Can I get my custard to set?

[PeeGreen]

I made some custard.

It's nice, but I think I whipped it too much or something.

It is supposed to be like the second picture.

It's nothing like that, the second is a paste, I have a slightly thick custard.

Can I rescue it? (It's already 24 hrs in the fridge)

What recipe did you use please?

Yes can you post the recipe? Did you use any thickening agent like cornflour/flour/tapioca? That second photo looks more like play dough than custard, I can't imagine eggs, milk and cream going that texture in the fridge even chilling overnight unless you've added a lot of thickeners or it's been cooked.

I doubt you over whisked, in my experience it's more likely that custard is not whisked hard enough or for long enough so the egg doesn't break down and start to thicken. I usually have to use a hand blender to do it as when I've used a balloon whisk it never thickened.

I just reverse image searched your second picture, you're making steamed custard buns right? www.jessicagavin.com/chinese-steamed-custard-bun-recipe/

You could make ice cream with the custard you just made, and start over again on the custard buns and this time really whisk the shit out of it at every step with a hand mixer, especially step 5 (and possibly up the cornflour amount too in step 3). If I wanted to experiment and try to rescue the one you'd already made, I'd probably make a cornflour and water slurry and whisk it into the custard over simmering hot water. Worst case scenario, you end up with scrambled eggs and have to start over anyway.

I have a stand mixer with induction heat.

Yes I followed the second recipe, but not exactly.

Basically what I did was egg yolks, sugar and cornflour, beat with stand mixer until very well mixed. Add double cream and less milk than in the recipe, and heat at 85C for several minutes, stirring continuously.

That's how I normally make custard, though normally when I make custard it's for pouring. And I don't normally put cornflour in it. It says something there about tempering the egg but I'm not sure what that means.

Then I beat in the butter.

Then in the fridge.

The only thing I can think of is as you say reheat and try to put more cornflour in it.