Custard worth considering

Sara Knowles checks out a simple and traditional alternative to cream for topping holiday season desserts.

While making custard from custard powder is not difficult, the convenience of instant custard can not be over- rated.

There’s no need to stand over the stove stirring until it thickens, or watch that it doesn’t overflow in the microwave. And there are no sticky pots to clean.

I like the guaranteed smooth texture and, if it’s thicker than you want, it can be gently heated and a little milk or brandy added.

So how does nutritionally?

The tastes and textures of the different brands seem pretty similar to me, but I

instant

custard

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up chose Meadow Fresh Original Custard, on special at $ 4 for a 1- litre carton. It is also available in a 600ml carton.

The first ingredients are milk and sugar. These are the same for homemade custard but, for those who need or choose to avoid sugar, it can be left out of a homemade version.

The instant custard contains thickener ( 1442), hydroxypropyl distarch phosphate, to ensure a uniform consistency, and milk solids which improve the mouth feel and boost the protein content.

The fifth ingredient in the instant custard is stabiliser ( 407). This is carrageenan.

There are some who question its safety but, when used as a stabiliser in very small amounts ( as in this product), it is deemed safe.

Next up are flavour and emulsifier the sodium salt, sodium phosphate.

( 339),

The added colours are 102 and 122, tartrazine ( yellow) and azorubine ( red) – for most people and in small amounts, these are safe.

Comparing the nutritional content with homemade custard, there are more kilojoules in the instant version ( 464 per 100ml compared with 380) and more sugar ( 14.5g versus 7g).

The sugar and energy content of the homemade custard can be variable, however, depending on whether you measure the sugar or just sprinkle some into the pot. The instant custard is low in fat at 2.9g/ 100ml, low in salt ( 60mg sodium per 100ml) and a good source of calcium ( 130mg per 100ml).

While there are more ingredients and more additives in the instant custard, when compared with homemade, nutritionally they are fairly similar.

Adding custard to dessert is a much healthier option than lashings of cream.