You down with OPP? Yeah you know ME!
Allow me to clarify: when I say "OPP" I mean, of course, "other people's pudding". And I don't mean it as a euphemism.
I literally mean that I am, in fact, down with making and eating other people's pudding recipes.
Case in point: this classic cornstarch pudding recipe. It's a reader's family recipe, originally from Edie Bliss. It shared with me, and I made it, and I want to share the recipe with you.
Let me tell you how it went down.
So, I have this Facebook page for CakeSpy, and one of my favorite things to do there is to ask people's opinions on various dessert-related things. For instance, I might ask "what is your favorite cake to enjoy with cream cheese frosting?" or something along those lines. I love reading people's responses. If you like talking about stuff like that, definitely check out my Facebook page!
On a recent crowd-sourcing conversation with readers, someone mentioned a unique pudding recipe in their family archives which includes vanilla, almond, AND lemon extracts. I was like "ooh!".
Sure enough, not long later, that reader's daughter sent along the recipe! (title of the email I received: "Subject: My Mother's Pudding Recipe That You Were Interested In: Cornstarch Pudding").
I made it yesterday, and I have to tell you, this pudding is very, very special.
For one thing, it's crazy-easy to make. You need like, zero skills and five minutes, and you can make this pudding, and it is glorious.
It is delicious and tastes like it took way more skill and time than it really did.
For another thing, it's delicious. I love recipes with lemon, almond, OR vanilla extract, but I don't believe I have ever combined all three in one recipe. While the pudding looks like a standard vanilla pudding, it has a truly unique flavor which has echoes of almond and lemon and will truly intrigue your taste buds!
Perhaps more importantly, I loved the intimate look that this recipe gave me into another family's traditions. Part of what makes foods so special is who you share them with, so for me, this was a beautiful way to interact with readers and see what type of food is part of their loving memories. It makes my heart sparkle, the very thought!
In terms of eating: I loved this pudding still warm, but it's also great chilled.
Thanks to Juli and Judi for sharing this recipe! It's a keeper, for sure. I'm keeping the recipe formatted just as it was sent!
Cornstarch pudding
4 servings
- 1/3 C. sugar
- 3 Tbsp. cornstarch
- ¼ tsp. salt
Mix these three together in a medium-size pan.
- 2 egg yolks
Add to sugar mixture, and mix again.
- 2 C. milk (2% or whole)
Add very gradually and stir well. Cook until it bubbles.
- 1 tsp. vanilla extract
- ½ tsp. lemon extract
- ¼ tsp. almond extract
Remove pudding from heat and stir in.
Variation:
For chocolate pudding, add 4 ozs. melted bitter chocolate and increase sugar by ¼ C. Omit almond and lemon extracts.
(Mom used the leftover egg whites to make meringue cookies or something else. Nothing went to waste!)