L ifestyle /C ulture
Pudding: Love in a Bowl
F OO D
KERI WHITE | JE FOOD COLUMNIST
PUDDING IS AN underrated
dessert. Many people avoid it,
thinking of the substandard
instant versions of yore, and
others sneer at it as a lowbrow,
humble dish. But they are
missing out.

Sure, pudding can be simple
and homey (and delicious), but
it can also elevate to elegance
and sophistication with some
simple modifications. As the
temperatures have turned cold,
I have enjoyed a warm bowl of
pudding for dessert on many a
winter’s eve.

The beauty of these recipes is
that they can be made in about
10 minutes, so a last-minute
craving can be satisfied. They
are also gluten-free, so for
people avoiding gluten, they are
a worthy treat. Finally, they can
be served hot (my preference)
or chilled (in the unlikely event
of leftovers), so they are a cook’s
friend. The versions below are the
more elegant recipes, as they
are finished with some flour-
ishes, but you can skip these
if you want a simpler dessert
or don’t have these ingredients
on hand.

the vanilla for another flavor
— consider a tablespoon of
rum or coffee liqueur, orange
cordial, Frangelico, coconut
extract or crème de menthe.

Garnish the pudding with
toasted chopped nuts, toasted
shredded coconut, crumbled
cocoa nibs, a sprinkle of chili
powder or coarse salt. Or not.

⅔ cup brown or white sugar
¼ cup cocoa powder
½ teaspoon instant espresso
or coffee
2 tablespoons corn starch
1½ cups whole milk
½ cup half-and-half
½ teaspoon vanilla
½ cup dark chocolate chips
(if gluten-free is a priority,
check the label)
In a medium saucepan, whisk
the dry ingredients together.

Add the milk and half-and-half,
and whisk to blend.

Heat over medium heat,
stirring constantly, for about
10 minutes; the pudding will
thicken and begin to bubble.

When it reaches that point,
allow it to bubble for another
minute until well thickened.

Remove it from the heat,
add the vanilla and chocolate
chips, and stir to melt. Serve
CHOCOLATE HEAVENLY
it hot, or allow it to cool to the
PUDDING desired temperature.

Serves 2 generously or 4 sensibly
You can finish this with
fresh whipped cream, fruit or
I prefer to add a handful of dark serve it solo.

chocolate chips and a spoonful
of instant espresso to push this BUTTERSCOTCH HEAVENLY
to the next level, but you can PUDDING
omit them for a straightforward Serves 2 generously or 4 sensibly
bowl of chocolate pudding with
absolutely no downside.

If you are serving this to
If you prefer a lighter youngsters, you may wish to
version, you can use 2 cups of omit the booze. It is unlikely to
milk instead of using the ½ cup intoxicate anyone, but it does
of half-and-half. I also prefer deliver a more sophisticated
the depth that brown sugar flavor, and the kiddies may like
delivers, but white sugar works it best without.

just fine here.

And if you wish to riff on
⅔ cup brown sugar
other flavors, you can swap
2 tablespoons corn starch
JEWISHEXPONENT.COM 1½ cups whole milk
½ cup half-and-half
½ teaspoon vanilla
2 tablespoons best-quality
salted butter (such as
Plugra, Kerrygold)
1 tablespoon bourbon or
scotch whiskey (optional)
Sprinkle of coarse sea salt,
to finish
In a medium saucepan,
whisk the dry ingredients
together. Add the milk and
half-and-half, and whisk to
blend. Heat over medium heat,
stirring constantly, for about
10 minutes; the pudding will
thicken and begin to bubble.

When it reaches that point,
allow it to bubble for another
minute until well thickened.

Remove it from the heat,
add the vanilla, whiskey and
butter, and stir to melt. Serve
it hot, or allow it to cool to the
desired temperature.

Just before serving, sprinkle
the pudding with coarse sea
salt. You can finish this with
fresh whipped cream or fruit
or serve it solo. l
JEWISH EXPONENT
Chocolate and butterscotch pudding
Photos by Keri White
www.jewishexponent.com FEBRUARY 17, 2022
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