Vanilla Pudding With Fresh Berries And Gingersnaps Food

VANILLA PUDDING

Steps:

• In a saucepan, combine the sugar, corn starch and salt. Add milk and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly until mixture thickens. Add vanilla and continue to cook for 2 to 3 minutes.
• Pour into individual molds rinsed with cold water; chill until firm and unmold.

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.

SWEDISH ORANGE GINGERSNAPS

Steps:

• In a mixing bowl or standing mixer cream together the butter and sugar until light. Beat in 1 egg and mix in the molasses, orange juice, and zest. Sift together the dry ingredients and stir them into the wet ingredients to make a soft, smooth dough, adding more flour if dough is too sticky. Knead the dough three times on a lightly floured board.
• Shape the dough into 3 logs, about 8-inches long, wrap in plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour or overnight.
• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Slice logs into thin circles, less than 1/8-inch thick. Place on lightly greased baking sheets.
• Bake cookies for about 8 to 10 minutes. Remove from oven and transfer cookies to a rack to cool.

EXTRA-SPICY GINGERSNAPS

Steps:

• Combine the flour, baking soda, and spices in a mixing bowl and set aside. Cream the butter until smooth and fluffy in a mixer fitted with a paddle attachment (or using a hand mixer). Add the sugars and mix. Add the molasses and mix. Add the egg whites in 2 batches, mixing to combine after each addition. Add the dry ingredients in three batches, mixing to combine after each addition.
• Heat the oven to 350 degrees F. Spread a few tablespoons of granulated sugar on a small plate.
• Roll the dough into 3/4-inch balls, then roll each ball in the sugar until lightly coated. Transfer to parchment lined cookie sheets, leaving 1-inch of space between the cookies. Bake until browned, 8 to 10 minutes. Let cool on wire racks and store in an airtight container.

GINGERSNAPS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. and grease cookie sheets. Cream the butter with the brown sugar until light and fluffy. Add the molasses and egg and beat until smooth. Sift the flour with baking soda, ginger, cinnamon and cloves. Add the flour mixture to the butter mixture and beat until well blended. Pinch off a little of the dough and roll it into 1-inch balls (dough may be very moist, if so, dip hands in warm water before forming balls). Dip each ball into the granulated sugar and arrange sugar side up on prepared baking sheet approximately 2 inches apart. Bake for 10 to 12 minutes or until cracked on top.

VANILLA PUDDING

Steps:

• Prepare an ice bath; set aside. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch, 2 tablespoons sugar, and salt. Whisk eggs in a separate bowl until smooth; whisk in cornstarch mixture.
• Combine milk, remaining sugar, and vanilla-bean scrapings in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Slowly pour milk into egg mixture, whisking constantly.
• Return mixture to saucepan set over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat, and transfer mixture to a medium heat-proof bowl.
• Whisk in butter and vanilla extract. Set bowl in ice bath, stirring occasionally, until chilled. Serve pudding with chocolate shavings on top, if desired.

FESTIVE TRIPLE-BERRY PUDDING DESSERT

Steps:

• Line bottom and side of 2-qt. serving bowl with ladyfingers.
• Beat pudding mixes and milk in large bowl with whisk 2 min. (Pudding will be thick.) Stir in COOL WHIP. Spoon into prepared bowl. Use back of spoon to make depression in center of pudding mixture; fill with berries.
• Refrigerate 2 hours.