A dairy-free custard made with rice flour, cornmeal, vanilla powder, and rice milk, with a bar of white chocolate melted in. Set in dessert cups and chilled. Six servings.
A custard without eggs or dairy? Light brown sugar, rice flour, cornmeal, and vanilla powder mixed with rice milk and cooked until thick. A bar of white chocolate melted in at the end. It sets in dessert cups in the fridge and eats like a cross between pudding and panna cotta. These don’t last long here.
Six cups from one batch. The only cooking is stirring over heat for a few minutes until the mixture thickens. You notice a slight graininess from the cornmeal in each spoonful, which is unusual in a custard and somehow works. The white chocolate melts directly into the warm base.
Tips for Making Vanilla Custard with Rice Milk
Mix the dry ingredients with cold rice milk first
Combine sugar, rice flour, cornmeal, and vanilla powder with a small amount of cold rice milk before adding to the warm milk. This prevents lumps.
Once added to the warm milk, stir constantly over heat. It thickens quickly.
Melt the white chocolate while it is hot
Take the custard off the heat and add the white chocolate immediately. The residual warmth melts the chocolate without burning it.
Stir until the chocolate is fully incorporated and the custard is smooth. Let it cool to room temperature before filling the cups.
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Vanilla Custard with Rice Milk and White Chocolate
Total Time: 10 minutes
Yield: Serves 6
Diet: Vegan
Description
Creamy rice milk custard with white chocolate, perfect chilled or layered in a dessert. A simple, elegant treat.
Instructions
- Mix sugar, rice flour, cornmeal, and vanilla powder with 50 ml of rice milk.
- Add the mixture to the warmed milk and stir over heat until the cream thickens.
- Turn off the heat and melt the white chocolate bar.
- Let the cream cool to room temperature.
- Fill six dessert cups with the cream.
- Refrigerate the cups until ready to serve.
Notes
- For a smoother custard, strain the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve after cooking.
- If you don’t have rice milk, you can substitute almond milk or oat milk for a similar result.
- Store leftover custard in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days.
- Prep Time: 5 minutes
- Cook Time: 5 minutes
- Category: Dessert
- Method: No-Cook
- Cuisine: Italian
Nutrition
- Serving Size: 1 cup
- Calories: 250
- Sugar: 25
- Sodium: 20
- Fat: 10
- Saturated Fat: 6
- Unsaturated Fat: 4
- Carbohydrates: 40
- Fiber: 2
- Protein: 2
Frequently Asked Questions
What kind of white chocolate should I use?
A good-quality bar of white chocolate, not chips. Chips often contain stabilisers that prevent smooth melting. Break the bar into pieces so it melts evenly in the warm custard.
Can I use a different plant milk?
Oat milk or almond milk both work. The rice milk gives a lighter, more neutral flavour. Coconut milk would make the custard richer and slightly coconut-flavoured.
How long does this keep?
Up to three days in the fridge, covered. The custard firms up further as it chills. It does not freeze well because the texture breaks down when thawed.