Turmeric on 🍽️ Recipes & ⚗️ Analysis by Diego

100% Plant-Based Lemon Custard

Mon, 14 Sep 2026 00:00:00 +0000

100% Plant-Based Lemon Custard

Set the amount of ingredients you want to use with one of the two options below:

you can pick the number of servings with x1, x2, x3 and so on. Servings are indicative, adjust them to your preference.
you can set the amount of Plant milk (soy or oat) you want to use. For example, if you want to use 340 grams, type 340 in the box below.

Quantity

Plant milk (soy or oat) (min g, max g): g

1. Ingredients

Ingredient	Quantity
Plant milk (soy or oat)	500 g
Sugar	100 g
Cornstarch	60 g
Fresh lemon juice	80 g
Ground turmeric (optional)	5 g
Lemon zest (optional)	1 lemon

The ingredients: plant milk, sugar, cornstarch and lemon juice.

2. Method

In a large saucepan, dry-mix the 60 g cornstarch with the 100 g sugar. This coats the starch granules and prevents lumps once the liquid is added.
Slowly pour in the cold 500 g plant milk, whisking by hand until the mixture is perfectly smooth. If using the 5 g turmeric, add it now and whisk until evenly distributed. Optional: if you want to use lemon zest, add it now. I have made this custard with and without zest and notice no particular difference in the final result; personally I skip it, to avoid the nuisance of removing the zest once the custard thickens.

The cream still liquid on the heat. Bubbles are still visible on the surface, a sign that the temperature is still low.

Set the pan over medium heat and whisk constantly, without stopping. For the first few minutes the mixture stays liquid; around 65-75 °C it starts to thicken progressively.
Watch the surface: bubbles and foam form in the early stages. When the bubbles vanish and the custard turns visibly denser and glossy, add the 80 g lemon juice all at once and whisk vigorously to incorporate it.
Keep cooking until the custard is visibly thick and smooth: you can tell because it resists the spatula or spoon you are stirring with. This completes starch gelatinisation and removes the raw-starch taste. Do not cook further, and take the pan off the heat. Keep stirring for 1 minute.
Transfer the custard to a glass or ceramic container. To prevent a skin from forming, you can dust a little sugar over the surface, or cover with a lid suitable for contact with hot food. Cling film, plastic and foil in general are not suitable. If instead you plan to blend the custard before use, you can leave the surface uncovered (cover with a lid not in contact).
Let it cool at room temperature for 15-20 minutes, then refrigerate for at least 2 hours. The custard thickens further as it cools; if it sets too firm, whisk briefly to bring it back to the desired texture. If you are making this custard for a fruit tiramisù, 15-20 minutes is enough, after which you can layer the custard into the tiramisù.

3. Technical Notes

Lemon pastry cream or lemon curd?

These are two preparations with a different thickening mechanism, not simply "more or less starch". Classic lemon curd contains no starch: it thickens with eggs and butter, gently coagulated at around 75-80 °C, and the dominant liquid is lemon juice (with butter and eggs in significant amounts). Lemon pastry cream, by contrast, has milk as the dominant liquid and thickens with starch, typically around 7-8% of the milk's weight, plus yolks that add structure.

Rainbow Cloud Focaccine

Tue, 25 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

Rainbow Cloud Focaccine

Set the amount of ingredients you want to use with one of the two options below:

you can pick the number of servings with x1, x2, x3 and so on. Servings are indicative, adjust them to your preference.
you can set the amount of Plain flour (type 0 or type 1) strong you want to use. For example, if you want to use 340 grams, type 340 in the box below.

Quantity

Plain flour (type 0 or type 1) strong (min g, max g): g

1. Ingredients

Ingredient	%	Quantity
Plain flour (type 0 or type 1) strong	100%	1000 g
Water	78%	780 g
Fine salt	1%	10 g
Extra-virgin olive oil	2%	20 g
Diastatic barley malt	0.5%	5 g
Active dry yeast	0.4%	4 g
(Optional) Dried oregano		to taste

2. Water Roux (Tangzhong)

Ingredient	%	Quantity
Flour from total	7%	70 g
Water from total	35%	350 g

Mix the flour and water in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until it reaches 65 °C: the mixture thickens into a dense, gelatinous custard-like paste. Remove from heat and cool completely to room temperature before use. The tangzhong gelatinises the starch, which retains more water during baking and gives the crumb superior softness and moisture.

Flavoured Bases for Couscous

Fri, 14 Aug 2026 00:00:00 +0000

🌾 Flavoured Bases for Couscous

A complete guide to preparing flavoured bases that turn couscous from a neutral side dish into the star of the plate.

1. The Base Liquid

The liquid chosen to hydrate the couscous plays a major role in the final flavour. Here are the main options.