Main Difference

Custard and Ice Cream both are a form of sweet food served as desert. Custard and ice cream are totally different from each other but still as custard in its frozen form often mixed up with the ice cream. Ice cream is the frozen dessert which is made up of milk and cream. Sometimes fruit chunks along with different flavors are also mixed for taste. The basic difference between custard and ice cream is that custard is a cooked and it is a mixture of milk, cream, and egg yolk, whereas ice cream is not cooked and it does not contain any egg or egg yolk in it.

Comparison Chart

What is Custard?

Custard is a form of sweet food that is initially cooked and then cool down for serving as dessert. Custards are often served as a frozen dessert too due to which they are confused with the Ice Creams. Custards are prepared by milk, cream, and egg yolk. Egg yolk is the master ingredient of the custard that distinguishes it from ice cream and another form of desserts. Custard usually has more protein ratio but low calories as compare to ice cream because of the addition of egg yolk. Custard is prepared by cooking the milk and cream after addition of egg yolk in it. Some custard available in the market does have starch and maize mixture in them also. After cooking the custard is kept in the freezer. It is served when it is cool down as dessert and even frozen dessert too in some cases. Custards usually have natural fruit based flavors added in them.

What is Ice Cream?

Ice Cream is the form of sweet food that is served as frozen dessert and even snacks. Ice Cream is made up of milk, cream, artificial flavors and many other additives too. Egg yolk is not present in any form of the Ice Cream. Ice Cream is not cooked like the custard. It is prepared in the ice cream machines if at home and in the large container machines in the commercial industry. Ice Cream has less protein ratio in it as compare to custards but has more calories per serving. Popular artificial flavors of ice creams loved worldwide are vanilla, chocolate, and strawberry.

Custard vs. Ice Cream

• Custard is the sweet food that is cooked initially and then cools down and served as dessert.
• Ice Cream is the sweet food made up of milk, cream and artificial flavors that are served as frozen dessert.
• Custard is made up of milk, cream, and egg yolk.
• Egg or egg yolk is absent in Ice Cream.
• Ice Cream usually has artificial flavors. Most popular ones are of vanilla and chocolate.
• Custard has natural flavors, and more of them are fruit based.
• Ice Cream is not cooked like custard but is prepared via Ice Cream machine.
• Custard can also be served as frozen desert.
• Custard has more proteins due to egg yolk than the Ice Cream.