Custard Powder Substitute

Custard is a very popular set of culinary recipes, that are made with the help of a combination of milk, sugar and egg yolk. The custard preparations are usually used as a base for many different savory food products as well as Quiche recipes. The custard desserts are often accompanied by several different fruit and ice cream toppings. This dessert is often flavored with the help of dash of vanilla extract, chocolate or other types of essence solutions. In many cases, custard desserts are also used as parts of other dessert recipes. The custard is at times also supplemented by flour, corn, starch and gelatin.

Custard Powder

There is a common misconception among people that custard power is just a dried combination of all the ingredients of a normal custard recipe. The custard powder is basically a set of different substances that has been powdered, flavored and have a content of artificial colors in them. Conventional custard powder that we purchase in the supermarket is basically a combination of cornflour, riboflavin (a vitamin), conventional salt and some amounts of flavor. The custard powder basically found a widespread use due to the fact that it is easy to use and gives a hundred percent and congruent effect to any dessert, that is termed as a custard. It must be noted that custard powder was invented by Alfred Bird, because his wife was intolerant towards normal recipes of custard. This original custard powder is known as Bird's Custard.

Custard Powder Substitute

Many people use cornstarch (flour) as a substitute for custard powder, but it is basically the custard powder's main ingredient. There are some other substitutes that can be used to make really good custard desserts. A very prominent method to substitute custard powder, involves the use of water chestnut, water chestnut flour, castor sugar and water. The custard can be prepared by making a batter and adding it to boiling water. Let the water boil away and use the leftover, soft and semi solid batter on simple desserts such as ice creams and cakes. This recipe is a recent one and is also known as water chestnut flour.

Some people also prefer to just add some cornflour and vanilla essence along with invert sugar, which is an excellent substitute for custard powder. The invert sugar is basically created with the help of mild acids such as cream of tartar or lemon juice, that are added on to the syrup of sugar. Some people also recommend the use of baking sugar, that is basically made from sugar crystals. Another interesting combination that is used as a substitute includes cornflour or cornstarch, vanilla essence or flavor, annatto and curcumin, where all the ingredients are ground up and used in the custard dessert recipe. In addition to this combination, sugar and milk is added to complete the recipe.

Many chefs recommend the use of original custard recipes or the use of some cornflour and vanilla essence. Substitute of custard powder has started appearing in the world market. If you use powder substitute, or even the original powder, the amazing taste, feel and sense of the original custard recipe is totally lost.