Growing up, Grandma made a simple baked custard she called, "Candy Pudding". You carmelized some sugar, poured it into the baking dish, then poured the beaten eggs/milk, etc., over it and baked it. The "caramel" layer was beautiful and tasty. Plus when the custard "weeps" it made a brown kind of syrup. But that's the only custard I know how to make! And no one likes it but me.

What other recipes are there? Anything with chocolate? Or other flavors that go with the basic eggs/milk? I don't care for rice pudding, but maybe coconut?

Baked Caramel Custard

*Caramelize 1/2 c. sugar. Pour a little into each custard cup. Move cups about so that caramel will coat sides. When caramel is hard, fill cups with custard. When unmolded, melted caramel runs down sides forming a sauce.

*How to caramelize sugar: Melt sugar in heavy pan over low heat, shaking pan as sugar melts. Heat until melted to a golden brown syrup stirring constantly.

Custard:
Beat slightly to mix...
3 eggs
1/3 c. sugar
1/4 t. salt

Scald (crinkly film forms on top)...
2 c. milk

Stir milk into egg mixture.
Add...
1/2 t. vanilla, if desired

Pour into 6 custard cups and set in pan of hot water (1" deep). Sprinkle a little nutmeg over top. Bake just until silver knife inserted 1" from edge comes out clean (soft center sets as it stands). Immediately remove from heat.

Preheat oven to 325°. Combine all ingredients & blend well. Pour the mixture into custard cups & place in a pan of hot water. Bake until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 40-50 minutes.~~Craig Claiborne

Here's a plain baked custard that's a really old recipe:

CUSTARD
2 cups scalded milk
3 eggs
4 TBL sugar
1/8 tsp salt
1/2 tsp vanilla
Nutmeg

Scald the milk. Mix sugar, eggs, salt & vanilla & combine with the scalded milk. Pour into custard cups set in a pan of hot water, sprinkle tops with grated nutmeg & poach in a preheated 300° oven until firm.~~ (Do the knife test.)

CHOCOLATE CREME CARAMEL (serves 8 if using 1/2 cup molds)
Caramel base:
1/2 cup sugar
2 TBL water
Juice of 1/2 lemon

Chocolate custard:
2 cups milk
4 oz semisweet chocolate
4 eggs
4 egg yolks
1/2 cup sugar

Preheat oven to 350°. Combine the 1/2 cup sugar, water & lemon juice in a saucepan & bring to the boil. Let cook, bubbling until the syrup becomes a light amber color. Don't let the syrup burn or it will be bitter. when the syrup is ready, immediately pour equal amounts of it quickly into the 8 custard cups. Swirl the syrup around so it covers the bottom of each mold. Let cool at room temperature.
Heat the milk w/the chocolate, stirring often until the chocolate is dissolved.
Beat the eggs, egg yolks & 1/2 cup sugar until thickened & smooth. Pour the milk mixture into the egg mixture & blend well. Strain the custard & skim off & discard surface foam.
Ladle the custard into the 8 prepared molds. Arrange the molds in a baking dish & pour boiling water around them. Place the dish in the oven & bake until the custard is set in the center, about 30 minutes. Remove the custard cups & let cool. Unmold when ready to serve.~~Craig Claiborne

COLD LEMON CUSTARD SOUFFLES (serves 8)
1 cup sugar
1/4 cup flour
1/8 tsp salt
2 TBL butter, melted
5 TBL lemon juice
Grated zest of 1 lemon
3 egg yolks, well beaten
1 1/2 cups milk, scalded
3 egg whites

Preheat oven to 325°. Generously butter 8 custard cups.
Combine the sugar, flour, salt & butter. Stir in the lemon juice & zest. Whisk a little of the hot milk into the beaten yolks; whisk all the yolks back into the milk. Stir the yolk mixture into the lemon mixture until well blended. Beat the whites until firm but not dry. Fold the lemon mixture into the beaten whites. Spoon into the prepared custard cups. Place the filled cups in a baking pan. Pour enough hot water into the pan to com halfway up the sides of the cups. Bake 45 minutes. Cool to room temperature. Refrigerate until chilled, about 4 hours. Serve cold.~~San Francisco Encore

I actually don't have custard cups: I always made "candy pudding" or custard that way Mom and Grandma did: in one pyrex or ceramic dish. But these would be so pretty in individual cups. What kind should I look for? I've seen some white ribbed straight-sided ones in many stores: I thought they were for souffles, but they could easily be used for custard too.

Hope you like them!