This 3-ingredient custard powder is so easy to make and super convenient too. The powder mixes easily with milk, forming a rich and silky custard. This makes it perfect for filling in pastries, cream puffs, tarts, Stovetop Custard Cream Buns, or donuts. It's also great served in trifle, with fruit or as a creamy topping for cakes and warm pudding.
In addition, you can use the custard powder itself to flavor cakes and cookies.
Besides the convenient preparation, custard powder is the perfect alternative to traditional custard, which uses eggs and flour as a thickener. This makes it a suitable option if you are avoiding eggs or gluten in your diet.
What is Instant Custard powder?
Made for a quick and simple preparation, Custard Powder is a combination of cornflour/cornstarch, powdered milk and sugar. By adding milk and heating for a few minutes, the custard powder is turned into a rich sauce.
It is delicious, drizzled warm over puddings, cakes, or fruit. When cooled, the custard thickens, making it perfect for filling in custard cream buns, pastries, and tart shells.
Stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator, keeps instant custard powder fresh for up to 6 months
What you need to make the custard powder
Here’s what you need for the custard powder. The ingredients to turn the custard powder into a creamy pourable custard are shown separately below.
While the full printable recipe is written below, this is the section to read if you’re wondering about ingredient substitutions or how these ingredients work in the recipe.
Cornstarch: Cornflour or cornstarch should not be mistaken with finely ground cornmeal that is used to make corn tortillas. Cornmeal has a gritty texture, while cornflour has a white chalky appearance and is very fine and smooth.
Cornstarch is used to thicken sauces, custard, and gravies or added to cakes and cookies to create a lighter bake.
In this recipe, I use cornstarch as an alternative to eggs and flour to thicken the custard
PLEASE NOTE: Cornstarch in the US is the same thing as cornflour in the UK. It’s the pure starch extracted from corn kernels, and it has the form of a very fine white powder.
Full cream powdered milk: This recipe works best with full cream/whole instant powdered milk. You might find powdered milk in your grocery store labeled as dry milk. This is the same product, just with a different name.
White sugar: A ¼ cup of white granulated sugar adds the perfect amount of sweetness to the instant custard powder.
Ingredients needed to turn custard powder into a creamy pourable custard
Full fat / whole milk: Full fat or whole milk turns the prepared instant custard powder into a rich and creamy sauce.
Custard powder: The instant custard powder is mixed with full fat milk
Sugar: I added just 2 tablespoons of sugar for my custard. But you can add more or less according to taste. Taste the custard for sweetness before it starts thickens on the stove. Add sugar accordingly.
Vanilla extract: (optional): Used to flavor your custard if preferred
Yellow food coloring (optional): Yellow food coloring can be added if you want to get the classic yellow appearance.
How to make custard powder
While the video and the full printable recipe are written below, this is the process with step-by-step pictures to guide you
There are 2 parts to this recipe, both taking under 5 minutes to prepare.
- Making the custard powder
- Turning the custard powder into a creamy custard.
1. Making the custard powder
- Blend the powdered milk, sugar and cornstarch in a food processor or blender for about 1 minute until combined.
- If you do not have a blender or food processor, these ingredients can simply be combined using a whisk. Using a food processor or blender is just to break the ingredients into a more powdered form.
- The custard powder can now be used immediately or stored in an airtight jar in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.
2. Turning the powder into a creamy rich custard
- Add milk, custard powder, sugar and vanilla extract into a pot.
- Place the pot on the stove and turn up the heat to low.
- Stir continuously for about 4 to 5 minutes using a whisk or fork to stir until the custard bubbles and is creamy.
- Remove the pot from the stove.
- If you feel that the custard is too thick, simply add ¼ cup of milk at a time, whisking constantly until it reaches the desired consistency. You can do this step can be when the pot is taken off the heat.
Tips and frequently asked questions
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How to get cold/cooled thick custard to a thinner consistency.
Prepared custard that is left at room temperature for more than an hour or refrigerated becomes thick and sometimes lumpy.
To bring the thick cooled custard to a thinner consistency, place it back onto the stove on low heat.
Add small amounts of milk (about 2 tablespoons at a time) to get it to the desired consistency. Remember to whisk continuously.
-
How to get a smooth creamy consistency
When preparing the custard on the stovetop, whisk constantly. Whisking ensures that the custard is evenly thickened and reduces the chance for lumps and scorched spots to develop.
-
Which utensil creates a smooth custard?
A whisk ensures a smooth custard, breaking any lumps, and blending the ingredients together well.
Enjoy ♥
If you like this recipe, be sure to check out my other amazing easy recipes
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3-ingredient Homemade Custard Powder
Ingredients
For the custard powder
- ½ cup white granulated sugar
- 1 cup cornstarch see note 1
- 1 cup instant milk powder
To make the custard
- 2 cups milk
- 2 Tablespoons sugar or to taste see note 2
- 1 Tablespoon vanilla extract
- ⅛ teaspoon ½ ml yellow food coloring (optional) see note 3
- 3 Tablespoons custard powder
Instructions
Making the custard powder
- Blend the powdered milk, sugar and cornstarch, in a food processor or blender, for about 1 minute until combined
- The custard powder can now be used immediately or stored in an airtight jar in the refrigerator for up to 3 months.
Turning the powder into a creamy rich custard
- Add milk, custard powder, sugar and vanilla extract into a pot.
- Place the pot on the stove and turn up the heat to low.
- Stir continuously for about 4 to 5 minutes using a whisk or fork to stir until the custard bubbles and is creamy. see note 4
- Remove the pot from the stove.
- If you feel that the custard is too thick, simply add ¼ cup of milk at a time whisking constantly until it reaches the desired consistency. This step can be done when the pot is removed from the heat.
- Prepared custard that has been left at room temperature for more than an hour or refrigerated becomes thick and sometimes lumpy. To bring the thick cooled custard to a thinner consistency, place it back onto the stove on low heat.
- Add small amounts of milk (about 2 Tablespoons at a time) to get it to the desired consistency. Remember to whisk continuously.
Lynn M Walters says
Help! How much custard powder per 2 cups of milk? Your recipe doesn't say.
The Gardening Foodie says
Hi Lynn, to make a thick custard add 3 Tablespoons of custard powder to 2 cups of milk. I have updated the recipe to include this measurement 🙂
Nic says
Hi.. Can I know if we can store in fridge those cooked custard for later use? If yes, how long can we store?
The Gardening Foodie says
Hi Nic, yes sure, the cooked custard can be stored in the fridge for up to 4 days.
When you remove it from the fridge, you might notice that the custard has become thick and not very pourable.
To get it back to a thinner, creamy consistency, place the cold custard in a pot on the stove.
Add about 2 to 4 tablespoons of milk and whisk on medium low heat for about 2 minutes or until it reaches its creamy consistency once again.
I hope this helps answer your question:)
Bernice says
Hi! How to store the custard cream?
The Gardening Foodie says
Hi Bernice, The custard powder can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 6 months. Once mixed with milk, the custard cream can be stored in the fridge in an airtight container for up to 4 days.
I hope this helps answer your question 🙂
Davicia says
Your ingredient list says cornstarch, but the directions say corn flour, which is the correct ingredient to use for the custard?
The Gardening Foodie says
Hi Davicia, I apologise for the confusion. I used cornstarch in this recipe. Cornstarch in the US is the same as cornflour in the UK and it has the form of a very fine white chalky powder. I have updated the post to include this information.
Please Don't use cornmeal which is yellow and has a gritty texture. Cornmeal will not work in this recipe.
I hope this helps answer your question.