Although more renowned for their oat-based milk, Oatly have branched out into various other products, and they do a very good job of them too. Their vegan ice cream, for instance, is very tasty, and so is their vegan custard. As you might have guessed, it contains oats, but also coconut and rapeseed fats that give it a smooth texture. In this article, we’ll first briefly explain what custard and custard powder are, then we’ll explain why some are okay for vegans and others should be avoided. We’ll also give details of the best ready-to-serve vegan-friendly custard options available at the time of writing. What Is Custard? This is important in case there are changes in manufacturing since the date of publication of this article. Minimum life based on 'use-by' date of product. Average life based on last week's deliveries. Life guarantee shown based on delivery tomorrow with the Life guarantee starting the following day. Available in three flavours (vanilla, chocolate or strawberry), the WeCan Vegan Custard isn’t as widely available as those mentioned above but you can find it in various health food shops and delis. Made with coconut cream, it is smooth and tasty with a very good mouthfeel. In other words, it’s worth seeking out if you love good custard.

This soya-based custard from plant diary-free giant Alpro is a solid choice and it’s even fortified with vitamins (B2, B12 and D2) to give you a little boost. There are several store in-house makes of instant custard powder. The most well-known commercial branded name of instant custard powder is Bird’s, which is based on corn starch. a b Carey, John (1997). Eyewitness to Science. Harvard University Press. p. 173. ISBN 9780674287556. After he discovered his custard was popular, Bird formed Alfred Bird and Sons Ltd. in Birmingham. By 1843, the company was also making the newly invented baking powder and, by 1844, was promoting custard powder nationally. By 1895, the company was producing blancmange powder, jelly powder and egg substitute. In World War I, Bird's Custard was supplied to the British armed forces.

I have looked all around the local supermarkets for something similar to this but they simply do not have it. Thankfully BCS do. There are low-fat versions of instant custard powder available, though even the regular versions of instant custard powder are not that high in fat to begin with. Cooking Tips Note that Annatto Norbixin is made from achiote tree seeds, so is fine for vegans. As such, vegans should opt for the more traditional style of custard powder and follow the preparation instructions but simply substitute in their favourite plant-based milk instead of using dairy milk.

Delight as Premier gets the cream of custard", manchesteronline.co.uk. Article dated 9 December 2004, retrieved 14 March 2006. That might well be handy and convenient for those that consume animal products but it is rather problematic for vegans. Interestingly, though, if we look at the ingredients for Bird’s Original Custard Powder (the more traditional version, in other words), there are no milk-derived ingredients: Bird’s Original Custard Powder Ingredients (Vegan) Viner, Brian (13 July 2004). "King Arthur, Attila the Hun and BobMonkhouse". The Independent. Independent (The) . Retrieved 26 April 2010. Oat milk and coconut milk both work really well and it might depend on the nature of the dessert as to which plant-based milk option you choose. In general, we feel oat is the best option, especially one of the creamier styles or products. Ready-to-Serve Vegan Custard Premier gobbles up Bird's Custard", BBC News. Article dated 10 December 2004, retrieved 14 March 2006.Would you believe that I couldn't find this product in a UK supermarket. There were other brands but this is my favourite. It's so creamy and smooth and never goes lumpy. Nice vanilla taste, perfect for serving with crumble, steamed puddings or making trifle. Great. It's a product I like to have in the store cupboard.

Thankfully for people who love custard but who aren’t massive fans of animal suffering, there are plenty of options for vegan-friendly custards. If you are going down the powder route, using traditional custard powder (such as Bird’s) that requires the addition of milk, is the way forward – though of course be sure to use plant-based milk. Instant versions of custard powder tend to include powdered dairy milk (or similar) so are no good for those on a plant-based regimen.Made with coconut oil, chicory root fibre, Peruvian carob and even a bit of fava bean protein for good measure, this vanilla custard from The Coconut Collaborative is nice enough. It arguably falls a little short on the texture and mouthfeel fronts, but it’s still a very passable custard. In some regions, such as Australia and the United Kingdom, the popularity of this type of dessert is such that it is simply known as "custard". In such cases, general usage of the word may be more likely to refer to the "Bird's" custard rather than to the traditional egg-based variety. [ citation needed] As dairy milk is not vegan, anything containing milk from cows (or any other animals for that matter) would also not be vegan. Some custard powders, and especially those labelled as “instant”, contain some derivative of milk. Because you are only adding water, the milk, always some form of dairy-based ingredient, is already incorporated into the powder. For instance, Bird’s Instant Custard contains the following ingredients: Bird’s Instant Custard Ingredients (Not Vegan) Sugar, Whey Powder (from Milk), Modified Maize Starch, Palm Oil, Palm Fat, Milk Proteins, Anti-Caking Agent (Silicon Dioxide), Flavourings, Colour (Annatto Norbixin) Birds Instant Custard offers even the most useless cook an easy way to make delicious creamy custard! Simply boil the kettle and add hot water to the powder – simple as that!