Natillas are a type of custard that I have veganised with chia seeds. Two options: vanilla and chocolate, both topped with the classic Maria biscuits.

Hola!

Today I bring you my plant-based version of a very typical pudding in Spain: natillas. The reason why I still call it natillas instead of custard is because in Spain we serve it as dessert, rather than a sauce to go with cake, like in the UK. Natillas are traditionally flavoured with vanilla and cinnamon, but I couldn’t resist myself to do a chocolate version. I personally like both. But what I love the most about it is the biscuit on top. Gimme! 

The secret to my recipe is that, they are not as runny as the British version, instead they are slightly gelatinous, so they give us a better mouthfeel experience and they serve their purpose as a dessert instead of a pouring sauce. It only takes 15 minutes to make, because I used common ingredients from my pantry and it’s the simplest to prepare! My recipe is lactose-free, nut-free, egg-free, cholesterol-free and starches-free (if you omit the biscuit). How did I achieve that without cow’s milk, eggs or any kind of starches? Keep reading to find out!

BACKGROUND

Natillas are believed to have been originated in European monasteries, since they align with the austerity culture of the Middle Ages, and they are simple to make and nutritious (for the nutrition knowledge and the resources they had then). Plus, the monks had a sweet tooth, we all know that. Other sources say that they come from the Romans. Well, of course, because everything Mediterranean comes from the Greeks or the Romans!

When I moved to the UK, I used to translate natillas as custard, but now I have realised it’s not really the same. I also used to get confused by all the patisserie terms like crème anglaise, crème pâtissière, custard… What is the difference? Custard is a generic term for all the milk and egg yolk preparations that sometimes are thickened with corn starch, flour or gelatine. The consistency of custard varies depending on the recipe, so we can get a few kinds of custard from thinner to thicker, sweet and also savoury:

• Crème anglaise is sweet light pouring custard, usually served as a side sauce for desserts and traditionally flavoured with vanilla. No flour is used. This is the most similar to natillas, minus the flavouring.
• Natillas is a thick custard Spanish recipe traditionally made only with milk, sugar and eggs, flavoured with vanilla and cinnamon, sometimes lemon, chocolate or coffee. No flour is used. It is served as a dessert.
• Crème pâtissière, or crème pât for friends and family, is a sweet custard thickened with flour that sets when cooled. It is typically used in fruit tarts like my fruit tart recipe, mille feuille, profiteroles or éclairs.
• Savoury custards include the preparation to make quiche or bobotie, a South African savoury dish.

PLANT POWER, MAKE UP!

I didn’t want to use flour to thicken them and agar didn’t quite work. I ended up using ground chia seeds because it gave the best wobble. Chia seeds have become trendy in the last decade for their many health benefits. They are packed with antioxidants and they are rich in omega-3 fatty acids and protein content. They are also a whole food, so they contain fibre and other nutrients. When soaked in liquid, they can absorb 12 times their weight, becoming mucilaginous and giving a gel texture.

I used turmeric discreetly to add the yellow colour, and I was happy to confirm you couldn’t taste it at all. And it’s a plus of antioxidants and all the benefits of adding spices into your diet, especially turmeric.

NATILLAS (VEGAN CUSTARD)

Serves: 2 bowls or 4 small pots

Prep: 5 minutes

Cook: 10 minutes

INGREDIENTS

Vanilla vegan custard

500ml sweetened soy milk

1 cinnamon stick

2 tbsp. maple syrup

1 tsp. vanilla essence

1/2 tsp. turmeric powder

5 tbsp. chia seeds

Maria biscuits or any other thin biscuits to decorate

Cinnamon powder to decorate

Chocolate vegan custard

500ml sweetened soy milk

2 tbsp. maple syrup

3 tbsp. cocoa powder

5 tbsp. chia seeds

Maria biscuits or any other thin biscuits to decorate

Chocolate shavings or grated chocolate to decorate

INSTRUCTIONS

1. Grind the chia seeds into a fine powder using a high-speed blender or a mortar and a pestle. Combine all ingredients except for the decorations into a small sauce pan; vanilla and chocolate custard need to be made separately. Bring to a boil and simmer for 10 minutes. For the vanilla custard version, remove the cinnamon stick at this point.
2. Pour into bowls or pots and top with one or two biscuits. Sprinkle the vanilla custard with cinnamon and the chocolate custard with some dark chocolate shavings or chunks.
3. Keep them in the fridge for at least 2 hours but it is preferable overnight. They must be very cold to serve. 

You can keep them for up to 5 days in the fridge.

Bon profit!