Rich Vanilla Pudding Recipes

VANILLA PUDDING

Steps:

• Heat 4 cups of the milk in a large saucepan over medium heat until steaming.
• Whisk the sugar, cornstarch and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Whisk in the egg yolks and the remaining 1/2 cup milk.
• Whisk half of the hot milk into the egg mixture until smooth, then gradually whisk the egg-milk mixture into the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture boils. Continue to cook, whisking constantly, until it has thickened to a puddinglike consistency, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
• Cool slightly, stirring a few times to prevent a skin from forming. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the pudding and refrigerate until completely cooled and thickened, about 4 hours.
• Before serving, whisk the pudding vigorously until smooth and creamy.
• Stir-ins:
• Cookies and Cream: Crush 20 chocolate wafer cookies, stir some into the pudding and top with the rest.
• Fresh Berries and Gingersnaps: Fold in 2 cups of fresh, mixed berries and top with about 12 finely crushed gingersnaps.
• Vanilla-Banana: Fold in 3 sliced bananas. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Fold in 24 crushed vanilla wafer cookies and top with more sliced bananas.
• Rocky Road: Fold in 1 cup each mini marshmallows and toasted chopped walnuts and 1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips. Sprinkle with more chocolate chips.
• Peanut Butter* and Jelly (See Cook's Note): Fold in 1 cup quartered red grapes and 1/3 cup each chopped roasted peanuts and peanut butter chips. Top with whole grapes.

CREAMY VANILLA PUDDING

Steps:

• In a heavy saucepan combine sugar, cornstarch, salt, half and half cream, cinnamon and nutmeg (if using) bring to a boil whisking vigorously over medium heat.
• As soon as the mixture is very hot whisk in the egg yolk and cook whisking vigorously until thickened and bubbly (about 2 minutes).
• Remove from heat and immediately stir in vanilla and butter until smooth and combined.
• Transfer to a heat-proof bowl, then place a piece of plastic wrap directly over the pudding.
• Cool for about 30 minutes on the counter then refrigerate until cold.

RICH VANILLA PUDDING

Steps:

• Split the vanilla bean, scrape out the seeds, and transfer to small mixing bowl. Add 1/4 cup of the milk and whisk vigorously until vanilla seeds are well dispersed. Use the back of a spoon against the sides of the bowl to break up any remaining clumps of seeds. Then add the remaining milk and mix well. In a separate small bowl beat the egg yolks. Set aside. In a heavy cast iron pot or the top of a double boiler, mix the cornstarch, sugar and salt. Set on medium-high heat and slowly pour in the milk, stirring constantly with a heat-resistant silicone spatula. Continue stirring while mixture heats up. Once mixture is steaming and frothy (not boiling), spoon up a 1/4 cup and stir into the egg yolks. Repeat twice. Set aside. Continue to stir the pudding. Once the pudding begins to thicken, add the yolk mixture to the pudding. Continue stirring until mixture comes to a low boil. Boil 1 minute. Remove from heat and add butter chunks, stirring until melted and mixed in. Pour pudding into 6 dishes. Allow to cool for 20-30 minutes. You may serve at room temperature or cover with saran wrap, and refrigerate for 2 or more hours.

CREAMY VANILLA PUDDING

Steps:

• Place 2 cups milk and salt in a saucepan. Sprinkle sugar on milk and do not stir; heat over medium-high. Quickly combine cornstarch with remaining milk; add egg yolks and mix well. When milk comes to a full boil, remove saucepan from the heat and stir in cornstarch mixture. Pudding will begin to thicken. Return to the heat and cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla and butter. Pour into individual dishes. Serve warm.

VANILLA PUDDING

Steps:

• In 2-quart saucepan, mix sugar, cornstarch and salt. Gradually stir in milk. Cook over medium heat, stirring constantly, until mixture thickens and boils. Boil and stir 1 minute.
• Gradually stir at least half of the hot mixture into egg yolks, then stir back into hot mixture in saucepan. Boil and stir 1 minute; remove from heat. Stir in butter and vanilla.
• Pour pudding into dessert dishes. Cover and refrigerate about 1 hour or until chilled. Store covered in refrigerator.

HOMEMADE VANILLA PUDDING

Steps:

• In medium saucepan over medium heat, heat milk until bubbles form at edges. In a bowl, combine sugar, cornstarch and salt. Pour into hot milk, a little at a time, stirring to dissolve. Continue to cook and stir until mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. Do not boil. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and butter. Pour into serving dishes. Chill before serving.

BLANCA'S RICH AND CREAMY VANILLA PUDDING

Steps:

• In a medium saucepan, combine the cornstarch and salt. Slowly whisk in the whole milk then the sweetened condensed milk until thoroughly combined.
• Heat the mixture over medium heat, whisking constantly and scraping sides and bottom of saucepan.
• When mixture begins to thicken a bit, add about 1 cup of it to the egg yolks. Mix well and then add the egg mixture back to saucepan.
• Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened.
• Strain the pudding through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl, scraping with a rubber spatula to pass the pudding through. (I know this is an extra step, but it removes any bits of cooked egg, so the pudding is smooth.).
• Stir the butter and vanilla into the pudding until the butter is melted.
• To prevent a skin from forming, press a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding or you can dust it with a little bit of cinnamon and put some raisins on top like my mom does. Refrigerate until set, about 3 hours.

CHOCOLATE AND VANILLA SWIRL PUDDING

Steps:

• Mix sugar and cornstarch in 4-cup microwavable measuring cup. Stir in milk and egg product. Microwave uncovered on High 3 minutes 30 seconds to 4 minutes; stirring after 2 minutes, until mixture thickens and boils. Stir in butter and vanilla.
• Stir chocolate chips into 1 cup of the pudding until melted. Layer vanilla and chocolate puddings alternately in parfait glasses or swirl in serving dishes.

RICH VANILLA PUDDING

Steps:

• Combine sugar and cornstarch in a saucepan. Stir in half-and-half. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and bubbly. Cook and stir for 2 minutes more.
• Remove from heat. In a thin stream, gradually add 1 cup of hot mixture to beaten egg yolks while whisking vigorously. Scrape hot egg mixture into saucepan. Cook and stir over medium heat until thickened and smooth. Do not boil. Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla extract. Pour into a bowl or ramekins or teacups. Cover surface directly with plastic wrap, and chill in the refrigerator for about 2 hours.
• Serve topped with whipped cream and dulce de leche, as desired.
• NOTE: If using a vanilla bean in place of the extract, just add the split and scraped bean in step 1 when you add the half-and-half. Be sure to remove the bean pod before step 2.