【Custard Comparison ②】Japanese Mom’s Custard (Vegan Options Available)

In the previous post, I shared a recipe for “Vla (Dutch-style custard)” from my Dutch grandfather (Opa).

Recommended

【Custard Comparison ①】Dutch Grandpa’s Vla (Vegan Option Available)

Today I’m going to make custard from my Japanese mother, and see how it’s different from my Dutch grandfather’s vla.

I guess my mother’s custard is quite similar to general Western custard, but a bit healthier, as she prefers less sugar.

Japanese Mom’s Custard

Ingredients

• 600 ml milk
  • vegan alternative: soy milk (which I used)
• 3 eggs
  • vegan alternative: 60 g extra flour
• 30 g rice/wheat flour
• 50 g sugar
• 15 ml vanilla extract

Instructions

1. In a bowl, mix the eggs and sugar until well combined.
2. Add flour and mix thoroughly until smooth.
3. Add soy milk and vanilla extract, and mix thoroughly.
4. Strain the mixture through a sieve into a saucepan, and place it over medium heat.
5. Make sure to consistently stir and turn it over with a spatula so the custard won’t stick to the bottom of the pan.
6. As soon as it starts to bubble, reduce the heat to low and keep stirring to prevent lumps. Do not let it boil!
7. Once it becomes thick and creamy enough, pour the custard into a large glass container.
8. Let it cool down for a while, then put it in the fridge to fully cool.

Comparison with Dutch Vla

Both turned out to be less silky and creamy than I expected, but here’s the result.

Hahaha! They look like scrambled eggs!

Emika

Yeah, I forgot to strain the mixture through a sieve, which is why it turned out with some lumps.

Shiso

It happens. You learned something!

Appearance and Texture

• Dutch vla had a more yellowish color as it contains only egg yolks, unlike its counterpart with whole eggs.
• Interestingly, grandfather’s vla was not as fluid as Mom’s custard (…perhaps because some lumps remain in both of them, which makes the comparison less accurate.)

Taste

• Both were less sweet than average vla and custard at supermarkets. That said, for those who are used to natural sweetness, I think they are both sweet enough.
• The vla had a slightly richer and denser flavor, while the Japanese custard was lighter and milder.

Summary

Both were likely sweet (but not as sweet as industrial custard or vla), but Dutch grandpa’s vla had denser color and flavour, whereas Japanese Mom’s custard was lighter.

However, I made some errors along the instructions, so I’ll make both of them again for improvement!

Emika

Japanese Flextarian

InstagramContact

A plant-based food lover, born and raised in Japan. Currently based in Tokyo — and sometimes, in the Netherlands. I explore the connection between food, culture, and ordinary life through simple recipes and warm cross-cultural stories. I mainly write in English and Dutch.
日本語のつぶやき 👉 note