Egg protein coagulation thickens custard, which is often created by mixing egg yolks with milk and sugar.
In our vegan version cornstarch thickens the sauce, a pinch of turmeric adds color, and plant milk (soy, almond, or coconut) replaces dairy milk.
The ideal part about this vegan custard recipe is that it can be utilized in a wide range of vegan desserts, such as our smooth vanilla cake, tangy lemon tart, and refreshing fruit tart.
It can also be baked to produce custard pies or used as a pastry cream to top doughnuts and croissants.
Finally, various components can be simply changed and added to this basic vegan custard recipe.
We will also show you how to prepare chocolate custard, coffee custard, and even pistachio custard below.
Ingredients& Substitutions
Cornstarch: Use ½ a cup of cornstarch (50 grams) as a thickening agent. This is difficult to replace. If you are sensitive to wheat, potato starch is a decent substitute.
Sugar: Use ⅓ of a cup (65 grams) of white sugar. Any sugar will work.
Vanilla: 1 tsp vanilla extract. This is largely dependent on your financial situation. We usually use vanilla extract, but if you want to go all out, you can use the genuine seeds from a vanilla pod.
Plant milk: To prepare a low-fat vegan custard you will need 2 cups (500 grams) of soy milk, almond milk, or oat milk. To make a thicker, full-fat version, coconut milk will be ideal.
Lemon: ½ lemon peel. Although optional, the addition of lemon peel will only increase make your vegan custard richer in flavor.
Turmeric: 1/8 teaspoon turmeric. This is discretionary, but we prefer to add a tiny sprinkle of turmeric to the pastry cream when we want it to be yellow. However, if you use too much turmeric in your custard, it will become a phony yellow-greenish color and taste like turmeric. Saffron powder can be used instead of turmeric.
How to Make Vegan Custard?
Combine all of the ingredients in a pot: plant milk, sugar, cornstarch, vanilla, turmeric, and lemon peel. Mix with a whisk until there are no lumps left.
Then continue to stir constantly over medium heat until the liquid hardens into a creamy custard. Depending on the amounts, it can take anywhere from 2 to 5 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat when you’ve almost reached the desired consistency and continue to whisk for another minute. While the custard is off the heat, it will continue to thicken.
TIP: Use a wooden or silicone spatula and dab it in the custard, then run your finger through it to see whether it is ready. The custard is ready if the spatula stays dry.
Tips & Troubleshooting
COOLING DOWN
If the vegan custard is allowed to cool too quickly, it will dry out on the surface, resulting in lumps. Continue mixing while the custard cools to avoid this.
Fill your sink halfway with cold water, then immerse ¾ percent of the pot in the water and mix for 5 minutes, or until the custard is near to room temperature.
GETTING RID OF LUMPS
Do not be concerned if your custard lumps. There are two ways to solve the problem.
With a whisk, vigorously mix the custard. The lumps will be removed by whisking quickly, and the vegan custard will return to being incredibly creamy.
Using an immersion blender, blitz it up. This will also eliminate the lumps, but the custard will be a bit more fluid after it has been blended this way.
These two methods can also be used if the custard is reused after being stored in the refrigerator. It will thicken and gelatinize, so you will need to combine or whisk it back into a creamy consistency.
Flavor Variations
Coffee custard: To make the classic custard, dissolve authentic espresso coffee or instant coffee in plant milk, then add the remaining ingredients and follow as directed. This one doesn’t have any lemon or turmeric in it.
Pistachio custard: Pistachio nuts are roasted first, then blended with plant milk till smooth pistachio milk is achieved.
Next combine sugar, cornstarch, pistachio milk, and vanilla in a pot and repeat the steps mentioned above.
Chocolate custard is created with the same basic ingredients as vanilla custard (no lemon, no turmeric). Simply add your favorite vegan dark chocolate brand, off the heat, at the end. Enjoy after a minute of stirring!
Frequently Asked Questions
Can custard be gluten-free?
Yes, our gluten-free vegan custard recipe contains cornstarch, a thickening produced from maize.
Corn is inherently gluten-free, however, some lower-quality brands may use a piece of equipment that has worked previously with wheat flour to create their corn flour. Inspect the label if you want to be sure.
What do you eat custard with?
Custard is delicious poured over fresh fruit, in cakes, lemon or strawberry tarts, pies, croissants, doughnuts, Danish rolls, and other baked goods. You can consume it with a spoon as well.
Is it safe to freeze vegan custard?
Yes, but freezing is not advised. It will take longer to defrost than if you made it from scratch, and the taste will be different. You could, however, make vegan ice cream with it.
Place it in the freezer for 30 minutes, then stir it every 30 minutes until it becomes smooth ice cream. It should take you around 3 hours to complete.
You can alternatively simply freeze the custard and then combine it in a high-powered blender or food processor after 3 hours. It is fantastic!
Conclusion
There is no denying that custard is one of the most preferred sweet dishes out today. This vegan custard is creamy and thick, and it is absolutely wonderful! It is delicious as a traditional dessert topping or as pastry cream.
Now that we have walked you through the process, we hope you are now aware of how to make your very own vegan custard. Give it a try next time you invite your friends over for a party!
Hi, my name is Brett White, and I have a passion for cooking, and following a raw diet. Eating raw has completely changed how I view food, and has led me down a much healthier and happier path in life over the last three years.
Through Addicted To Veggies, I want to share with you my favorite raw recipes. From brownie recipes, to recipes containing pumpkin, my site is full of delicious and wonderful options to consider.
