I love old-fashioned baked custards. They are easy to make, and make a delightful dessert, so I was intrigued by a hundred-year-old recipe for Marshmallow Custard. The recipe called for putting a marshmallow in the bottom of each custard cup. The marshmallows floated to the top of the custard mixture, and then melted while baking. This resulted in a lovely sugary top layer on the custard that reminded me a bit of Crème Brûlée.
Here’s the original recipe:
I think that the custard cups that I used were larger than the ones used by the recipe author because there was only enough of the custard mixture to fill 4 custard cups rather then the 6 indicated in the recipe. Because of the larger size of each cup -they also took longer to bake than indicated in the old recipe.
Here’s the recipe updated for modern cooks:
Marshmallow Custard
2 eggs
2 tablespoons sugar
2 cups half and half
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
4 – 6 large marshmallows
Preheat oven to 325° F. Put eggs in mixing bowl and beat slightly. Add sugar, half and half, and vanilla; beat until thoroughly combined. Put a marshmallow in the bottom of each custard cup. ( 4 – 6 custard cups will be needed. The number of custard cups needs will vary depending upon the size of the custard cups.) Pour the custard mixture over the marshmallows. Leave at least 1/2 inch at the top of each custard cup. Place the custard cups in a pan with hot water that comes to about an inch below the top of the cups. Bake for 40 – 60 minutes or until a knife inserted in center of the custard comes out clean. May be served warm or cold.
A Hundred Years Ago 
The custard looks delicious and it is so interesting that the marshmallows float to the top.
Simple..I like simple these days.
This one is new on me, but it makes perfect sense, especially if you believe in magic!
I love custard and Crème Brûlée. I don’t know what I would do with the rest of the marshmallows, though–I don’t even remember the last time I needed marshmallows for anything!
Roast them over your fire pit! 🙂
And make S’mores! That should be good for the ole cholesterol, right? 🙂
Oh my, the recipes you find! Love these oldies.
I can’t wait to try this – so simple to make and I do like Crème Brûlée! Thank you for sharing!
Would you mail me 4 marshmallows if you have some left over?
LOL they only sell them in big bags, don’t they!
I have never seen them in singles. 😀