Creamy Whisky Custard Recipe – An Easy Scottish Dessert Sauce
This velvety whisky custard is a luxurious Scottish dessert sauce that pairs perfectly with pies, puddings, and fruit desserts. Infused with rich Scotch whisky and vanilla, it’s creamy, lightly boozy, and incredibly easy to make in just 15 minutes.
Ingredients
- 600 ml whole milk or 300ml whole meal and 300ml double cream
- 4 egg yolks or 3 whole eggs
- 2 tbsp 25g caster sugar up to 50g caster sugar
- 1 tbsp cornflour
- 1 vanilla pod or 1 tsp extract if substituting
- 2 tbsp Scotch whisky Glengoyne or Macallan for luxury, Famous Grouse for budget-friendly
Optional
- 1 zest of whole orange
Instructions
Heat the Milk
- In a saucepan, warm milk (or milk + cream) over medium heat until steaming (do not boil).
Whisk Egg Mixture
- In a bowl, whisk egg yolks, sugar, and 1 tbsp cornflour until pale and smooth.
Temper the Eggs
- Slowly pour the hot milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly to prevent curdling.
Cook Until Thickened
- Return the mixture to the pan and cook on low heat, stirring continuously, until it coats the back of a spoon (~5 mins).
Add Whisky & Vanilla
- Remove from heat, stir in 2–3 tbsp whisky and 1 tsp vanilla. Strain for extra smoothness.
Serve or Save for later
- Pour into a jug and serve warm, or chill for a thicker texture.
Notes
Recipe Notes
- Pro Tip: Strain custard for smoothness—don’t skip this step!
- The Creamy Whisky Custard recipe makes approximately 500ml (2 cups) of custard which serves from 4-8 servings as follows:
- Dessert Sauce: ~2–3 tbsp per serving (6–8 servings).
- Generous Pour: ~4 tbsp per serving (4–6 servings).
- Ingredient Substitutions:
- For Richer Custard (like your screenshot’s cream option): Replace 300ml milk with 300ml double cream (total: 300ml milk + 300ml cream).
- For Lighter Custard: Use all milk (no cream) and reduce yolks to 3 (closer to your screenshot recipe).
- Sweetness Adjustment: Prefer less sweet? Reduce sugar to 1 tbsp (12g). For desserts with tart fruit (rhubarb, blackberries), keep the original 2 tbsp.
- Thickness Control:
- Thinner: Reduce cornflour to 1 tsp (like your screenshot version).
- Thicker (e.g., for trifle): Increase cornflour to 2 tbsp and cook 1–2 mins longer.
- Flavour Swaps:
- No vanilla pod? Use 1 tsp vanilla extract or infuse milk with citrus zest (lemon/orange).
- Boozy Twist: Use Glengoyne or Macallan for a luxurous custard, Famous Grouse for a budget-friendly one.
- Egg Workaround: Whole eggs: Use 2 whole eggs + 1 yolk or 3 whole eggs (instead of 4 yolks) for a lighter texture.
Quick Troubleshooting
- Lumpy? Strain through a sieve.
- Too sweet? Balance with a pinch of salt or lemon zest.
- Not boozy enough? Add a splash more whisky off the heat.