Silky Vanilla Pudding

A high-angle shot into a white ramekin of vanilla pudding with a spoon in it.

This vanilla pudding recipe has been tested six ways from Sunday, and it is, without a doubt, the most delicate and silky, perfectly sweetened vanilla pudding you'll ever have. Enjoy it on its own, with some fresh strawberry sauce, or use it as the custard for banana pudding. You're going to love it.

Course Dessert

Cuisine American

Prep Time 5

Cook Time 10

Servings servings

Calories 218kcal

Author Jennifer Field

Ingredients

32 oz whole milk 907 grams or 4 cups
7 oz granulated sugar 198 grams or a scant 1 cup
4 Tbsp cornstarch
2 whole eggs large
2 egg yolks large
4.5 grams salt 1 barely scant teaspoon Morton's kosher or 1 1/2 teaspoons Diamond crystal kosher salt, or 3/4 teaspoon table saltCrystal
2 Tbsp excellent quality vanilla extract 30grams or 1 oz, Mexican vanilla is my preference here, but use your favorite

Instructions

Pour the vanilla in a large, heat-safe bowl and set a fine mesh strainer on top convenient to the stove.
In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, combine milk, sugar, eggs, yolks, cornstarch, and salt and whisk well to combine.
Heat over medium-high heat, stirring frequently and then constantly as it heats and begins to steam.
The pudding will be very frothy to begin with, and as it thickens, the bubbles will begin to dissipate. Keep whisking, and when you note that it has begun to boil, reduce the heat to maintain a low (not volcanic) boil for two minutes. NOTE: If you are using all-purpose flour instead of cornstarch, boil for about 30 seconds.
Once the boiling time is up, pour the pudding through the fine mesh strainer and into the bowl with the vanilla. Be sure to scrape the underside of the strainer to get all the goodness into the bowl.
Whisk to completely and uniformly incorporate the vanilla, and then pour into 8 4oz ramekins or 6 6oz ramekins. You can also leave the pudding in the bowl, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pudding, and cool. Either way, leave at room temperature for no more than an hour, and then refrigerate until completely chilled.
Enjoy within 5 days.

Notes

To Make a Half-Batch

16 oz/2 cups/453 grams whole milk
3.5 oz/1/2 cup/99 grams sugar
1 whole egg
1 egg yolk
2 Tablespoons cornstarch
3 grams salt (1 teaspoon Diamond Crystal or a slightly generous 1/2 teaspoon Morton's kosher salt. If using table salt, use about 3/8 teaspoon
1 Tablespoon/1/2 oz/15 grams vanilla extract

Nutrition