Making Groceries: Pudding

Ever since cupcakes became hip, the food industry keeps looking for the next big thing.  Last year they tried pushing whoopie pies; this year it’s the macaroon.

I’m a mom with a kitchen, not food-trending goddess, but if I could start a dessert trend, it might just be pudding.

It’s old-fashioned, but can easily updated with an untold numbers of flavors.  Its sweet, creamy texture is deeply comforting in these harsh times.  Plus, it’s completely different from a cupcake.  Trends should evoke the new, not simply recycle yesterday’s idea.  (Uh-oh! Did mamaguru just bash recycling?)

Here is a basic vanilla pudding recipe which can be adapted to just about any flavor.  It is not an original, rather it’s based on one I found and tweaked from my trusty Better Homes and Gardens Cookbook.

Vanilla Pudding

3/4 c sugar
3 T cornstarch
tiny pinch of sea salt
3 c whole milk
4 lightly beaten egg yolks
1 T butter
2 t vanilla

1.  Combine sugar, salt and cornstarch in a medium saucepan.  Stir in milk and cook over a medium flame until thick and bubbly.  Stir constantly.

2.   Cook and stir for 2 more minutes.  Turn off the flame.  Add 1 cup to the eggs.  Mix and return to the pot.

3.  Turn on the heat and bring it to a gently boil.  Reduce heat to low and cook for 2 minutes.  As always, in this recipe, you must keep stirring.

4.  Add butter and vanilla.  Stir.  For perfection, strain through a sieve into a bowl.

5.  Place plastic wrap directly on pudding if you don’t want a skin to develop.  Chill in the fridge until nice and cold.

Chocolate Pudding Variation

Add 1/3 c unsweetened cocoa powder and a tiny pinch of cayenne pepper to the sugar in step one.

Creamsicle Pudding Variation

Add 1 T orange or tangerine zest to the pudding in step 5.  Allow to steep for five minutes before straining.
OR, if you don’t mind the zest, just add it to the strained version and chill.

Pistachio Pudding Variation

Grind 3/4 c shelled pistachios into a fine powder.  Add it to the sugar in step one.  You may want to skip the sieve in step 4.

Buttered Popcorn Pudding Variation

Add 1 c buttered popcorn (not microwaved version) to the milk and simmer for 10 minutes.  Strain.  Continue with recipe as normal.  You may want to serve with a caramel sauce.

Go Wild!

It really is up to you and your imagination to create new flavors.  The sky is the limit.

You can also transform your pudding into little cups by using old baby food jars.  No BPA or waste is involved and they are easily transportable.

Or pop them in the freezer for a pudding pop!

 

The Bottom Line

I can’t tag a sugar free or 40 calorie label on these.  You can make pudding with nonfat milk to cut both calories and richness.  It’s your choice, but this is definitely a treat.  One of Michael Pollan’s Food Rules that I like to follow is (paraphrased):

Eat whatever junk food you want, as long as you make it yourself.

It takes time and attention to make your own pudding.  If you stop stirring, it’ll burn.  Emptying a box into a bowl with milk is easier, as is just grabbing a cup or a frozen pop.  The thing about effort is that it reminds you that what you’re eating is special and certainly not meant for everyday consumption.  That’s an idea the food industry has been very adept at convincing Americans to relinquish.  It cuts profits (and waistlines).

As far as cost is concerned, pudding mix runs about $1.12 a box, but then you have to add milk.  Not counting the price of milk, it costs about $0.55 to make your own pudding.  Every flavor has it’s own unique price tag, of course.

Pudding pops and pudding cups cost between $2.50 and $3.50 usually, which is an even greater savings.  More importantly, waste is greatly reduced when making your own.

So, what do you say?  Did I start a trend?  Look at the pictures again and you just might be tempted….  Pudding, the comeback kid!