Custard powder is a light yellow or light orange-yellow food spice powder known for its strong milky and fruity aroma. It is made from a blend of bulking agents, stabilizers, food flavors, colorants, milk powder, starch, and fillers. Originally used in Western pastries and puddings, custard powder was introduced into Chinese cuisine by Hong Kong chefs and is now widely used in both hot and cold desserts.
What Is Custard Powder?
Custard powder melts easily and enhances the softness, aroma, and smoothness of foods. It is commonly added to:
- Cakes
- Egg rolls
- Fillings
- Bread
- Egg tarts
- Puddings
- Other baked and fried pastries
Its main role is to provide aroma, color, crispness, and thickening.
Types of Custard Powder
1. Milk-Flavored Custard Powder
Rich milky aroma; suitable for dessert fillings and cakes.
2. Regular Custard Powder
Used in baking, desserts, and general pastry applications.
3. Instant Custard Powder
A popular version that dissolves directly in cold water.
Ideal for surface decoration, pastry fillings, and ready-to-eat applications.
Traditional Custard Powder
Needs heating to 60–70°C to gelatinize after adding water, then cooling before use—more time-consuming.
How to Make Custard (Production Formula)
Ingredients:
- 21 g custard powder
- 250 g fresh milk
- 16 g sugar
Steps:
- Mix 6 tbsp of milk with the custard powder until smooth.
- Heat the remaining milk with sugar until boiling.
- Pour the custard mixture into the boiling milk.
- Turn off the heat and stir rapidly until thick and uniform.
The finished custard can be used as a filling or topping in pastries.
Who Can Consume Custard Powder?
Suitable for most people, but those with qi deficiency, yang deficiency, or yin deficiency constitutions should reduce intake.
Storage Method
High-quality custard powder should be fine, uniform, dry, and odor-free.
Store in a cool, sealed, moisture-proof environment to prevent mold and contamination.
Main Functions of Custard Powder
Custard powder serves four key roles in cooking and baking:
1. Aroma Enhancement
Provides a strong milky and fruity fragrance.
2. Color Improvement
Creates a bright yellow appearance in doughs and batters.
3. Crispness & Shape Retention
Improves the crispness of fried foods, prevents collapse, and helps maintain shape.
4. Thickening & Smooth Texture
Enhances stickiness, smoothness, and transparency when used for sauce thickening.
How to Use Custard Powder in Cooking
Custard powder is widely used to make:
- Custard sauce and custard filling
- Cheesecakes
- Cakes, egg rolls, bread, biscuits
- Fruit tarts, puddings, and tarts
Important Application Tips
To avoid affecting flavor, correct dosage is essential.
1. Deep-Fried Dishes
Large amounts improve color and crispness but may mask the original flavor of ingredients.
For flavor-sensitive dishes, use neutral leavening agents + coloring instead.
2. Seafood Sizing
Adding custard powder to fish, shrimp, or crab sizing will cover seafood’s natural aroma, resulting in less authentic flavor.
3. Sweet and Sour Dishes
Best used for dishes flavored with lemon juice, fruit juice, or Hong Kong-style sweet and sour sauce.
For ribs, around 15 g is appropriate.
4. Thickening Sauces
Use 2–5 g per 500 g of ingredients.
Mix with water and starch for best results.
5. Crispy Batter
Add 15% custard powder to batter to enhance color, crispness, and aroma.
Summary
Custard powder is a versatile food flavoring and functional ingredient widely used in baking, pastries, and Chinese-Western fusion dishes. With its ability to enhance aroma, color, texture, and consistency, it has become an essential ingredient in modern kitchens. Correct usage ensures maximum benefits without compromising original ingredient flavors.
What are the primary ingredients in custard powder, and how does it differ from traditional custard?
Traditional custard is made from a base of egg yolks and milk or cream, which requires careful heating to prevent curdling. In contrast, custard powder is a shelf-stable alternative typically composed of:
Colorants: Natural or food-grade yellow dyes are added to mimic the rich, golden hue of egg yolks. Because it is starch-based rather than egg-based, custard powder is easier to prepare, has a longer shelf life, and is suitable for those with egg allergies or vegan diets ( when mixed with plant-based milks).
Cornstarch or Tapioca Starch: These act as the thickening agents that give the custard its smooth, viscous texture.
Flavorings: Usually vanilla or fruit essences to provide the characteristic aroma.
How is custard powder used beyond making simple dessert sauces?
While most commonly used to create a pourable dessert sauce, custard powder is a versatile ingredient in professional and home baking:
Color and Aroma: It is often used in cake batters and puddings to provide a consistent golden color and a concentrated vanilla scent that remains stable during high-heat baking.
Thickening Agent: It is frequently used to create firm fillings for fruit tarts, cream puffs, and “Custard Buns” (Nai Wong Bao) because it holds its shape better than liquid extracts.
Texture Enhancer: When added to cookie or biscuit dough, the cornstarch in the powder creates a “short,” melt-in-the-mouth texture and adds a subtle creamy flavor.
