Traditionally, custard is made from egg, milk and sugar, so it’s not suitable for vegans. However, that doesn’t mean that you have to miss out! Using custard powder could be an easy way to make vegan custard, you’ll just need to make sure you buy the right one.
Read on to find out what to look out for when buying vegan custard powder…
If you just want quick links to buy vegan custard powder, here they are:
Is custard powder vegan friendly?
First, let’s understand exactly what we mean by custard powder, as there are two kinds.
- Instant custard powder – Just add boiling water and stir
- Regular custard powder – Add milk and sugar and boil for five minutes
Instant custard powder is not vegan because it contains cows milk. However, regular custard powder is usually vegan because you can choose your favourite plant-based milk to add, whether that be soya, oat, almond or something else.
Custard is always suitable for vegetarians as it does not contain gelatine or animal fat.
What are the ingredients in custard powder?
The ingredients may be slightly different for each brand of custard powder. The world’s most popular custard powder brand is Bird’s original custard powder which just happens to be dairy-free and egg-free.
Bird’s custard powder ingredients:
- Maize starch
- Salt
- Flavouring
- Colour (annatto)
Other brands of custard powder have very similar ingredients. For example, the label may say ‘cornflour’, which is actually the same as maize starch. Some brands use wheat starch instead.
Edmond’s custard powder contains beta-carotene and riboflavin for the colours. These ingredients are also vegan.
Does custard powder contain egg?
Unlike homemade custard, custard powder does not contain eggs. All custard powder is egg-free, making it a great option for people who wish to avoid eggs due to allergies or for ethical reasons.
Fact: Bird’s custard powder was created by Alfred Bird in 1837 because his wife was allergic to eggs.
Does custard powder contain milk?
Regular custard powder does not contain milk as you are required to add your own (dairy or plant-based) milk to the powder. However, instant custard powder does contain milk, as this kind only requires you to add hot water.
For dairy-free custard powder, be sure to choose regular custard powder, not instant custard powder. You can then add your own dairy-free plant-based milk.
What brands of custard powder are vegan?
These brands of custard powder are vegan-friendly:
- Bird’s custard powder (UK)
- Asda custard powder (UK)
- Morrison’s custard powder (UK)
- Sainsbury’s custard powder(UK)
- Tesco custard powder (UK)
- Cole’s custard powder (Australia)
- Foster Clark’s custard powder (Australia)
- White Wings custard powder (Australia)
- Woolworth’s custard powder (Australia)
- Edmonds custard powder (New Zealand)
Is Bird’s custard powder vegan?
Bird’s custard powder is suitable for vegans. The ingredients are maize starch, salt, flavouring and colour (annatto). You’ll need to add your own plant-based milk to it. Don’t get this product confused with Bird’s instant custard powder – that is not vegan as it contains milk.
Bird’s custard powder is not labelled as suitable for vegans, so I emailed the company that makes Bird’s custard powder, Premier Foods, to ask if they could confirm that it is vegan. This was their response:
“If we can scientifically demonstrate that a product is suitable for a vegan diet then packaging will carry a ‘vegan’ flash on the pack. This is not the case at this moment in time for Bird’s custard due to our current manufacturing processes and operations where we manufacture products that do contain ingredients of animal origin and products that do not.”
Emma, Premier Foods
So, it seems that the reason why Bird’s custard powder is not labelled as vegan is that it’s made in the same factory as animal products and so there’s a chance of cross-contamination.
Most vegans will be happy to accept that this product is vegan because it is rare that processed foods would be manufactured completely separately from animal products. However, if you have a severe allergy to milk or eggs than you may want to avoid it.
Read more: Is food that ‘may contain milk’ vegan?
Can you make birds custard with soya milk?
You can make Bird’s custard powder with any milk you wish, whether that be cows milk or a dairy-free alternative such as soya milk, oat milk or almond milk.
If you wish to make dairy-free custard, be sure to avoid the ‘instant’ custard powder as this already contains milk and you would just add water.
Is Edmond’s custard powder vegan?
Edmond’s custard powder is suitable for vegans. The ingredients are maize cornflour, colours (beta-carotene, riboflavin), salt and flavour. This product is made on a production line that also produces products containing milk and eggs, so it’s possible that there are small traces of other ingredients.
Can you buy custard powder in the USA?
It seems that traditional custard sauce isn’t as popular in the USA and Canada. In these countries, custard tends to be eaten as a solid dessert, rather than a liquid that is poured over a dessert.
If you can’t find custard powder where you live, then it’s pretty straightforward to make vegan custard powder at home.
Vegan custard powder recipe
Ingredients:
- 100g of icing sugar
- 50g of coconut milk powder
- 50g of cornflour
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla powder
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- A few drops of yellow food colouring (optional)
To make vegan custard powder:
- Place all the dry ingredients into a large bowl and stir until well-mixed.
- Transfer the mixture to an airtight jar. Voila! Your vegan custard powder is ready.
To make the vegan custard:
- Place 100ml of any plant milk into a pan and heat gently until it begins to bubble.
- Place one tablespoon of custard powder and a splash of plant milk into a jug. Mix to form a thick paste.
- Pour custard paste into the pan with the hot milk and mix well.
- Heat for a few minutes whilst stirring continuously, until the desired thickness is achieved.
Tip: If you like your custard to be sweeter, add a little more icing sugar to the jar for next time.
Alternatively, if you’d rather just make vegan custard from scratch at home and skip the custard powder altogether, here’s a vegan custard recipe for you.
To conclude
Just because you’re vegan, it doesn’t mean that you can’t still enjoy custard with your favourite desserts. Whilst ready-made vegan custard is sometimes available to buy in health food shops, custard powder is much easier to find and it’s almost always accidentally vegan. Just be careful to avoid the ‘instant’ custard powder and make sure you pick up the kind where you add your own milk.