Description
This Homemade Vanilla Pudding recipe is a classic creamy dessert made from scratch using simple ingredients like milk, sugar, egg yolks, and vanilla. The pudding is cooked gently on the stovetop to achieve a smooth, luscious texture and can be served warm or chilled. Perfect for an easy yet elegant treat, it combines the rich flavor of real vanilla with a silky mouthfeel that satisfies any sweet tooth.
Ingredients
Scale
Milk Mixture
- 3 cups whole milk, divided
- Pinch of salt
- ¾ cup sugar
Thickening and Flavoring
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 tablespoon butter
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
Instructions
- Prepare Cornstarch Slurry: In a small bowl, whisk together ¼ cup of the milk with the cornstarch until smooth. This slurry will prevent lumps from forming in the pudding.
- Heat Milk Mixture: In a medium saucepan, combine the remaining 2¾ cups of whole milk with the sugar and a pinch of salt. Heat over medium heat until the milk is steaming but not boiling, stirring occasionally to dissolve the sugar evenly.
- Temper Egg Yolks: Whisk the egg yolks in a small bowl until smooth. Slowly add ½ cup of the hot milk mixture to the yolks in a thin stream while whisking constantly to temper them and prevent curdling. Gradually pour the tempered egg yolk mixture back into the saucepan, followed by the cornstarch slurry. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the pudding thickens and begins to simmer.
- Finish the Pudding: Remove the saucepan from heat. Stir in the butter and pure vanilla extract until fully incorporated and the pudding is silky smooth.
- Cool and Serve: Pour the pudding into individual serving dishes. Lay a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding to prevent a skin from forming. Serve warm immediately or refrigerate for several hours until chilled.
Notes
- Be sure to whisk constantly during cooking to avoid lumps and curdling.
- Using whole milk yields a richer and creamier pudding, but you can use 2% milk for a lighter version.
- Tempering the egg yolks is crucial to prevent scrambled eggs in the pudding.
- The pudding will thicken further as it cools; if too thick, stir in a little milk before serving.
- For additional flavor, try adding a cinnamon stick to the milk while heating and remove before adding the egg mixture.
