Custards are an ideal dessert for adults and children, although the packaged ones from the supermarket may not be your best friend. Many times we look for options with something protein content, but we find that they are full of sugars or sweeteners. Today we teach you how to make vanilla fit custard, with a 100% protein content.
This healthy, low carb, sugar free custard recipe is the traditional way to use the leftover egg whites from making snow pudding and preparing a sauce at the same time. Historically, eggs have gotten a bad rap for causing high cholesterol, but current research indicates that they may actually help increase high-density lipoproteins (HDL), the "good" cholesterol.
This can be used with fruits or even in cakes. It is not difficult to do, but it is recommended to follow the instructions carefully, or we may end up with curdled eggs.
How much protein does it contain?
In this case, the protein comes from Burgos cheese, egg whites, and skimmed milk (preferably lactose-free). In total, almost 40 grams of protein in two small cups of custard. The carbohydrate content is very low, and the fat content is almost nonexistent. This makes it a perfect protein-rich snack to enjoy after a workout or to satisfy hunger before bed.
We can also add protein powder to further increase its value. We may keep a vanilla flavored protein powder on hand just for this purpose. Protein powders vary a lot, so we will have to find one that fits what we are looking for, whether we want to choose one based on flavor, protein quality, price, vegetarian, clean, etc.
We have added cinnamon and whole grain cookies as a topping, but you can leave them without adding anything, or by putting the crushed cookies on the base. You can even turn them into chocolate custard if you add a bit of 100% defatted cocoa powder. 100% healthy, suitable for vegetarians and gluten intolerant people.
Custard vs pastry cream
Custard is a fairly generic term for a wide range of products made with milk and/or cream, egg, vanilla, and sometimes a thickener. Pudding or custard is a "dessert." American pudding is a type of creamy dessert, and custard is a silky smooth sauce used for pouring over desserts or thick enough to add to donuts etc. The main thing that distinguishes custard from "pudding" is the use of egg.
The eggs thicken and provide a delicious consistency not found in general custard. So, whether we prepare it in a pot, in a water bath, or baked, it is still known as pastry cream. Of course, we can get even firmer custards for desserts like a custard tart, which hold their shape when cut.
Cornstarch or flour is only used in thicker varieties of custard, although it can also be added for those used to coat desserts. The starch not only acts as a thickener, but also stabilizes the eggs and prevents them from curdling in the custard. It also helps that this process is done in a single pot instead of a double boiler method.
Without using eggs, the resulting mixture with the dairy and thickener would be a blancmange. In fact, this homemade custard recipe does not contain cornstarch, but it is still an ideal recipe for all kinds of desserts.
Why are fit custards soggy?
There are many reasons why custard can become a watery, though not inedible, dessert. By following the steps in the recipe you should not run into the problem of watery custard, although it is possible that some errors could cause the proper texture not to be achieved:
- The recipe and the ratio of ingredients may be the main reason.
- Custards made with whole eggs instead of just the egg yolks can be more runny, because the egg whites can dilute them.
- Not using the correct amount of gelatin can result in an egg custard that is not thick enough.
- If the amount of milk is too much, the custard cannot be thickened.
- Not cooking custard long enough. This homemade cream must be cooked until it thickens and we must cover the back of the spatula with which we stir.
- Bubbles should start to appear in the custard when it's done, be sure to stir constantly.
Eggs: the main ingredient
A lot of the custard discussion revolves around eggs, such as whole eggs, whole eggs with yolks added, or just the whites separated.
Eggs are the main thickener in most custards, and the yolks make them smooth and rich. However, in this healthy custard recipe, we'll omit the yolks. Egg whites contain proteins, which change from liquid to solid—a process called coagulation—when cooked or baked. This means the liquid egg becomes firmer. As heating continues, the egg eventually becomes semi-gelled or fully gelled when cooled, especially under refrigeration, giving it the characteristic custard texture. The fewer eggs in a custard recipe, the longer the cooking time and the longer the coagulation time.
As eggs are the main structural ingredient in custard, it is important to use fresh, large Grade A eggs; Sometimes a negative difference in custards can be seen when using frozen, old, or dried egg replacers. Heating of egg proteins must be done over low heat and slowly, so egg-based custards are usually cooked or baked in water baths (boilers). Bain-marie pots are another type of pan that is used to cook custard on the ceramic hob.
To make a delicious eggless custard, we will heat 500 ml of almond milk with 2 tablespoons of honey or 100% maple syrup + 2 teaspoons of vanilla extract until almost boiling. We will thicken with a porridge made with 2 tablespoons of cornmeal and then add a little nutmeg to finish.
Tips for making fit protein custards
This type of dessert is always a good help in a healthy diet. Being a recipe that does not follow classic patterns, it is interesting to take these recommendations into account to achieve a perfect result.
Can they be frozen?
If they have been especially good, we intuit that it will not be necessary to freeze them because we will devour them in a few minutes. However, if the amount is too much or you want to advance the dessert of the week, it is interesting to consider how to freeze them.
They don't normally go in the freezer because they don't freeze well and have a tendency to separate once thawed. If you make donuts, for example, and fill them with custard, you can freeze them. But it is not recommended to freeze pies and custard pies. Making custard ice cream is another story. Most of the time it is necessary to use an ice cream machine to churn the ice cream.
Fit custard dressings
Custard topping is similar to ice cream topping. Anything you think will taste good will probably be a win. And if we choose the vanilla flavor, almost anything will complement it. Favorite toppings can be:
- crumbled cookies
- Fresh fruit
- Fresh mint
- Chocolate chips
- Espresso, coffee or ground almond.
- Cinnamon
- Nutmeg
Temper the ingredients
Tempering in cooking is when two mixtures at different temperatures are gradually added. In this custard recipe, it refers to adding the hot milk and cream to the relatively cold egg mixture in batches.
If we add the two together at once, the eggs will scramble. Start by adding 1/3 of the hot milk while whisking. Once the mixture is smooth, the rest of the milk can be added all at once.
How to store them in the fridge?
Although freezing them is not recommended, it is a good idea to put them in the fridge. It is recommended to make the recipe a day before so that they have the ideal texture and body.
Once they are warm to room temperature, cover with plastic wrap just on top of the custard to prevent a layer of sticky film from forming. Custard fit can be stored in the fridge in perfect condition for up to a week.
How do you heat the custard?
We can reheat custard in the microwave or in the saucepan.
- Microwave Method: Microwave for 1 minute, stir, then microwave in 30-second intervals, stirring each time. Continue until it reaches the expected temperature. If it's too thick, add a little milk.
- Saucepan Method: Heat in a saucepan over low heat, stirring continuously. If it is too thick, add a little milk as well.
Variations and substitutions accepted
If you don't have skim milk , you can substitute it with an alternative. For example, you can use 3/4 cup of semi-skimmed milk and 1/4 cup of water. Non-dairy milk alternatives don't have the same fat content as dairy milk, so if you use a product like oat milk or soy milk, you might not get the desired consistency.
Regarding sweeteners, if you don't have stevia or prefer not to use it, it's best to use a natural alternative like monk fruit sweetener. This product is 100 to 250 times sweeter than sugar, while stevia can be up to 350 times sweeter than sugar, so you may need to use a little more. If you have liquid stevia, use approximately 1 teaspoon instead of 1 tablespoon.
To make chocolate custard , add 100 grams of good quality chopped dark chocolate to the custard at the end and stir until smooth and well combined.
healthy toppings
These vanilla fit custards can be served hot or cold. If we want to serve them hot, we can reheat them in a bain-marie or over very low heat while we stir to make sure they don't curdle. In this case, it is recommended to use it in other recipes. For example, as a base for a sweet soup, a coulant accompaniment or on a cake. They can even be used to create the healthy version of Grandma's pie (biscuit, chocolate and custard pie).
If we serve them cold, many people decide to use it as a unique dessert. The most used toppings are oatmeal cookies, chopped dark chocolate, cinnamon or homemade granola. Any fruit can also serve, although it is advisable to enjoy its flavor alone. Also, if we want them to be high in protein and low in carbohydrates, it is preferable to take a high protein snack or just spice it up.
We can also serve this fit custard over fresh berries or poached pears for a decadent low carb dessert. We can even drizzle it over our favorite type of cake, whether it's a traditional cake or an almond cake to keep the carb count low.
