Leche Frita

Deep-frying swapped for oven baking with olive oil spray

No way round it: deep-frying gives you a crisp, puffed crust in seconds.

What it costs you. You lose the dramatically crisp shell and the contrast with the soft custard. Instead, you get a thin, slightly chewy crumb, and the pudding is more fragile. If your oven runs cool, expect a few custard leaks - rescue what you can.

Whole milk swapped for skimmed milk, and added whey protein powder

The original is very low on protein and high on sugar. Skimmed milk drops the fat, and whey protein brings in extra protein while keeping things milky.

What it costs you. The custard is a bit firmer and feels less creamy. Whey protein always brings that faint 'shake at the gym' note, but with enough cinnamon and lemon, most won't notice unless they're professional pastry chefs.

Less sugar in the custard, more cinnamon for flavour

It hurts, but there's simply too much sugar for a lower-calorie pudding. You can cut it to half and double down on spice and lemon.

What it costs you. You definitely lose that sticky, pudding-shop sweetness. The result is milder, far less moreish, and honestly, the third bite reminds you it's good for you - and that's not always what you want from pudding.

Coating flour and breadcrumbs cut, more egg white for protein, and panko for texture

Traditional crumbs and flour mean more starch with not much reward. Panko gives more crunch for less, and egg white coats better and bumps up protein.

What it costs you. Panko will never match the fried shell, but gives a little crispness. The egg white crust is thinner and sticks less reliably, so watch out for bald spots.