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Vanilla or Chocolate Pudding

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    74.2857100(25)25
Rediscover homemade pudding's comforting simplicity, then see how versatile it can be. Choose one or the other, or make them both!

Use this basic recipe to create the following flavor variations and desserts:
Chai-Cinnamon Pudding
Mocha-Chip Pudding
Rum-Raisin Pudding
Chocolate-Ginger Pudding
Peanut-Butter Chocolate Parfaits
Boston Cream Pie
Raspberry Napoleons
Everyday Food, April 2006
  • Prep Time 20 minutes
  • Total Time 3 hours 30 minutes
  • Yield Serves 4
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Ingredients

  • 2/3 cup sugar
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1/3 cup unsweetened cocoa powder (if making chocolate pudding)
  • 2 1/2 cups milk
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into pieces
  • 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Directions

  1. Place a fine-mesh sieve over a medium bowl; set aside. In a medium saucepan, off heat, whisk together sugar, cornstarch, and salt. If making chocolate pudding, add cocoa powder. Very gradually (a few tablespoons at a time) whisk in milk, taking care to dissolve cornstarch. Whisk in egg yolks.
  2. Whisking constantly, cook over medium heat until the first large bubble forms and sputters. Reduce heat to low; still whisking, cook 1 minute. Remove from heat; immediately pour through sieve into bowl. Stir butter and vanilla into hot pudding.
  3. Place plastic wrap directly on surface of pudding (to prevent skin from forming); chill at least 3 hours and up to 3 days. Before serving, whisk pudding until smooth; divide among four serving dishes.

Recipe Reviews

  • LoveyFinkelstein
    18 Oct, 2011

    aulait - One reviewer said they used flour with satisfactory results. I also googled 'agar pudding recipe' and came up with a lot of options.

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  • LoveyFinkelstein
    18 Oct, 2011

    I have made this recipe a number of times and it tastes great! My only problem is that is turns soupy upon cooling/refrigeration. I am following the recipe exactly but am having the same result. What can I do to maintain the thickness so it can be eaten the next day?

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  • aulait
    10 Sep, 2011

    am not fond of adding Cornstarch.Any Solutions for me?Thank You:-)

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  • cascadia
    16 Jul, 2011

    This recipe is so simple and yet so delicious. Very creamy, rich, and chocolatey (when you make the chocolate version, of course). The vanilla would be great over cake with blueberries or strawberries or as a tart filling, too.

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  • chewie2127
    26 Feb, 2010

    I made a lower fat version. I used skim milk and omitted the butter. It set and came out great.

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  • chewie2127
    26 Feb, 2010

    This came out great. You can make it a little lower in fat too. I used skim milk and omit the butter. Still set and came out great

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  • BreeLeeD
    27 Sep, 2009

    I made the chocolate pudding and it was wonderful and very easy to make!

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  • AlexisRT
    20 May, 2009

    to tryingsomethingnew: In most of Europe you should be able to find cornstarch. In the UK it is cornflour; in France, fn n cule de man n s. Maizena is a common brand throughout Europe.

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  • pt507
    22 Apr, 2009

    i like the chocolate more than vanilla. but both are good.

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  • Tryingsomethingnew
    20 Mar, 2009

    Excellent recipe! I live in Europe, and I couldn't find corn starch, but I used flour instead.

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  • gwensiew
    19 Mar, 2008

    To CE Clark, you can use the egg white for coating chicken pieces for frying. Try it, I always do that when I fry chicken. Beat the egg white for few seconds, dip the chicken into the egg white, then dredge the chicken in the seasoning flour or breadcrumb for frying. Yummy.

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  • CEClark
    9 Mar, 2008

    What do you do with the egg whites?

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  • Squigy
    8 Mar, 2008

    I just made the chocolate pudding and must say that is was very easy and very delicious.

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  • sherlene
    5 Mar, 2008

    My, I cannot what to make pudding for my grandchildren like my mother use to make for me when I was small!

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  • grandmalen
    5 Mar, 2008

    I fixed the chocolate pudding for dessert last night - I have been llooking for a good recipe for "homemade" pudding that was at least as good as the boxed kind. And, boy, did this fill that request. This was (note the "was") delicious. I had to add a bit more milk for consistency (maybe I put in too much corn starch????). I'll never buy boxed again. I'm going to try to vanilla this weekend.

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  • djones
    5 Mar, 2008

    Yesterday afternoon I made the chocolate pudding; quick and easy. My two little girls loved having warm pudding with whipped cream after school! My teenage son recognized that it didn't taste like the usual "sugar free box stuff" and finished the bowl (and the bowl of whipped cream) after dinner. A big hit! Evidently warm pudding can make a day spent with a "mean" substitute teacher seem like a distant memory!

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  • jblum
    4 Mar, 2008

    I've made pudding from scratch and I really don't think it's any better than the boxed kind. If I'm going to the trouble, I'd rathe make custard.

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  • mmsrjs
    24 Nov, 2007

    Easy to make, directions are clean and concise, both the vanilla or the chocolate are equally tasty. Wonderful in Cream Puffs. Excellent dessert with whipped coconut cream as a topping.

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