Everyday Food (January/February 2008)
Sometimes we can be guilty of the if-it's-not-chocolate-then-it-can't-be-dessert mindset. So we wouldn't normally gravitate to a vanilla pudding. But something about this one from Everyday Food seemed enticing. And making it was a cinch. Thanks to some vanilla beans we received as a Christmas gift this year, we didn't even have to go shopping for any of the ingredients.
The result was a tasty, satisfying dessert, reminiscent of a rice pudding but much easier and faster to make.
This dessert would be a refreshingly light end to any meal, but it might go especially well with spicier fare, like Chinese or Indian food.
And we also couldn't help but think of additions that would add a little wow-factor -- ginger, maybe. Or orange zest. Or, you know, chocolate.
Light Vanilla-Bean Pudding
Everyday Food (January/February 2008)
Serves 4
Prep Time 10 minutes
Total Time 10 minutes + chilling
1/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup cornstarch
2 large egg yolks
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 cups low fat (1%) milk
1 vanilla bean
1. Place a fine-mesh sieve over a medium bowl; set aside.
2. In a medium saucepan (off heat), whisk together sugar, cornstarch, egg yolks and salt. Gradually whisk in milk (1 tablespoon at a time to start) until smooth. Split vanilla bean lengthwise and scrape out seeds with the tip of a paring knife; add seeds and pod to milk mixture.
3. Cook over medium-high, whisking occasionally, until the first bubbles appear on surface; continue to cook, whisking constantly, for 1 minute more. Pour pudding through prepared sieve into bowl; discard solids.
4. Place plastic wrap directly on entire surface of pudding to keep skin from forming. Refrigerate until cold, at least 2 hours, and up to 3 days. To serve, whisk just until smooth, and spoon into individual serving dishes.
