With cornstarch
Silkier and smoother
100% plant-based
Vegan Spanish fried milk
This page may contain errors. Always check important information with a healthcare professional (your doctor, allergist or dietitian) before making the recipe.
No milk, no eggs and no butter: plant milk, cornstarch and a coating of flour and a chickpea-flour paste. The key is choosing the plant milk well, and here we explain what changes with each one.
- Time50 min + 4 h chilling
- DifficultyEasy
- Serves6
Step-by-step method
Infuse the plant milk
Set aside 250 ml (1 cup) of cold plant milk. Heat the rest with the cinnamon, lemon peel and sugar over a medium heat until it starts to boil; turn off the heat, cover and leave to infuse for 15 minutes. Remove the cinnamon and lemon.
Dissolve the cornstarch
Mix the cornstarch, turmeric and salt with the cold plant milk you set aside until there are no lumps.
Thicken the custard
Reheat the infused milk over a medium-low heat, add the cornstarch mixture and stir constantly for 8–10 minutes, until very thick and glossy. Cook for 1–2 minutes more.
Let it set
Pour into a greased dish in a layer about 2 cm (¾ in) thick, press cling film onto the surface and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, ideally overnight.
Make the coating
Whisk the chickpea flour with the cold water into a smooth, lump-free paste that takes the place of beaten egg. Put the plain flour on another plate.
Coat, fry and sweeten
Cut the custard into squares, dip them in the plain flour and then in the chickpea paste. Fry in plenty of oil at 175–180 °C (345–355 °F), 1–2 minutes per side, drain on kitchen paper and roll in cinnamon sugar.
Using oat milk? It is usually sweeter, so reduce the sugar to 100–110 g (about ½ cup). And avoid sweetened or vanilla- or chocolate-flavoured drinks unless you want that flavour.
Which plant milk works best
Cow's milk brings protein, fat and natural sugars that help the custard set firm and taste rich. Plant milks vary a lot in those, and it shows in the result:
| Plant milk | Protein (approx.) | Result in fried milk |
|---|---|---|
| Soya | 3 g | The most used in vegan fried milk recipes: body and a neutral flavour. |
| Oat | 0.5–1 g | Also common: creamy and naturally sweet. Use a little less sugar. |
| Almond | 0.5–1 g | Thinner, with a distinct flavour; the custard may set a little softer. |
| Rice | Under 0.5 g | Very thin and sweet; keep an eye on the thickness. |
| Coconut (drinking) | Under 0.5 g | Obvious coconut flavour; only if you like it. |
For a fried milk that tastes like the classic, the most common choice is unsweetened soya; oat gives a slightly sweeter result. Avoid flavoured drinks and, if you can, choose one fortified with calcium.
How each animal ingredient is replaced
- Milk → plant milk: with about 100 g of cornstarch per litre, as in the dairy version. If your plant milk is very thin, you can add a little more.
- Egg yolks → cornstarch and turmeric: cornstarch sets on its own and a pinch of turmeric gives the golden colour.
- Butter → nothing: the custard does not need it to set.
- Egg in the coating → chickpea flour and water paste: it is the substitute that comes up most often in vegan recipes and seals the custard well. Chickpea flour is also sold as gram flour or besan.
Tips for a perfect result
- Medium-low heat: some plant milks catch on the bottom sooner than cow's milk. Use a heavy-based saucepan and keep stirring.
- Taste before it sets: if it tastes starchy, cook it for a couple of minutes more.
- A smooth chickpea paste: no lumps, with the texture of a light cream; if it is too thick, add water a little at a time.
How to serve it
It is lovely with fresh fruit, apple compote or a dairy-free vanilla ice cream. The set custard keeps for 1–2 days in the fridge, well covered; once fried, it is best eaten the same day. For a lighter version, you can also cook it following the air fryer method.
Frequently asked questions
Does any plant milk work?
Almost all of them will set, but the result varies a lot. Soya or oat give a firm, creamy fried milk; rice or almond alone give a softer, less flavourful one.
Can I make it gluten-free as well?
Yes: use cornstarch labelled gluten-free, dredge in gluten-free rice flour instead of wheat flour (the chickpea flour must also be labelled gluten-free) and fry in clean oil. If you have coeliac disease, check every label.
Is it lighter than the classic version?
Not necessarily: it is still a fried dessert with sugar. Enjoy it as an occasional treat.
Read this recipe in Spanish (en español).
More Spanish fried milk recipes
Same idea, different routes: pick the version that suits your kitchen.
