Hi, friends! Lactose-free skim milk gives this egg custard a familiar dairy flavor. It remains a milk-based dessert, which matters when cooking for someone with a milk allergy. The optional fructose caramel contains sugar; the focus of this variation is lactose, not a sugar-free result.
- Prep
- 15 minutes
- Cook or chill
- about 50 minutes, plus at least 6 hours chilling
- Yield
- 8 slices
Ingredients
The original recipe uses a 240 ml cup and 15 ml tablespoon. U.S. cup volumes and oven settings are rounded; use listed grams and milliliters for accuracy. Sweetener conversions come from the specific product’s label.
Custard
- 4 eggs
- 500 ml lactose-free skim milk (about 2 cups plus 1 tablespoon and 1 teaspoon)
- ½ cup baking sweetener labeled to measure 1:1 like sugar, adjusted according to its label
Optional caramel from the reference
- ½ cup fructose
- ¼ cup water (60 ml)
How to make it
- If using caramel, gently heat the fructose in a small pan while watching its color. Add the water gradually, guarding against steam and splashes. Coat a suitable flan mold carefully.
- Gently mix eggs, lactose-free milk, and the label-converted sweetener until even. Do not use ½ cup of a concentrated sweetener.
- Pour into the mold and cover with foil. Put the mold in a larger roasting pan and add hot water to the outer pan for a water bath.
- The source does not specify an oven temperature. Preheated 350°F (180°C) is an editorial starting point; bake for about 50 minutes, adjusting to your pan and oven.
- Check for firm edges, a gentle center wobble without liquid egg, and 160°F in the custard. Remove the mold from the hot bath with oven mitts.
- Cool briefly, refrigerate promptly, and chill for at least 6 hours. Loosen the edges and invert cold onto a rimmed plate.
Small details that help
Lactose-free milk still contains milk proteins. This is not a dairy-free or milk-allergy-safe recipe. Fructose is sugar, and a heat-stable sweetener is not necessarily able to caramelize. Verify each product’s suitability instead of exchanging arbitrary sweeteners in the caramel.
Serving and storing
Refrigerate covered at 40°F or below and use within 3–4 days. Refrigerate perishable food within 2 hours, or 1 hour above 90°F. Divide hot food into shallow containers for prompt cooling rather than waiting for it to become fully cold on the counter. Reheat savory leftovers to 165°F. USDA storage and reheating guidance.
Frequently asked questions
Can I use a plant-based drink?
The reference mentions that possibility, but flavor, fat, and setting change. It is a separate adaptation, not an equivalent dairy result.
Is the optional caramel sugar-free?
No. It uses fructose, a sugar.
Does baking remove milk allergens?
Do not treat cooking or lactose removal as making milk suitable for someone avoiding milk proteins.
More recipes to try
- Skim Milk Mini Custards
- Vanilla Whey and Yogurt Custards
- Air Fryer Vanilla Whey Custards with Caramel
Explore the three custard variations and two bonus recipes.
The original preparation references this recipe video in Portuguese. The English instructions identify editorial starting settings where the source does not specify them.