Easy Vanilla Pudding Recipe
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We don’t call this recipe easy for nothing: This simple and delicious pudding comes together with just a handful of ingredients and a little bit of stirring. The hardest part is waiting for it to set before the kids—or you—can devour it.
This recipe was featured as part of our Good Food for Kids photo gallery, as well as our Homemade Vanilla Extract project.
INGREDIENTS
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
- 2 1/4 cups whole milk
- 3 large egg yolks, lightly beaten
- 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
INSTRUCTIONS
- Combine the sugar, cornstarch, and salt in a medium saucepan and whisk until incorporated. While constantly whisking, slowly drizzle in 1/4 cup of the milk until smooth. Whisk in the egg yolks and remaining milk.
- Place the saucepan over medium heat and cook, whisking often, until the pudding begins to thicken and just starts to bubble, about 6 minutes. Reduce the heat to medium low and switch to a rubber spatula. Stir constantly, scraping the bottom and sides of the pan, until the pudding makes visible ribbons when drizzled over the surface, about 5 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and vanilla extract until the butter is melted and completely incorporated. Immediately transfer the pudding to 4 (4-ounce) ramekins or resealable containers. Lightly press a piece of plastic wrap on top of the pudding to prevent a skin from forming. Chill in the refrigerator until set, about 2 hours.
Pudding is even easier if you cook it in the microwave! For a recipe with four cups of milk, I set my microwave for 10 minutes, and whisk at three minutes, then 2, watching for a boil. With my new microwave, it generally takes less than 10 minutes, and a smaller batch would be even quicker. Your mileage may vary, of course. If you don't remember to give it a good stir, the starch cooks into a lump on the bottom
My kitchen is small, so I can stand by the microwave and work on something else, stopping to stir every few minutes. And it's less likely to scorch
Pudding skin is the BEST!.
Pudding skin
but..but...pudding skin is the best part of making pudding!
Puppimus: You can add 1 to 2 tbs cocoa powder when you add in the cornstarch or/and you can stir in a few ounces of your favorite chocolate (finely chopped) once you remove the pudding from the heat.
Is there an easy way to add chocolate to this recipe to make choco pudding?