Fruit Custard Recipe (Homemade & Easy)

fruit custard and garnished with pomegranate arils in a black and white bowl

4.88 from 39 votes

Fruit Custard Recipe (Homemade & Easy)

Fresh fruit and a creamy vanilla custard sauce combine forces in this simple Fruit Custard recipe. Fruit custard is a popular Indian dessert and can easily be made at home. All you need are a mix of fresh fruits, milk, custard powder and sugar.

Prep Time15

Cook Time15

Total Time30

Course: Desserts

Cuisine: Indian

Diet: Vegetarian

Difficulty Level: Easy

Servings: medium dessert bowls

Calories: 341kcal

Author: Dassana Amit

Ingredients

2.5 cups whole milk
5 tablespoons sugar
3 tablespoons custard powder
3 tablespoons whole milk warm or at room temperature
1.5 to 2 cups chopped mixed fruits - apples, mangoes, sapota, banana, pears, strawberries, pomegranate

US Customary - Metric

Instructions

Making custard sauce

Take milk in a thick bottomed pan or saucepan and keep it on the stove top. Bring the milk to a gentle heat or simmer.
Whilst the milk is getting heated, in a small bowl, take 3 tablespoon warm milk from the saucepan. Add 3 tbsp custard powder.
You can opt to take the 3 tablespoons of warm milk from the milk which is getting heated up in the pan or warm 3 tablespoons milk separately in a microwave oven or on the stove top.
With a whisk stir very well to make a smooth slurry or paste without any lumps.
When the milk has come to a gentle heat, add the sugar. Stir very well so that the sugar dissolves.
Keep the heat on a low and then add the custard paste at a time in small portions.
As soon as you add one portion of the custard slurry or paste, stir quickly so that lumps are not formed. Finish off all the custard paste this way.
Keep on stirring often while the custard is cooking, so that lumps are not formed. Cook for about 5 to 6 minutes on a low heat.
The mixture will thicken slowly. For a thicker custard, cook for a few more minutes. Allow the custard to cool at room temperature. Also keep in mind, that as the custard cools, it will thicken more. You can also keep the custard in fridge to chill it before adding the fruits.

Making fruit custard

Chop the fruits. Use seasonal fruits. Avoid citrus fruits and melons. The fruits I used - apples, papaya, banana, strawberries and pomegranate.
Once the custard has cooled, add the mixed fruits. Combine to mix.
Serve fruit custard garnished with some more fruits and pomegranate arils or add some chopped nuts or dry fruits.

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Notes

Recipe Notes

This fruit salad with custard recipe can be doubled or tripled.
If making fruit custard for Navratri fast, then use arrowroot flour for thickening, instead of corn starch.
Best to use seasonal fruits to make fruit custard. Avoid using citrus fruits, pineapple and melons.
Make sure to stir often after the milk starts thickening so that the sauce does not get burnt or brown at the bottom of the pan.
To make fruit custard without custard powder, simply swap in 3 tablespoons cornstarch or arrowroot four or tapioca starch and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract or ½ teaspoon vanilla essence. Mix these with warm milk to make a smooth slurry or paste.

How to make vegan fruit custard

Warm the 2.5 cups almond milk on a low heat. Simply lightly warm the milk. Don't over heat it.
Now take 3 tablespoons milk from the warmed almond milk and make a smooth paste with the custard powder. Make sure there are no lumps and keep aside.
Add sugar to the warmed almond milk. Stir till the sugar dissolves. You can use 5 to 6 tablespoon jaggery instead of sugar.
Then add the custard paste to the warmed almond milk. Keep on a low heat and keep on stirring till the milk begins to thicken.
You have to stir continuously as to avoid forming lumps in the custard.
The custard will start thickening. Avoid making to a thick consistency, as on cooling the consistency thickens more.
Switch off the heat and allow the custard to cool or refrigerate. Add fruits. Mix well and serve the fruit custard.

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