This delicious milk pudding is always a pleasure and is quite easy to create with just basic ingredients. Therefore, you should try this recipe whenever you want to make a quick but delicious dessert with fewer ingredients. It will blow your mind how easily this creamy, custardy milk pudding melts on your lips.
This pudding is made thicker and creamier by using both heavy cream and condensed milk, and the silky smooth texture of this delectable treat elevates it to the next level. This recipe for simple and tasty milk pudding is worth trying. This pudding can keep for 5-7 days in the refrigerator when properly covered.
What is Milk Pudding?
The fluid secreted by mammals’ mammary glands, including those in humans, is known as milk. The best diet for infants is breast milk since it is well-tolerated while their digestive systems are growing and maturing. Depending on how well it is tolerated, dairy milk may be introduced later. Although any mammal can produce dairy milk, the most common producers are cows, goats, buffalo, and sheep. In addition to a brief discussion on non-dairy plant milk substitutes, this part will concentrate on dairy milk from cows.
This delicacy is sweet and contains milk as its main component. Pudding is frequently made in an oven or on a cooktop. Pudding also includes substances like sugar, eggs, cornstarch, gelatin, rice, or tapioca in addition to milk. Either cooking or steaming is an option for preparation. Pudding is not only a delicious delicacy, but it also offers several advantages.
For example, it offers nutritional benefits because it contains milk with a high calcium content. This vitamin can make teeth and bones stronger. It also includes several vitamins like A, C, D, and E as well as minerals like magnesium that can help to build the body’s structure. Fats are one of the components that give pudding its creamy texture. Essential fatty acids found in pudding fats aid the body in absorbing micronutrients. The pudding’s added taste from the cocoa powder also increases the amount of fat in this dessert.
How to Make Milk Pudding?
Ingredients:
- A cup of milk
- Cornstarch, two teaspoons
- Egg size medium, lightly beaten
- 1 teaspoon of sugar (or to taste)
- 1 teaspoon melted unsalted butter
- One teaspoon of vanilla extract
- Almonds and pistachios that have been blanched for garnish (optional)
Directions:
- In a small saucepan, stir cornstarch and sugar together.
- To prevent lumps, gradually stir in the milk.
- Cook until surface bubbles emerge over medium heat (approx 1-2 minutes). In between, continually stir.
- Add the beaten egg to the bowl after pouring half of the hot mixture into it. Till it’s smooth, beat it.
- In a saucepan with the remaining half of the milk-cornstarch combination, add the prepared egg mixture and cook over medium heat until it thickens. Continually stir to avoid sticking. Verify that the back of the spoon is completely coated. If it does, turn off the heat; otherwise, continue to cook it.
- Remove from heat and add butter and vanilla essence to the saucepan.
- After transferring it into two separate serving bowls, let it cool to room temperature.
- Continue with the garnishing for warm milk pudding. Place it in the refrigerator for a few hours if you want to serve it cooled.
- Serve pudding garnished with blanched almond and pistachio nuts, whether it is warm or cold.
Tips:
- To avoid lumps forming in step 2 above, add the milk gently while stirring constantly.
- To produce the required creamy and smooth texture, it is crucial to beat the egg, milk, and cornstarch mixture. It should be vigorously beaten until no grains or lumps remain.
- For a great flavor variety, add green ground cardamom.
- Play around with the garnishing; for a sweet and creamy caramel flavor, use chopped dry fruits and caramel topping instead of chocolate sauce.
Health Benefits of Milk Pudding
Many individuals consider pudding to be a great dessert, snack, and pleasure. Vanilla, chocolate, rice, tapioca, and butterscotch are among the flavors. Additionally, it contains nutrients like calcium and vitamin D. Your favorite pudding is more closely related to custard in the US. Custards have a rich flavor and a thick consistency. In certain nations, such as England, pudding is served as a savory meal.
If you’re like the majority of Americans, you like the instant, dry mix, and ready-to-eat puddings that are available in supermarkets. They are simple to prepare and serve. They’re not all the same, though. Some people eat healthier than others. This is a nutritional overview of pudding, which is the nation’s favorite sweet treat, along with several warning signs you should watch out for.
Calcium
Pudding made with milk has a high calcium content, a crucial vitamin for healthy bones and teeth. The most prevalent mineral in your body is calcium. It is present in bones, teeth, and blood cells. Additionally, calcium affects the release of hormones, the conduction of nerve impulses, and muscular contractions. Not only is pudding delicious, but it’s also a good source of calcium for your body.
Minerals and vitamins
Pudding needs vitamins and minerals to function properly. Magnesium and vitamin D are two essential elements for your body. Your bone structure is strengthened and your teeth’ enamel is hardened by them in conjunction with calcium. Prepared pudding has all of the following nutrients:
- Vitamin A
- Vitamin C
- Vitamin B6
- Vitamin B12
- Magnesium Vitamin D
- Riboflavin Vitamin E
Protein
Protein is one of the most crucial nutrients you require. It possesses unique enzymes that perform specific bodily tasks. These include digestion and metabolism in large numbers. Muscle contraction and red blood cell synthesis are two other uses of protein. Additionally, it promotes healthy skin, hair, and nails.
Carbohydrates
Regular quick, ready-to-eat, and dry mix pudding contains a lot of carbohydrates. Compared to any of those variants, sugar-free has fewer carbs. Be mindful of specific flavors, though. Bananas, butterscotch, and pistachio all contain a lot of carbs. Sugars are produced from carbohydrates that your body doesn’t require. Before purchasing a brand, thoroughly review the nutrition label.
Fat
Milk and pudding mix both include saturated fat. Animal and dairy products contain unhealthy saturated fat. Because it raises cholesterol levels and your risk of heart disease, you should be careful with the amount of this type of fatty acid you consume.
Sodium
Although pudding may have a pleasant flavor, a lot of sodium has been added to the recipe. Salt raises blood pressure and creates edema. The swelling of the arms, legs, and feet is known as edema. By shopping for reduced sodium puddings at the grocery store, you can avoid this issue.
Calories
Avoid eating normal pudding if you’re watching your calories. Pudding has a lot of calories, which makes you gain weight. Instead of a dry mix type, you can consume a fat-free version.
Pudding includes both good and poor nutrients, but if you cook it with fat-free milk, it can be a healthy dish. Additionally, skim milk is preferable to full milk. When shopping, pick a brand of pudding with few calories. If used sparingly, this simple dessert is wonderful.
Reference: New functional fibre in milk puddings: Effect on sensory properties and consumers’ acceptability
Can Pudding be Freeze?
Pudding can indeed be frozen. However, the majority of it would rely on the ingredients in your pudding. Not all types of the pudding will be successful.
When frozen, some pudding ingredients don’t perform as well. On the other hand, gelatin pudding, such as those seen in the sweet course of Korean cuisine, rice pudding, bread pudding, and tapioca pudding freeze nicely.
These puddings’ storage life can be extended by freezing by up to three months. Most puddings have a consistency that is quite similar to ice cream when they are frozen.
How can Pudding be Freeze?
Nuclear science isn’t thawing pudding. It’s quite simple. And when done correctly, it can keep your food fresh and safe to eat for up to 90 days.
First and foremost, you should let the pudding cool before freezing it, especially if the pudding is baked bread pudding. It shouldn’t take more than two hours to cool.
If you’ve created baked bread pudding, cut it into small pieces so that you may store it in your freezer more conveniently. Then use plastic wrap or aluminum foil to wrap the pieces.
The components will be weatherproof if they are wrapped. If you have gelatin pudding, you can make frozen pops to surprise your loved ones with and store them in your freezer.
Gelatin pudding can also easily be frozen. Simply combine the pudding with two cups of ice-cold milk. The mixture is then placed in disposable cups. Place a wooden popsicle stick in the center of each cup.
The pop sticks should be frozen for at least five hours. Making pop sticks is a simple cooking task that should be enjoyable for you and your loved ones.
How can Pudding be Thawed?
You can let your frozen pudding gently thaw in the refrigerator.
Pudding can be thawed just as easily as frozen. For the frozen pudding to naturally thaw, I frequently leave it in the refrigerator overnight. The pudding is then consumed as a snack or used in recipes.
Your pudding can also defrost for a few hours at room temperature. I wouldn’t advise using this method to thaw pudding pie, though.
Unlike other meals, like meat, you can thaw frozen items using a good defrosting tray. However, because your pudding will be exposed to moisture, this is not the best approach to defrosting it.
Speaking of pudding pie, I frequently use a recipe that calls for a lot of fat and little liquid. As a result, the pie crust will thaw more quickly and maintain its outstanding texture and appearance.
How Long is Pudding Good for?
Pudding can eventually go bad even if it has a longer shelf life than other foods. Pudding can be kept in the refrigerator for 5-7 days if it is made at home. It can also be kept in the pantry, but just for a single day.
The homemade pudding shouldn’t be frozen because doing so can reduce its appeal. The molecular structure of the ingredients in the pudding may be harmed by this. How long the pudding will keep depends on the components you use to prepare it. For instance, since eggs have a limited shelf life, a pudding made without them may keep better than desserts that have.
Pudding from a store can last for 3–4 weeks after the date put on it if you don’t open it and keep it in the pantry. This dish can also be refrigerated, however, freezing it will change its consistency and make it watery.
Pudding purchased from the shop can be kept fresher for longer by being stored away from light and potential condensation-causing elements.
When you don’t open store-bought pudding, it can stay fresh in the fridge for up to 3–4 weeks after the date that’s stated on the package.
- When store-bought pudding is opened, it should be consumed within 5-7 days to avoid spoilage.
- When purchasing pudding from a store, pay close attention to the label to determine the best-before date.
- A typical time frame for this is 9 to 18 months after the date of manufacture.
- The manufacturer will no longer guarantee the product’s quality or flavor after this date.
- Taking pudding after this time cannot be guaranteed to be safe.
- The pudding you purchase from the shop will probably remain fresher longer than the pudding you prepare at home.
This is so that the pudding sold in stores can be preserved by makers using certain technologies. To lengthen the shelf life and effectively seal pudding, they use preservatives such as palm oil.
How to Spot a Bad Pudding?
Some of the telltale symptoms that your pudding has gone bad and their corresponding reasons are as follows:
Change in color: When germs accumulate in the pudding, this can happen. The development of bacteria may have been influenced by moisture exposure.
Pudding that has lumps or bumps that are discolored indicates mold growth. Mold frequently grows well on sugary foods and can quickly spread within a few hours.
Unpleasant odor: This is a sign that food items, including eggs, are starting to go bad. While rotten pudding may smell sour or metallic, fresh pudding should have a faintly pleasant aroma.
Pudding that has passed its expiration date will have liquid floating around its container. It demonstrates how flimsy the bonds are between the components.
Visible maggots: This indicates that there are germs in the pudding growing. Such pudding can cause significant illness if consumed.
Bad flavor: If some of the ingredients have started to go terribly or if there is mold growth, the pudding may taste bad. When this occurs, the pudding’s sweet flavor may be replaced by a strong, bitter flavor.
Conclusion
Pudding tastes delicious and is hard to resist. This savory dish is not only delicious, but it also has several nutrients from which you can gain health benefits. You should preserve pudding correctly if you enjoy it and frequently find yourself with excess. By doing this, you can assure that the pudding is always delicious by preventing it from turning bad.
It can be kept in the refrigerator or the pantry. Take into account the ingredients when storing pudding. It is not suggested to freeze pudding because doing so can change its consistency. Keep an eye out for any warning indications of spoiled pudding, such as an unpleasant smell, a bitter flavor, or bumps that are discolored.
