setting temperature. Doing the reverse —
adding cold eggs to the hot milk — would
immediately heat the first dribbles of egg
close to the boil and cause premature
coagulation and curdling.
Though scalding was a form of insurance
in times when milk quality was uncertain, it
can now be dispensed with in custard making
— unless you need to flavor the milk by
infusing it with vanilla or coffee beans, citrus
peel, or another solid flavoring. A custard
mixed cold has just as even a texture and sets
almost as quickly as a pre-scalded one. Pre-
scalding the milk remains handy in making
creams because milk (or cream) can be boiled
quickly with little attention from the cook,
while heating the milk-egg mix from room
temperature requires a low flame and constant
stirring to prevent coagulation at the pan
bottom.
Green Eggs in the Chafing Dish