Anyone ever try making a custard without the whole milk or heavy cream, instead using fat free or 1%? It seems like a simple flan or custard made with splenda instead of sugar would be a nice desert if it would hold up with the fat free milk. Perhaps if you added an extra egg it would allow it to thicken up, the recipe below is not changed at all so if you try it I would probably suggest adding the extra egg.

Anyway heres a basic recipe for custard,

You will need 4 ramekins

1/4 cup Splenda
3 eggs (suggested: 4 eggs)
1 cup heavy cream (suggested: change to fat free milk)
3/4 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, cream, vanilla and splenda together, until the splenda dissolves. Pour the egg/cream mixture into each ramekin. Fill the baking pan with enough water to reach three quarters of the way up the sides of the cups. Bake the custards for 1 hour, or until the custards are set. Remove the custards from the oven and cool. Refrigerate the custards for at least 4 hours. Loosen the custards and invert onto a small plate. Garnish with sugar free cool whip if desired.

I'm going to try this soon because custard would be a nice treat to have, let me know if you try it and it works.

~Angela

I've found a great recipe, that's very simple and low cal:

1/2 cup soymilk
1/2 teaspoon cornstarch
2 tablespoons splenda
1/4 teaspoon of vanilla
1 teaspoon brown sugar

Mix cornstarch and splenda in saucepan, add milk and heat to boiling, constantly stirring. Add vanilla. This thickens up very nicely. Just pour over some berries, top with brown sugar and stick it under the broiler for a few minutes.

It's wonderfully easy. I've never tried it with regular fat free milk, but i'm sure it would be fine.

That would probably need to be phase 2 since we normally avoid cornstarch in phase 1. Also you will need to use a brown sugar substitute. There is a recipe posted for how to make it from Splenda and SF maple syrup or Sugar Twin makes a brown sugar. And of course the berries would make it phase 2 as well.

I've never had a problem with low fat custards and puddings, at least if I serve them the day that I make them (the lower fat custards and puddings do seem to "weep" more if left in the fridge very long. They're still good the next day, they're just a little watery on top - you can drain it off or stir it back in before eating).