Fruit custard is a classic Indian dessert that combines creamy custard made with readymade custard powder, milk, sugar, and assorted fresh fruits. It is enjoyed for its rich texture, vibrant colours, and incredible taste.
Fruit salad made with custard powder is an easy and delicious dessert. This delightful creamy treat with lots of fruits is incredibly easy to make and is perfect for satisfying your sweet cravings. Similar to other Indian desserts like Gulab Jamun, Almond Flour Halwa, Vermicelli Kheer, this delicious custard recipe is always a hit at Indian gatherings.
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- More about Indian Fruit Custard Recipe
- Why you’ll love Indian Fruit Custard?
- Ingredients used in Indian Style Fruit Custard Recipe
- How to make Easy Indian Fruit Custard Recipe?
- Tips and Variations
- Which are the fruits that we should avoid adding to the Fruit Custard?
- Serving Suggestions
- Frequently asked questions
- Other recipes you may like
- Follow me on
- Recipe Card
More about Indian Fruit Custard Recipe
The custard fruit salad is typically made by thickening milk with a few tablespoons of custard powder and sugar. It is then chilled and layered with various fresh fruits such as bananas, apples, grapes, and pomegranate. The result is a refreshing and visually appealing dessert loved by people of all ages.
This easy fruit custard recipe is famous in India, especially in summer. It is egg-free and is made with readily available ingredients. The chilled custard with lots of small pieces of fruit is a comfort dessert for the hot, scorching heat back home. Indian desserts have a special place in my heart, and this one tops the list.
As a child, I made fruit salad yearly for my school project. Every student was asked to bring fruits, sugar and a few other ingredients, and the entire grade made a mixed fruit salad with the teachers, which would then be distributed to all the students. There is so much fun and joy in these simple things.
I was only introduced to fruit cream and chilled fruit custard after attending college and visiting many restaurants. What a twist to the simple Indian fruit salad, I thought. I had no idea it was this easy to make the recipe. Once I started cooking, I began trying all these recipes I treasure. If you would like to, check my fruit cream recipe.
The creamy fruit salad dessert is often enjoyed chilled, allowing the creamy custard and fresh fruits to provide a delightful contrast of textures and flavours.
Why you’ll love Indian Fruit Custard?
Versatility: The ability to customize the fruits used in the recipe makes fruit custard a versatile dessert that can be enjoyed year-round. Use any seasonal fruits of your choice to make this chilled fruit salad interesting.
Ease of Preparation: Fruit custard is incredibly easy to make, requiring minimal effort and ingredients, making it a simple dessert accessible to cooks of all skill levels.
Family Favourite: The Indian style fruit custard’s colourful appearance and sweet taste make it a hit among both kids and adults, making it a popular choice for family gatherings and parties.
Refreshing and Light: Fruit custard’s creamy yet light texture, combined with the freshness of the fruits, makes it a refreshing and satisfying dessert that doesn’t leave you feeling overly full. It’s the perfect sweet treat after a hearty meal.
Colourful Presentation: The vibrant colours of the assorted fruits used in fruit custard make it a pleasing dessert that adds colour to any table. Its visual appeal makes it an ideal choice for special occasions and celebrations.
Ingredients used in Indian Style Fruit Custard Recipe
Full- Fat Milk
Custard Powder ( I used Vanilla Flavoured)
Sugar
Chopped Nuts
Chopped Fruits
Cardamom Powder, Vanilla extract or Saffron for flavouring (optional)
How to make Easy Indian Fruit Custard Recipe?
Prepare the Custard: Mix the custard powder with a little warm milk to make a smooth paste in a small bowl.
Boil the Milk: Bring the remaining milk to a gentle boil in a thick-bottomed pan.
Add the Custard Powder Mixture: Once the milk is boiling, reduce the heat and slowly add the custard mixture while stirring continuously to avoid lumps.
Sweeten the Custard: Add sugar and cardamom powder(optional) to the custard milk and stir well.
Cool the Custard Base: Allow the creamy custard sauce to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate it for a couple of hours until it is nicely chilled and set.
Prepare the Fruits: Chop the assorted fruits into bite-sized pieces and keep them ready.
Assemble the Fruit Custard: Layer some fruits first. Add the smooth custard on top and repeat the steps until you finish the whole custard mixture. Refrigerate again till you are ready to serve.
Garnish and Serve: Garnish this easy dessert recipe with more fruits and chopped nuts. Serve cold.
Tips and Variations
To achieve the perfect consistency, ensure that the custard is not too runny or too thick. It should have a creamy consistency. Once you add the fruits and refrigerate, the custard will get a little thinner because of the addition of fruits.
Use full-fat milk for the best results and a thick and delicious custard.
In addition to the ones mentioned, you can add any seasonal fresh fruits of your choice that would go well with the recipe.
Allowing the custard to chill for a few hours enhances its taste and texture, making it more enjoyable.
For additional flavour, you can add a few drops of almond or vanilla extract to the custard. Rose essence or a pinch of saffron is also a great option.
Along with adding chopped fruits, adding nuts adds a great texture but is entirely optional. You can add dates, any other dry fruits, and tutti frutti for an additional taste.
Which are the fruits that we should avoid adding to the Fruit Custard?
Citrus fruits such as oranges, grapefruits, and lemons are best avoided in fruit custard. Their high acidity can affect the texture of the custard, causing it to curdle or become watery.
Fruits with high water content, such as watermelon and muskmelon, can release excess moisture, leading to a diluted custard and potentially affecting the creamy custard consistency.
Overripe or mushy fruits, such as overly ripe bananas or overly soft berries, may not hold their shape well in the custard and can affect its overall texture.
Serving Suggestions
Serve the simple fruit custard in individual serving bowls or glasses as an after-meal dessert.
Assemble a fruit custard trifle by layering chunks of sponge cake, fruit custard, and fresh fruits in a clear glass bowl. This creates a visually stunning dessert that is perfect for special occasions.
Arrange a colourful platter of fruit custard garnished with a sprinkle of chopped nuts for larger gatherings or dinner parties.
Frequently asked questions
Use your choice of fresh seasonal fruits. Bananas, Apples, Grapes, Mangoes, Berries, Pomegranate arils, Papaya, and Cherries are popular choices.
While whole milk provides a richer flavour, you can use low-fat milk if you prefer a lighter version.
Yes. You can use vanilla custard powder, mango, strawberry or any other flavoured custard powder you prefer.
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Easy Indian Fruit Custard Recipe
Ingredients
- 2 & ¼ cups Milk
- 3 tablespoon Custard Powder
- 5 tablespoon Sugar Adjust to taste
- ¼ teaspoon Cardamom Powder optional
- 2 cups Chopped Fruits apples, mango, banana, grapes, pomegranate
- ¼ cup Chopped Nuts cashews, silvered almonds, pistachio
Instructions
- Prepare the Custard: Mix the custard powder with ¼ cup warm milk to make a smooth paste in a small bowl.
- Boil the Milk: Bring the remaining 2 cups of milk to a gentle boil in a heavy-bottomed pan.
- Add the Custard Mixture: Once the milk is boiling, reduce the heat and slowly add the custard mixture while stirring continuously to avoid lumps.
- Sweeten the Custard: Add sugar and cardamom powder(optional) to the custard and stir well. Switch off.
- Cool the Custard: Allow the custard to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate it for a couple of hours until it is nicely chilled and set.
- Prepare the Fruits: Chop the assorted fruits into bite-sized pieces and keep them ready.
- Assemble the Fruit Custard: Layer some fruits first. Add the smooth custard on top and repeat the steps until you finish the whole custard mixture. Refrigerate again till you are ready to serve.
- Garnish and Serve: Garnish with chopped nuts and more fruits. serve cold.