Silky smooth dairy free banana custard will become your new go-to for browning, past-their prime bananas!
Made with coconut milk, this custard is dairy free, gluten free, paleo, and low carb. It's an elegant, simple treat!
How to make dairy free stovetop custard
Honestly, making dairy free custard is pretty much the same as making regular custard! You'll just use full-fat coconut milk instead of whole milk or cream.
To make custard, heat the coconut milk in a saucepan or pot over medium-high heat. In a separate heat-safe bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sweetener.
Just before the coconut milk starts to boil, reduce heat to a simmer. Gradually add about half of the coconut milk to the egg yolks while whisking constantly. This is called tempering the eggs.
Tempering the eggs is an important step! If you add the hot milk too quickly, the yolks will start to cook and harden, leaving you with chunks in your custard. So make sure to gradually add the milk while whisking constantly.
Then, add the tempered eggs back into the milk, keeping it over low heat. Cook for about 15 minutes, stirring frequently, until the mixture begins to thicken. It should coat the back of a spoon. Divide the custard into cups or ramekins and cool slightly before putting in the fridge. In a few hours, you've got custard!
How to keep banana custard from browning in the fridge
The secret to prevent banana custard from browning: lemon juice!
Simple adding a couple tablespoons of lemon juice with the vanilla extract at the end will help to counteract any additional browning when you refrigerate this custard.
That said, this dairy free banana custard will NOT be the daisy-yellow hue that many storebought banana puddings/custards/pies have. Why? We're making this with REAL bananas, not a powder or flavoring.
Plus, for even more flavor, you'll saute the bananas at the beginning to encourage a little caramelization.
What to do with leftover egg whites
As you'll see, this recipe uses all egg yolks. So what do you do with the egg whites?
Not to worry; I've got your back! Here are a few ideas for you:
- Save them for an omelette the next morning
- Make a frittata or breakfast casserole
- Use them for macaroons!
More ways to use up brown bananas
Did you make your own banana custard? I want to hear about it! Either comment below or tag me on Instagram!
Print📖 Recipe
Dairy Free Banana Custard
- Prep Time: 20 minutes
- Cook Time: 35 minutes
- Total Time: 55 minutes
- Yield: 6 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Stovetop
- Cuisine: American
- Diet: Gluten Free
Description
Made with coconut milk, this dairy free banana custard is about to be your favorite way to use up bananas! You can make this a smooth or chunky custard — up to you!
Ingredients
- 5 egg yolks
- ¼ cup raw honey
- 1 tablespoon ghee or coconut oil
- 3 bananas (plus 2 more if you prefer a “chunky” banana custard)
- 1 can coconut milk
- 1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½ teaspoon sea salt
- 1 tablespoon lemon juice
- 1 tablespoon vanilla extract
Instructions
- In a medium heat-safe bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and honey. Set aside.
- Heat ghee in a pot over medium-high heat. Peel 3 bananas and add them to the pot, sauteing in ghee for 4-5 minutes. Add coconut milk, cinnamon, and sea salt to the pot. Bring just to a boil, then reduce heat to low to keep at a simmer. Using an immersion blender, blend the bananas with the coconut milk until smooth.
- Gradually pour about 1 cup of the coconut milk mixture into the egg yolk mixture while whisking continuously to temper the eggs. Be careful here — you want to pour in slowly so the egg yolks don’t cook! Once the mixture is smooth, pour back into the double boiler.
- Continue to cook over low heat, whisking frequently, for about 20 minutes. You’ll know the custard is ready when the mixture has thickened significantly. Remove from heat. Stir in the lemon juice and vanilla extract.
- Peel the remaining two bananas, if using, and cut into small pieces. Stir into the custard. If you’d prefer a smooth custard, skip this step!
- Pour the custard into cups, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.
Notes
Typically, you'd test if custard has thickened enough by seeing if it coats the back of a spoon. Because of the blended bananas, the custard will likely coat the back of a spoon right away. But it's not done yet! So keep cooking for at least 20 minutes and instead watch how quickly the custard drips from the spoon.
Keywords: gluten free, dairy free, banana custard, custard
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