A slightly different take on traditional vanilla custard sauce with lovely floral rose water aroma. This vegan custard sauce will uplift your desserts, can be made in advance and chilled to save time. Can be made without cornstarch.
With a little variation from the classic vanilla custard sauce, there is so much to love about this simple eggless vegan version. It is rich, creamy and ambrosial – enlivened by the delicate aroma of rose water. A good dollop of this crème anglaise, as it is also known in French, will add a touch of coziness, or glamour even, to your desserts.
We enjoy it over thick slices of cake, something I’ve come to grow fond of while living in the UK where pudding, which denotes dessert in Britain, are almost always savoured with lashings of custard sauce. This sauce is very versatile and is wonderful served on its own or over fresh or frozen fruits topped with a little granola, poured over crepes or pancakes like in these buckwheat crepes with a peach filling.
A few tips
Smooth lump-free sauce: This vegan custard does not call for eggs, nonetheless it still requires constant stirring and low or low-medium heat to avoid lumps. Patience is key to making good custard sauce.
I usually do not end up with lumps, but if you do get a few, simply pour the sauce through a sieve before serving or chilling.
Rose water: You can find food grade rose water at a lot of major grocery stores nowadays. It is usually either in the baking aisle or in the International/Middle Eastern/Indian foods aisle. You can also get it at any Asian/Indian store.
Turmeric: A pinch of turmeric is just enough to add a golden hue to the sauce. You won’t taste it at all although do not add too much as the colour will intensify with the heat.
Flavour variations
Traditional vanilla – Rose water adds a lovely floral aroma to this custard but you can certainly keep it more on the traditional side by substituting with vanilla bean or vanilla extract.
Velvety chocolate – Omit the turmeric and rose water. Stir one to two tablespoons of cocoa powder in the cornstarch and milk mixture before pouring into the saucepan with the rest of the milk. You may want to check this other low fat chocolate crème pudding that we have on the blog.
Sugar – Maple syrup adds an additional layer of flavour but you can substitute with sugar or other sweetener according to your preference.
Zingy Lemon – Omit the rose water. Some lemon zest and a little lemon juice will add a tart zinginess to this sauce; somewhat like a lemon curd. You may want to use coconut milk instead of soy or almond milk in this case as coconut milk will not curdle with the acidity of the lemon.
You might also like these vegan custard recipes:
Peach Cake with Custard Sauce
Vegan Pear Custard Pie
Buckwheat Crepes with Peaches and Custard Sauce
Cooking Equipment
Saucepan
Cooking/stirring spoons
Measuring jugs
Measuring spoons and cups
Silicon whisk (handy for stirring to avoid lumps)
Creamer pitcher (for serving custard sauce)
As usual, here is the video with the easy step-by-step process.
Vegan Custard Sauce with Rose Water
Printable version below
2 cups [500 ml] non-dairy milk (soy milk, almond or coconut milk are good)
2 tablespoons cornstarch (more for thicker sauce, substitute with arrowroot powder)
2– 3tablespoons maple syrup (or other sweetener to taste)
1/8 teaspoon turmeric powder (or vegan yellow food colouring)
1 teaspoon rose water (or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract / 1 vanilla bean)
In a small jug, add the cornstarch. Pour a little of the milk (about 150 ml). Add the turmeric. Sir and mix well. Keep aside.
In a saucepan, pour the rest of the milk. Add the maple syrup. Add the cornstarch and milk mixture. Stir and mix.
Turn the heat on low-medium. Continuously stir to avoid the cornstarch from making lumps.
As the mixture heats up, it will start to thicken. Stir more constantly at this stage.
Add the rose water and continue to heat for a few more minutes.
Keep stirring until you reach a rich smooth sauce.
If you wish to have a thicker sauce, dilute a little more cornstarch in some cold water first, then add it into the saucepan while stirring constantly.
Do not allow this mixture to boil.
Remove from heat and pour into a pitcher.
Serve warm or chilled. Keep refrigerated for up to 2-3 days.
Note: You most probably will not need to strain this mixture if you’ve stirred it constantly and kept the heat to a low-medium. But if you do get a few lumps, simply pour the sauce through a sieve before serving or chilling.
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Yield: 2 cups / 500 ml
Vegan Custard Sauce {with Rose Water or Vanilla}
A slightly different take on traditional vanilla custard sauce with lovely floral rose water aroma. This vegan custard sauce will uplift your desserts, can be made in advance and chilled to save time.
Prep Time2 minutes
Cook Time10 minutes
Total Time12 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 cups non-dairy milk, [500 ml] soy milk, almond or coconut milk are good
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch, more for thicker sauce, substitute with arrowroot powder
- 2 – 3 tablespoons maple syrup, or other sweetener to taste
- 1/8 teaspoon turmeric powder, or vegan yellow food colouring
- 1 teaspoon rose water, or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract / 1 vanilla bean
Instructions
- In a small jug, add the cornstarch. Pour a little of the milk (about 150 ml). Add the turmeric. Sir and mix well. Keep aside.
- In a saucepan, pour the rest of the milk. Add the maple syrup. Add the cornstarch and milk mixture. Stir and mix.
- Turn the heat on low-medium. Continuously stir to avoid the cornstarch from making lumps.
- As the mixture heats up, it will start to thicken. Stir more constantly at this stage.
- Add the rose water and continue to heat for a few more minutes.
- Keep stirring until you reach a rich smooth sauce.
- If you wish to have a thicker sauce, dilute a little more cornstarch in some cold water first, then add it into the saucepan while stirring constantly.
- Do not allow this mixture to boil.
- Remove from heat and pour into a pitcher.
- Serve warm or chilled. Keep refrigerated for up to 2-3 days.
Notes
To make this custard sauce without cornstarch, simply substitute with arrowroot powder.
You most probably will not need to strain this mixture if you’ve stirred it constantly and kept the heat to a low-medium. But if you do get a few lumps, simply pour the sauce through a sieve before serving or chilling.
Link to original recipe - Eggless Dairy-free Custard Sauce with Rose Water -https://veganlovlie.com/custard-sauce-vegan-eggless/
Nutrition Information:
Yield:
6Serving Size:
1/3 cup [80 ml]
Amount Per Serving:Calories: 64Total Fat: 1.22gCholesterol: 0mgCarbohydrates: 11gFiber: 0.2gSugar: 7gProtein: 2.16g
Nutrition information is an approximation, calculated by inserting all the ingredients in a recipe analyzer.
