
THAT POINT IS VERY CLOSE
TO THE FAILURE POINT.

THAT'S THE CURDLING
TEMPERATURE,

WHERE BASICALLY, ALL
THE PROTEINS AND THE EGGS

ARE GONNA LOCK UP SO TIGHT
THAT THEY'LL SQUEEZE OUT
ALL THE MOISTURE.

YOU'LL OPEN THE OVEN AND FIND
LITTLE, YELLOW HOCKEY PUCKS

FLOATING IN WATER.

SO THE WHOLE GOAL HERE
IS TO GET AS CLOSE

TO THAT TEMPERATURE
AS POSSIBLE,

WHILE AVOIDING THAT ONE.

NOW THERE ARE A COUPLE
OF DIFFERENT WAYS

TO MAKE THE TRIP.

NOW LET'S SAY THAT
WE CRANK UP OUR OVEN
TO 400 DEGREES.

AND WE JUST PUT OUR
CUSTARDS ON A METAL PAN

AND SLIDE 'EM
RIGHT IN THERE.

OH YEAH, WE'RE GONNA REACH
THAT SWEET SPOT REAL FAST.

ANOTHER CUSTARD
LOST TO DEMON SPEED.

WE'LL TRY AGAIN.

THIS TIME, LET'S GO
WITH A 350-DEGREE OVEN --

MODERATE --
AND WE'RE GONNA ADD

THAT HOT WATER TO THE PAN.

NOW SINCE WATER
HEATS SO MUCH SLOWER

THAN EITHER METAL OR AIR,

AND SINCE IT--
AT LEAST, AT SEA LEVEL --

CANNOT EXCEED 212 DEGREES,

IT WILL ACT AS
A BUILT-IN INSULATOR,

ALLOWING THE HEAT
TO SLOWLY MOVE IN
AND SET THAT CUSTARD.

SO THAT NOW WE'VE GOT...

PERFECT CONTROL.

IT WOULD SEEM
THAT LOW AND SLOW

IS DEFINITELY
THE WAY TO GO WITH CUSTARD.

NOW YOU NOTICE THAT I STOPPED
JUST SHY OF THE MARK.

WHY?
CARRYOVER, MY FRIEND.

THE TEMPERATURE
IS GOING TO GO UP

ANOTHER DEGREE OR TWO
BY THE TIME YOU GET

THOSE CUSTARDS
OUT OF THE PAN.

NOW SPEAKING
OF THE SETTING POINT,

WHAT IS IT?

WELL, I CAN'T TELL YOU.

THAT'S BECAUSE THE SLOWER
YOU GET TO IT,

THE LOWER IT GETS...
LITERALLY.

THE SETTING TEMPERATURE
GOES DOWN,

THE SLOWER YOU COOK
THE CUSTARD.

PRETTY COOL, HUH?

OF COURSE, CUSTARDS DON'T COME
WITH POP-UP THERMOMETERS,

SO HOW DO YOU KNOW
WHEN THEY'RE DONE?

COOKED CUSTARDS WOBBLE,
BUT THEY DON'T FALL DOWN.

THEY ALSO DON'T RIPPLE
LIKE, YOU KNOW,

A ROCK DROPPED INTO A POND.

THEY JUST KIND OF SHAKE
BACK AND FORTH, LIKE THAT.

NOW IF YOU'RE NOT
100 PERCENT SURE,

JUST TAKE THE TIP
OF A SHARP PARING KNIFE

AND INSERT IT ABOUT HALFWAY
BETWEEN THE EDGE OF THE CUP

AND THE CENTER
OF THE CUSTARD, ABOUT THERE.

IF IT COMES OUT CLEAN,
THEN IT'S TIME TO EVACUATE.

NOW THIS PAN OF 200-DEGREE
WATER IS JUST AS HOT NOW

AS IT WAS WHEN WE
FIRST PUT IT IN,

SO DON'T TAKE IT OUT.

JUST USE
SPRING-LOADED TONGS --

I LIKE TO PUT RUBBER BANDS
ON THE ENDS --

TO EVACUATE
THE FINISHED FLAN

TO A TOWEL-LINED SHEET PAN.

THE TOWEL WILL
SOAK UP ANY WATER

AND PREVENT ANY SPIN-OUTS.

NOW LET THESE COOL
ON THE COUNTER,

AND THEN WRAP TIGHTLY
AND CHILL, AND SERVE WHENEVER.

AS FOR THIS SCALD
WAITING TO HAPPEN,

JUST TURN OFF THE OVEN
AND COME BACK FOR IT
WHEN IT'S COOLED.

(Alton)
AH, LUSCIOUS LOVE
FROM BELOW.

NOW I KINDA LIKE DESSERTS
THAT I CAN HOLD AND EAT

AT THE SAME TIME...

I'M KINDA GREEDY THAT WAY.

BUT IF YOU REALLY DO
WANT SOMETHING THAT LOOKS

MORE SOPHISTICATED
AND WELL, JUST PLAIN TALLER,

HERE'S A LITTLE RESTAURANT
TRICK YOU CAN TRY.

JUST TAKE YOUR FLAN,
AND TAKE

YOUR SHARPEST PARING KNIFE.

RUN IT RIGHT DOWN
THE SIDE OF THE RAMEKIN,

FLAT AGAINST THE SIDE,
AND THEN TURN THE BOWL.

DO NOT MOVE THE KNIFE,
JUST KEEP IT PRESSED

AGAINST THE EDGE,
AND TURN THE BOWL

UNTIL YOU'VE MADE IT
ALL THE WAY AROUND ONCE.

THERE YOU GO.

THEN, PLATE ON TOP,

SECURE WITH THUMBS
AND FINGERS,

AND GIVE IT A GOOD WHOMP.

LIQUID LOVE.

NOW WE HOPE WE'VE
SPARKED YOUR APPETITE FOR,

AND YOUR INTEREST IN,
THE CULINARY ALCHEMY

THAT IS BAKED CUSTARD.

NOW GRANTED, WE'VE JUST
SCRATCHED THE SURFACE HERE,

AND WE EXPECT YOU'LL DO SOME
EXPLORATION ON YOUR OWN.

BUT YOU MUST REMEMBER
THE CUSTARD CODE.

REMEMBER, THE HIGHER
THE EGG-TO-DAIRY RATIO,

THE FIRMER
THE CUSTARD WILL BE.

YOU MUST WHISK,
YOU MUST STRAIN.

YOU MUST COOK LOW AND SLOW,
AND YOU REALLY SHOULD

PULL IT JUST A
LITTLE BIT BEFORE
YOU THINK IT'S READY.

STICK TO THESE,
AND I PROMISE

YOUR NEXT CUSTARD WILL BE...
YOU KNOW.