GT Makhana Custard

GT Makhana Custard:

A creamy, comforting Indian-style custard made from scratch, topped with crunchy roasted makhana (fox nuts) for added texture and protein — a lighter twist on classic vanilla custard.

4 servings

Ingredients

• 3 cups full-fat milk, divided
• 3 tablespoons custard powder (vanilla flavor)
• 0.3 cups sugar (adjust to taste)
• 0.1 teaspoons pinch of salt
• 1 cups makhana (fox nuts)
• 1 teaspoons ghee, for roasting makhana
• 2 cups mixed fruits (banana, apple, pomegranate), chopped, for topping (optional)
• 1 tablespoons chopped almonds or pistachios, for garnish (optional)
• 0.3 teaspoons cardamom powder (optional)

Steps

1. Roast and crush the makhana: Heat 1 teaspoons ghee, for roasting makhana ghee in a pan on low-medium heat. Add 1 cups makhana (fox nuts) makhana and roast, stirring constantly, for 6–8 minutes 08:00 until crisp and hollow-sounding when tapped. Turn off heat and let cool completely on a plate, then coarsely crush about half of it with your hands, leaving the rest whole.
2. Make a smooth custard powder slurry with cold milk: Take about half a cup of the 3 cups full-fat milk, divided milk from your total measured amount and set it aside in a small bowl. Add 3 tablespoons custard powder (vanilla flavor) custard powder to this cold milk and whisk well with a spoon until completely smooth with no lumps. Set this mixture aside — this is your custard slurry.
3. Heat the remaining milk with sugar: Pour the remaining 3 cups full-fat milk, divided milk into a heavy-bottomed saucepan. Add 0.3 cups sugar (adjust to taste) sugar and 0.1 teaspoons pinch of salt pinch of salt. Heat on medium flame, stirring occasionally, until the milk comes to a gentle boil and the sugar fully dissolves.
4. Add the slurry to the hot milk while stirring constantly: Lower the heat to low. Give your custard powder slurry a quick re-stir (it settles while sitting), then slowly pour it into the hot milk while stirring continuously and briskly with a whisk or spoon. Keep stirring without stopping.
5. Cook until thickened: Continue cooking on low heat, stirring constantly, for 3–5 minutes 05:00 until the custard visibly thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Turn off the heat immediately once it reaches this stage — it will thicken further as it cools.
6. Cool and chill the custard: Stir in 0.3 teaspoons cardamom powder (optional) cardamom powder if using. Pour the custard into a bowl and let it cool at room temperature for about 60 minutes 60:00, then refrigerate for at least 1 hour, or until fully chilled, for the best texture.
7. Add fruit, top with makhana, and serve: Just before serving, stir in the 2 cups mixed fruits (banana, apple, pomegranate), chopped, for topping (optional) chopped fruits if using. Divide the custard into serving bowls, then top each with the roasted makhana (both crushed and whole pieces) and a sprinkle of 1 tablespoons chopped almonds or pistachios, for garnish (optional) chopped almonds or pistachios. Serve immediately while the makhana is still crunchy.

Notes

Tips for beginners:

1. Always mix custard powder with cold milk first, never add it directly to hot milk — this is the single biggest reason custard turns lumpy.
2. Keep stirring constantly once the custard powder mix goes into the hot milk; stopping even for a few seconds can let it stick and burn at the bottom.
3. Add roasted makhana only right before serving, not while the custard is still hot — this keeps it crunchy instead of letting it turn soft and soggy.
4. Custard thickens further as it cools, so it's normal for it to look slightly thin while still warm on the stove.

Here's your GT Makhana Custard recipe.