Why and When to Temper Eggs for Custards and Ice Cream

Question

I have some ice cream recipes that call for heating up the milk, sugar, and cream first. Slowly add mixture to egg yolks before adding everything back to the pot to heat up to 165-170 degrees.
Can this be simplified by just mixing the eggs in cold before heating up slowly to 165-170?

Lynn Clark · Accepted Answer

Hi Joshua - If you drop an egg into hot liquid, it will scramble. The keys to preventing this from happening are gradual heat and dilution. This is often achieved through the process of tempering, in which you slowly add some of the hot liquid to the eggs while vigorously whisking, before combining it all. Sometimes you need to temper your eggs, and sometimes you don’t. Obviously you want to temper your eggs if you are adding them to a hot broth, such as in our Georgian Chicken Soup or a Greek avgolemono, which are both enriched with eggs. For custards or ice creams that you are infusing first (with a vanilla bean or whole spices), you will also want to temper the eggs since you are starting with hot milk or cream. But if your recipe doesn't require any kind of preheating of the liquid, then tempering isn’t necessary. Simply combine the eggs with the cold liquid and any other ingredients, then set the mixture over low heat and cook, whisking constantly. The early dilution and slow heating minimize the risk of curdling. This will take a bit longer and require pretty constant attention, but it's a one-pot, no-fuss method. Best, Lynn C.

Why and When to Temper Eggs for Custards and Ice Cream

Have a question for Milk Street experts?

Join the conversation