Vanilla Pudding
Classic homemade vanilla pudding cooked on the stovetop, with a soft, creamy set.
- Measurements grams + cups
- Cuisine American
Why You'll Like This Recipe
- Five ingredients plus vanilla, all of them staples, and no boxed mix.
- It is the base for a dozen other things — banana pudding, trifle layers, a filling for choux or tarts.
- Everything goes into the pan cold, so there is no tempering step to get wrong.
Recipe
Vanilla Pudding
Classic homemade vanilla pudding, soft and creamy.
Ingredients
Ingredients scaled. The method below still refers to the original quantities.
Instructions
- Step 1. Whisk the milk, sugar, cornstarch, salt and egg yolks together in a saucepan until completely smooth.
- Step 2. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly and reaching into the corners of the pan.
- Step 3. Once the mixture thickens and comes to a bubble, keep it there for 1 full minute.
- Step 4. Remove from the heat and stir in the butter and vanilla until smooth and glossy.
- Step 5. Divide among four dishes. Press plastic wrap onto the surface if you would rather it did not form a skin.
- Step 6. Chill for at least 2 hours, or serve slightly warm.
Notes
- Add the vanilla off the heat. Its aromatic compounds are volatile and boiling drives them off, which is why a pudding cooked with the vanilla in tastes flatter.
- Whisk into the corners. The edges of the pan are where custard catches and scrambles first.
- The full minute at a bubble matters more than it sounds. This is the difference between a set pudding and a sauce.
- It thickens as it cools, so it should look slightly loose coming off the heat.
Vanilla Pudding — Simple Table Recipes · https://simpletablerecipes.com/recipes/vanilla-pudding/
Ingredient Notes
- Vanilla extract
- With so few ingredients, this is most of the flavour. Real extract is worth it here in a way it is not in a heavily spiced bake. Vanilla bean paste is even better if you have it.
- Egg yolks
- Three yolks give a richer, silkier set than cornstarch alone. This is what separates homemade pudding from the boxed kind.
- Cornstarch
- Needs to boil to thicken. A pudding that was heated but never bubbled will stay loose in the fridge.
- Butter
- Stirred in off the heat for gloss and richness. Added during cooking it does much less.
Equipment
- Medium saucepan
- Whisk
- Four small serving dishes
Substitutions
- Whole milk
- Semi-skimmed works with a softer set. Half milk and half single cream gives something closer to a pastry cream.
- Egg yolks
- Leave them out and raise the cornstarch to 40 g for an egg-free version. The texture is bouncier and less silky.
- Vanilla extract
- A split vanilla pod steeped in the warm milk gives the best flavour and visible seeds. Remove the pod before serving.
Storage & Freezing
Storing: Refrigerate, covered, for up to 4 days.
Freezing: Not recommended. The starch and egg structure breaks on thawing and the pudding weeps.
Frequently Asked Questions
Why is my vanilla pudding runny?
It did not reach a full bubble, or was not held there for a minute. Cornstarch only thickens once it boils, and no amount of chilling compensates.
Can I use this as a pastry cream?
Yes, it is close. For piping into choux or filling a tart, raise the cornstarch to 40 g so it holds its shape rather than spreading.
Why did my pudding taste eggy?
The yolks cooked too fast, usually from heat that was too high. Medium heat with constant whisking keeps them from setting into curds.
How do I stop it forming a skin?
Press plastic wrap directly onto the warm surface so no air can reach it.
Can I flavour it?
Yes. A strip of lemon zest or a cinnamon stick steeped in the milk, a spoonful of instant coffee, or a splash of rum stirred in at the end all work. Add flavourings at the end where possible.
What do I do with the leftover egg whites?
They keep four days in the fridge and freeze well. Meringues, macaroons, or an egg white omelette all use them.
Did you make this?
Let other people know how it went. One tap, nothing to fill in.
Thanks — that helps.
