This recipe of fruit custard is easy to make and a very impressive dessert. Add whatever fruits you fancy to this homemade vegetarian custard and there you have the best summer dessert. Read on this fruit custard recipe with more tips, variations and alternate for custard powder!

Fruit custard recipe is an easy veg dessert recipe that is hugely popular in India. This fruit salad in custard recipe is one of the easy yet fancy dessert that is served n most parties. A bowl of chilled fruit custard will brighten up any get together and it so easy to whip up too. Here is how to make fruit custard step by step at home, a perfect make ahead dessert for you all!

Fruit custard is one of the popular Indian veg dessert recipe just like gajar halwa, besan ladoo, kaju katli, badam halwa etc. We used to have all these desserts to our heart’s content during our childhood and they were always homemade 🙂

I mean who can resist a chilled bowl of deliciousness that is so creamy and flavorful that too with fresh fruits 🙂 Throw in some chopped nuts and you would have made a totally blissful dessert in no time

This is basically a fruit salad served with sweetened custard sauce. We used to gorge bowls and bowls of this delicious fruit custard during summer in our childhood. Making this fruit salad with custard is really easy especially with that pack of custard powder.

This colorful and delicious fruit salad with custard sauce is an excellent way to sneak some fruits in toddlers and kids diet. You can add all the colorful fruits and to make this dessert more elegant and attractive.

Serve in pretty bowls, thoroughly chilled and it will be a perfect dessert after a grand Indian meal 🙂

What Is Fruit Custard?

Fruit custard is a easy and yummy dessert popular in India. It is mostly served in weddings and parties as it very easy to make in large volume.

Custard is basically a sweet sauce traditionally made with eggs, sugar and milk. However vegetarians can easily make custard with corn flour instead of eggs. Another easier option is to use custard powder easily available in stores as I have done here. Actually custard powder is just corn flour with flavorings.

Fruit custard is a delicious fruit salad served in the said custard sauce. You can also add nuts and dried fruits to this fruit custard. This fruit salad with custard is very popular and delicious just like fruit salad with ice cream.

How To Make Homemade Custard for fruit salad?

Custard is basically a sweet sauce prepared with milk. Traditional custard uses egg yolk for thickening.

Vegetarians can use corn flour to make custard sauce at home while the easiest method is to grab a pack of custard powder in your favorite from the stores.

To make custard for fruit salad I have used vanilla flavored custard powder. Mix about two tablespoons of custard powder in 1/4 cup boiled and cooled milk.

Mix well and make a slurry without lumps. Now add 1/2 cup sugar to 2 cups milk and mix well.

Add the custard slurry and simmer in medium flame for 10-12 minutes. The custard sauce should thicken and coat the back of the ladle as thin film.

Once prepared let the custard sauce chill for 3-4 hours. Just while serving add the cut fruits and mix well.

How To Make Custard without Custard Powder?

You can easily make fruit custard powder without store bought custard powder. when custard powder is not available you can use corn flour and vanilla extract to make fruit custard.

Just use corn flour in place of custard powder and add 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract to make custard sauce. Instead of vanilla you can even use almond extract.

What Fruits Go Well With Fruit Custard?

Basically you can add all sweet fruits. Preferably do not mix citrus fruits with fruits like banana and mango.

Here I have used fruits like apple, banana, sapota and pomegranate seeds for topping. I also like to add some nuts for crunch.

Just keep the cut fruits ready and add to the custard sauce just before serving.

Any Substitutes For Corn Flour Or Custard Powder?

While making custard for babies or toddlers you may want to avoid both custard powder and corn flour. I have made custard sauce with rice flour and arrowroot flour. One more option is to use roasted and powdered sago. You can also use the sathu mavu to make custard sauce for babies. The taste wills surely differ but very healthy for babies. Also if you want make fruit custard for fasting or vrat you can use arrowroot flour for thickening.

How To Make This Recipe Vegan?

Vegans can use almond milk to make fruit custard recipe.

Take 2 cups of almond milk first of all.

Add 2 tablespoons custard powder to 1/4 cup almond milk and mix well.

Gently warm the remaining milk for 2-3 minutes. Add sugar and mix very well.

Add custard slurry and simmer in lowest heat till the sauce thickens.

Chill and add the fruits before serving.

Please note that almond milk should not be boiled like dairy milk. Gentle heating is enough.

Fruit Custard Recipe Variations

With Jelly

You can make homemade jelly or use store bought jelly cubes and add it to this dessert while serving. You can even make layers of fruit custard and jelly just like falooda.

With Dry Fruits

For few people adding milk with fruits may not go well. If you want to make custard without fruits or avoid fruits, you can use dry fruit instead. Mix finely chopped dates, almonds, figs and cashews with the cooled custard and serve chilled.

Mango Custard

Add fresh mango puree to make delight mango custard. See here for detailed recipe of mango custard.

Chocolate Custard

Add 1 tablespoon cocoa powder while making the custard sauce. You can also use chocolate flavored custard powder.

Without Sugar

You can easily leave out sugar in this recipe if using really sweet fruits. You can also replace sugar with honey. Add honey only after the custard cools down completely

Some Tips For Best Fruit Custard Salad:

You can make the custard sauce well ahead. Add cut fruits just before serving else they will turn soggy.

Add fruits to the custard only after it cools down.

Instead of sugar you can add jaggery powder or honey. Add honey only after the cooking and cooling the custard a bit.

The custard sauce will thicken on cooling, so do not make it very thick initially.

To make fruit custard more special I have added few drops of rooh afza after making the custard. You can also add rose syrup or pistachio extract.

Instead of using mixed fruits you van use just one fruit and make this recipe. Check mango custard recipe.

Serving Suggestions

Serve fruit salad with custard chilled as dessert. The recipe can be halved, doubled and tripled.

Any leftovers can be refrigerated for 2-3 days. I would suggest to store the sauce and fruits separately though.

More Fruit Dessert Recipes:

How To Make Fruit Custard Step By Step



1. Combine custard powder with cold milk and mix well without any lumps.

2. Add this custard slurry to the remaining milk along with suagr. Cook in low flame till the custard thickens and coats the back of the spoon as thin film.

3. Refrigerate for two or three hours.

4. To serve the custard take a glass and add one layer of chilled custard,add fresh fruits and then again custard. Finally top with chopped nuts and serve immediately.

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Fruit Custard Recipe: