Œufs au Lait (Eggs and Milk)

This very simple egg and milk recipe was a favorite of French farmers’ wives, who always had milk and eggs at home, and could improvise a last-minute dessert for unexpected guests.

Serves: 6Hands-on: 10 minutesTotal: 55 minutesDifficulty: Easy

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Serves: 6

Ingredients

  • 1 vanilla pod
  • 4 cups whole milk
  • 6 medium eggs
  • ¾ cup sugar

Directions

  • Preheat your oven to 350°F.
  • Slice the top outer layer of the vanilla pod in half lengthwise. In a medium saucepan, bring the milk and the vanilla pod to a boil over medium heat. As soon as the milk boils, stop the heat. Cover and let the vanilla infuse the milk.
  • In a large bowl, break the eggs and whisk them steadily with the sugar. Take the vanilla out of the milk saucepan, use a teaspoon to scrape out all the seeds, and put them all back in the milk. Pour the milk slowly in the eggs and sugar, whisking continuously until combined. Pour in a large rectangular baking dish (9" × 13" lasagna dish, for example).
  • Put in the oven for 45 minutes. The Œufs au Lait are ready when you can dip a knife in it and the blade comes out clean. A slight golden crust should appear.
  • Serve lukewarm or cold.