Banana Egg Custard Recipe
Banana egg custard in an egg shell topped with N25 Oscietra caviar.
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Ingredients
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Custard & shells
Finishing & garnish
Method
Custard & shells
- 1
Prepare eggshell vessels
Wash eggs thoroughly. Gently tap the top of each egg and remove about 1/4–1/3 of the shell to create a stable opening (use a small knife or egg topper). Carefully pour out the raw egg contents into a bowl (reserve or discard). Rinse shells with warm water and let dry upside down on a rack. Brush the inside lip of each shell with a little melted butter or neutral oil to help prevent sticking.
- 2
Make banana purée
Peel the banana and mash very finely with a fork or blend briefly until smooth. For a silkier texture, pass the purée through a fine mesh sieve to remove any fibers. Use approximately 3 tablespoons of purée per 4 eggs (the full banana will yield slightly more; measure 3 tablespoons for the custard).
- 3
Prepare custard base
Preheat oven to 300°F (150°C). In a medium saucepan, combine heavy cream and whole milk and warm over low heat until steaming but not boiling (small bubbles at the edge), about 3–4 minutes. In a bowl, whisk together the reserved egg yolks (or in this recipe, use whole eggs if desired—if using whole eggs from earlier, whisk them lightly), granulated sugar, and salt until combined. Slowly temper the warm cream into the eggs by pouring a thin stream while whisking constantly to avoid curdling. Stir in the banana purée and vanilla extract until fully incorporated.
- 4
Strain and fill shells
Pass the custard mixture through a fine mesh sieve to remove any bits of banana fiber or coagulated egg for an ultra-smooth custard. Using a small funnel or a piping bag with the tip removed, carefully fill each prepared eggshell about three-quarters full with the custard mixture. Reserve any extra custard for baking in a small ramekin (optional) to check doneness.
- 5
Bake in a water bath
Place the filled eggshells upright in a shallow baking dish, nestling them in crumpled foil or a bed of coarse salt or dry rice so they stay steady. Pour hot water into the baking dish until it reaches about halfway up the sides of the eggshells (be careful not to get water into the shells). Cover the baking dish loosely with foil. Bake at 300°F (150°C) for 20–25 minutes, checking at 18 minutes: the custard should be just set with a slight tremble in the center. If using a ramekin test, that custard should register about 170–175°F (77–80°C) at the center.
- 6
Cool and chill
Carefully remove the baking dish from the oven and lift the eggshells out of the water bath. Let cool to room temperature, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour to fully set and to develop flavor. Keep shells upright while chilling.
Finishing & garnish
- 7
Top with caviar
About 10 minutes before serving, remove custards from the refrigerator. Using a small spoon, place approximately 1/2 tablespoon (about 4–8 g) of N25 Oscietra caviar on top of each custard-filled eggshell (adjust to taste). The suggested total 30 g will garnish about 6 eggs at ~5 g each.
- 8
Serve
Serve the banana egg custard in its eggshell on a small nest of coarse salt or micro-sand (keeps them upright). Finish with a tiny pinch of flaky sea salt if desired and one microgreen or a few finely snipped chives on each for color and a faint herbal contrast. Serve immediately so the caviar is chilled and the custard is cool.