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My computer is still on the blink. Please excuse the pictures.
This easy, healthy custard is a great basic recipe that could be used in a pie, a trifle, or my upcoming Boston Crème Mini Muffin recipe… I bet you could even use this as a strawberry dip, or make it into a rich, creamy ice cream. Or you could always just eat it plain, like a pudding. I have it pictured here layered with some chocolate cake (you could use this 5 ingredient recipe) and fresh strawberries.
This stuff is definitely good enough to eat plain. After several hours’ refrigeration, it is thick, rich, and creamy…perfectly spoonable and that velvety smooth Jello pudding consistency that I’m so fond of (although it sets up thick enough to use in a pie).
I wrote the recipe as I like it, but I did give some suggestions for substitutions and tweaks you could make if you like. I’m a big fan of using cottage cheese to add creaminess (check out these other cottage cheese uses) without a fat/calorie overload (even though I don’t have a problem with that once in awhile), but I understand that some people may raise eyebrows at cottage cheese, so I’m sure you could substitute more cream if you’d like. The pudding mixture may taste a little watery while still warm, but once it’s refrigerated overnight it gains a wonderful smooth creaminess.
Need more ways to use egg yolks? Check out my eye yolk uses page right here! You can check out this page for other cool recipe categories, like S’mores Recipes, Peanut Butter Recipes, Egg White Uses, etc., etc. You’re welcome. You can also find diet classifications on that page, like THM:FP, Gluten free, etc.
Stay tuned for my Boston Crème Mini Muffin recipe later this week!
Question of the day: do you often have egg yolks that need to be used up? What’s your favorite thing to make with them?
You can pin this post from my Desserts board here.
You can find a great vanilla pudding/pie filling recipe in my cookbook, Necessary Food.
- 2 egg yolks
- ⅓ cup + 2 T heavy whipping cream
- ⅔ cup unsweetened almond milk (use carton coconut milk instead for a nut free option)
- ¼ cup cottage cheese (you could possibly sub more cream for this if you like)
- ⅔ cup water (or you could use more unsweetened almond milk with a little extra cream for a richer custard)
- 1 tsp. plain gelatin (such as Knox brand-add an extra ¼ tsp. if using Great Lakes brand or THM Just Gelatin)
- ½ tsp. glucomannan
- ¼ tsp. salt
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- 3 doonks THM Pure Stevia Extract Powder (a doonk is 1/32 tsp.)
- 3 packets of Truvia (about 2¼ tsp. spoonable Truvia, or you could try half that much THM Super Sweet Blend)
- 1 T salted butter
- Blend the first eight ingredients together (egg yolks through salt) until completely smooth. Simmer this in a nonstick kettle over medium heat until thickened. I usually do it for about 8 minutes after the mixture comes to a boil, whisking often, especially toward the end, to prevent lumps.
- Remove the kettle from the heat and whisk in the vanilla, sweeteners, and butter.
- Let the custard cool, then cover with plastic wrap (pressing the wrap into contact with the top of the custard to prevent a "skin" from forming) and refrigerate until firm for several hours or overnight. The warm pudding mixture may taste a little watery, but overnight refrigeration gives a smooth creaminess to this custard. Yields a little over 2 cups.
The recipe is written how I made and liked it, but I gave some suggestions in parentheses for how you could change it up if you'd like.
Suggested products:
- Unflavored gelatin
- Glucomannan
- Truvia
- THM Pure Stevia Extract Powder and Super Sweet Blend can be purchased from the Trim Healthy Mama online store.
Beth Eckert says
September 7, 2016 at 1:05 PMHi
What is a suggested serving size?
Thank you
Briana Thomas says
September 7, 2016 at 1:21 PMThere isn’t really one. 🙂 Maybe 1/3 of the batch? It all depends on what else you’re eating with it.
Morgan says
May 3, 2016 at 6:16 PMIs glucomannan necessary for the recipe?
Briana Thomas says
May 3, 2016 at 6:37 PMYes, it serves as a thickener. Xanthan gum could probably be substituted.
Patti says
February 25, 2016 at 10:59 AMSorry forgot to say thanks. ?
Patti says
February 25, 2016 at 10:57 AMWhat’s 1/32 tsp and when you say you can use more heave cream instead of the cottage and other products. You don’t say how much or how to change it up. This is confusing for sure
Briana Thomas says
February 25, 2016 at 12:36 PM1/32 tsp. is a customary measurement of the United States and I’m really not sure how to describe it otherwise. In this recipe you would use 3/32 tsp. of THM Pure Stevia Extract Powder. That would be 1/16 tsp. + 1/32 tsp. Since 4/32=1/8, 3/32 would be a scant 1/8 tsp.
If you do not wish to use cottage cheese, try the vanilla pudding recipe from my peanut butter cream pie: http://www.briana-thomas.com/brianas-peanut-butter-cream-pie-s/
Briana Thomas says
February 25, 2016 at 8:31 PMMost pure stevia extract powders come with little teensy scoops that are 1/32 tsp. Since pure stevia extract powder is so concentrated, not much at all is needed. Feel free to just use your favorite low glycemic sweetener to taste if you don’t have the sweeteners I have called for. 🙂
LisaBeeUK says
May 25, 2015 at 9:04 AMis there a substitution possible for the 1/2 tsp of glucomannan?
Briana Thomas says
May 25, 2015 at 1:27 PMXanthan gum would probably work.
Esther says
May 21, 2015 at 12:27 PMThis recipe gets two thumbs up from me. So read this recipe yesterday and got off the couch and made it. Of course like all new recipes I try, I have to try my own tweaks to it. This is hands down the best “pudding” I have had on thm yet. I was surprised how “stiff” it set up. I ate it with fresh strawberries last night. I have another helping. Then I need to make more.
Briana Thomas says
May 21, 2015 at 5:48 PMAwesome! I’m so glad you liked it.
Bonnie says
May 20, 2015 at 4:39 PM3 doonks THM Pure Stevia Extract Power
What is doonks THM? And do you mean powder?
Briana Thomas says
May 20, 2015 at 4:46 PMYes, I meant THM Pure Stevia Extract Powder. That’s the brand of stevia I use (it tastes much better than any other brand I’ve ever had and doesn’t have the nasty aftertaste of a lot of stevia powders. I have a link below the recipe to the Trim Healthy Mama online store where you can purchase this sweetener.). A “doonk” is 1/32 tsp. A lot of stevia powders, this one included come with a little spoon this size for measurement.
Cheryl Smith says
May 20, 2015 at 12:21 PMThis looks wonderful! And the pictures look fine…great, actually! I can’t wait to try this one!
Briana Thomas says
May 20, 2015 at 4:40 PMThanks, Cheryl!
Rene Whitaker says
May 20, 2015 at 10:47 AMI notice that you use imitation vanilla in your recipes, is real vanilla off plan?
Briana Thomas says
May 20, 2015 at 4:42 PMI only use imitation vanilla because my mom buys the groceries and that’s what she gets. Real vanilla is just fine; just use less because it’s stronger. 🙂