The Dessert Bibles Vanilla Pudding Food

VANILLA PUDDING

Steps:

• Heat 4 cups of the milk in a large saucepan over medium heat until steaming.
• Whisk the sugar, cornstarch and 1/2 teaspoon salt in a large bowl. Whisk in the egg yolks and the remaining 1/2 cup milk.
• Whisk half of the hot milk into the egg mixture until smooth, then gradually whisk the egg-milk mixture into the saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture boils. Continue to cook, whisking constantly, until it has thickened to a puddinglike consistency, 3 to 4 minutes. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla.
• Cool slightly, stirring a few times to prevent a skin from forming. Place a piece of plastic wrap directly on top of the pudding and refrigerate until completely cooled and thickened, about 4 hours.
• Before serving, whisk the pudding vigorously until smooth and creamy.
• Stir-ins:
• Cookies and Cream: Crush 20 chocolate wafer cookies, stir some into the pudding and top with the rest.
• Fresh Berries and Gingersnaps: Fold in 2 cups of fresh, mixed berries and top with about 12 finely crushed gingersnaps.
• Vanilla-Banana: Fold in 3 sliced bananas. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour. Fold in 24 crushed vanilla wafer cookies and top with more sliced bananas.
• Rocky Road: Fold in 1 cup each mini marshmallows and toasted chopped walnuts and 1/2 cup of mini chocolate chips. Sprinkle with more chocolate chips.
• Peanut Butter* and Jelly (See Cook's Note): Fold in 1 cup quartered red grapes and 1/3 cup each chopped roasted peanuts and peanut butter chips. Top with whole grapes.

THE DESSERT BIBLE'S VANILLA PUDDING

Steps:

• Combine sugar, cornstarch and salt in a medium saucepan.
• Whisk in about 1/3 cup of the half-and-half, until smooth.
• Whisk in the remaining half-and-half until well combined.
• Cook over medium heat, stirrying constantly and gently until thickened (about 5 minutes, but the time will vary).
• Reduce heat to low and continue to heat, stirring gently until the mixture reaches a simmer.
• Cook one minute more over low heat, not stirring, then remove from heat.
• Fold in vanilla and pour pudding into 4 serving dishes.
• The book doesn't say, but I presume that you could serve this either warm or chilled.

DEEP-DISH LAYERED BANANA PUDDING

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350ºF.
• Crush 30 wafers; mix with next 4 ingredients. Spread onto bottom of rimmed baking sheet sprayed with cooking spray. Bake 8 to 10 min. or until golden brown, stirring after 5 min. Cool.
• Beat pudding mixes and milk in medium bowl with whisk 2 min. (Pudding will be thick.) Stir in 1 cup COOL WHIP.
• Layer 1/3 of the crumb mixture and half each of the bananas and pudding in 2-qt. bowl; repeat layers.
• Beat cream cheese and granulated sugar in medium bowl with mixer until blended. Gently stir in 1 cup of the remaining COOL WHIP; spread over top of dessert, sealing to edge of bowl. Sprinkle with remaining crumb mixture. Refrigerate 3 hours.
• Serve topped with remaining COOL WHIP and whole wafers.