8 Secret Tricks Grandma NEVER Skipped When Making Pudding (2024)

Home Recipes Dishes & Beverages Puddings

Updated: Sep. 14, 2023

    Making pudding from scratch? Don't skip these old-school tips that'll make it taste even better.

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    8 Secret Tricks Grandma NEVER Skipped When Making Pudding (1)

    Taste of Home

    Add more flavor

    Whether you’re making pudding from scratch or starting with a box mix, you can always add a little extra flavor. A teaspoon of vanilla extract can add richness to any pudding. A bit of espresso powder can make chocolate puddings taste more chocolaty—add more for a mocha flavor.

    You can stir in a bit of your favorite liqueur too. A splash of Irish cream, creme de menthe or even bourbon can take your go-to pudding recipe to a new place.

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    Swap out the milk for something creamier

    If you’re using a boxed mix that calls for milk, you can make the mix taste more homemade by subbing in another ingredient like evaporated milk or canned coconut milk. These substitutions will make the pudding even creamier.

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    Always use a whisk

    While it can be tempting to break out Nana’s wooden spoon to make an old-fashioned recipe like pudding, stick with a whisk instead (it’s what any nana would recommend). Whisking the ingredients will prevent any clumps from forming. The last thing you want in a creamy pudding is to find a lump of flour or cornstarch.

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    Don’t skimp on the toppings

    Yes, homemade pudding is a delicious treat all on its own, but you can make this treat even more indulgent by topping it with a few extras. Fresh whipped cream is a great place to start, but you can level up this old-fashioned dessert with crushed candies, chopped nuts or cookie crumbles.

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    Take your time

    When it comes to tapioca pudding, you’ll need to plan a bit in advance. Tapioca pearls need to soak and soften up before you start whisking up your other ingredients. You can do this by soaking the pearls in water for 12 hours or use your slow cooker like in this tapioca pudding recipe.

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    Dark Chocolate Espresso Tapioca Pudding Recipe photo by Taste of Home

    Recycle your butter wrappers

    To prevent a film from developing on top of your pudding while it chills, many recipes recommend pressing a bit of waxed paper or plastic wrap onto the pudding. But if you really want to do it the grandma way, be thrifty! Press a butter wrapper onto the surface as it chills instead.

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    8 Secret Tricks Grandma NEVER Skipped When Making Pudding (7)

    Taste of Home

    Resist the urge to stir

    Once your pudding is set and chilling in the fridge, you’re done stirring. Nope, don’t even give it a swirl before serving up in dessert dishes. Extra stirring after the fact will loosen up the rich texture of the pudding that you worked so hard to create.

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    Use leftovers for other desserts

    If you’ve got leftover pudding, but not enough to serve the whole fam, don’t scrap it! Use pudding to make other yummy desserts like parfaits, trifles or mini layered treats like this layered chocolate pudding.

    Originally Published: May 08, 2021

    Author

    Lisa Kaminski

    Lisa is a former editor of Taste of Home and a fantastic baker. During her tenure, she poured her love of all things sweet (and sometimes savory) into Taste of Home’s Bakeable community. She also tested ingredients and kitchen gear. Today, Lisa continues to share her passion for baking and embroidery on her blog Cabin in the City.

    8 Secret Tricks Grandma NEVER Skipped When Making Pudding (2024)

    FAQs

    How to improve boxed instant pudding? ›

    Upgrade your instant pudding by layering it with a sweet topping. Put a dollop of whipped cream on top for a creamy taste with minimal effort. Or, place fresh fruit on top for an elaborate display. Use fruits like strawberries, raspberries or sliced banana for the best flavor combos.

    What can I add to pudding to make it better? ›

    Yes, homemade pudding is a delicious treat all on its own, but you can make this treat even more indulgent by topping it with a few extras. Fresh whipped cream is a great place to start, but you can level up this old-fashioned dessert with crushed candies, chopped nuts or cookie crumbles.

    Why does pudding form a skin? ›

    A thin, dry “skin” forms on the surface of puddings because as the mixture is heated, two things happen: Water evaporates, and proteins and sugar become more concentrated. Together, this results in a dry barrier on the liquid's surface.

    Can you use evaporated milk instead of milk in pudding mix? ›

    Tips. You can substitute 3 cups regular milk for evaporated milk if you want to deviate and make regular plain pudding.

    Can I use condensed milk instead of milk for pudding? ›

    Add condensed milk and water and stir to combine. Use medium low heat and stir regularly until cit begins to thicken. Once it starts to thicken, stir constantly until it begins to boil/bubble. Allow pudding to cook for one more minute after it first begins to boil/bubble.

    How to jazz up pudding mix? ›

    My personal all time favorite is to add chunks or slices of bananas into the pudding and adding either whole or crushed vanilla wafer cookies. It adds texture and flavor. You could also add chunks of or shaved chocolate, to imitate the flavor of chocolate covered bananas.

    How to make instant pudding richer? ›

    Make pudding from a boxed mix creamier by using richer types of milk, such as whole milk, condensed milk, evaporated milk, or something else. You can also give your pudding a refresh by using coconut milk, which will slightly alter the taste of any type of pudding flavor while offering a smooth texture.

    Which ingredient causes the pudding to thicken? ›

    It typically contains milk or cream, although there are non-dairy puddings made with plant-based "milk." Pudding is similar to custard in that they both can contain eggs and milk, but pudding is usually thickened with a starch, whereas custard is thickened by the eggs.

    What is traditionally hidden in pudding? ›

    The Christmas pudding coin

    Adding silver coins into plum pudding is a fun Christmas tradition. The notion being that whoever finds the coin will have good luck. The tradition may date as far back as early as the 1300s when several small items like dried peas and chicken wishbones were added to the pudding mixture.

    Is pudding good or bad for you? ›

    If you're watching calories, you want to steer away from regular pudding. Pudding has high calories that lead to weight gain. However, you can eat a fat free variety instead of a dry mix type. Although pudding has both good and bad nutrition, it can be a healthy dish if you make it with fat free milk.

    Why is black pudding a thing? ›

    History and recipes

    Blood puddings are often considered to be one of the oldest forms of sausage. Animals are generally bled at slaughter, and as blood rapidly spoils unless prepared in some way, making a pudding with it is one of the easiest ways of ensuring it does not go to waste.

    What would be the best thickening ingredient for puddings? ›

    • Cornstarch. Cornstarch is the most common thickening agent used in the industry. ...
    • Pre-gelatinized Starches. Pre-gelatinized starches are mixed with sugar and then added to the water or juice. ...
    • Arrowroot. ...
    • Agar-Agar. ...
    • Algin (Sodium Alginate) ...
    • Gelatin. ...
    • Gum Arabic or Acacia. ...
    • Gum Tragacanth.

    What to do when your pudding is too runny? ›

    If your pudding is too thin, you may thicken it by adding cornstarch. To properly thicken instant pudding with almond milk, but you don't want to use cornstarch, you need to add a quarter cup more of the powdered pudding mix than in the original recipe.

    Why didn't my homemade pudding thicken? ›

    However, you can add, if, if your rice pudding di or vanilla pudding didn't thicken it is not only because of the kind of milk you used, you generally you need to use some kind of a starch, either arrow root or corn starch.

    How to make instant pudding smooth? ›

    You need to warm up the milk on in the stove Before it boils put on medium low and start whisking in the pudding mix.do so slowly. after which you can use the electric mixer for a very smooth consistency!

    How to get instant pudding to set? ›

    Pour the pudding into a bowl and place in the fridge for 5 minutes. The pudding may seem thin, but will thicken as it cools. Once the 5 minutes are up, take a spoon and gingerly stick it into the pudding. If it hasn't set, leave the pudding in the fridge a while longer.

    What is a substitute for instant pudding mix? ›

    The alternative mix is simply 1 part cornstarch to 2 parts fine sugar, plus 1 part vanilla. I used 1 TBSP. of cornstarch and 2 TBSP. of sugar.

    How do you keep instant pudding from getting watery? ›

    To avoid runny pudding, make sure the amount of water does not exceed the amount stated in the serving suggestion, even reduce it slightly from what is specified. For example, the water listed on the package is 500 ml, so Elmer Lovers just add 400 ml of water. This is to keep the pudding from containing too much water.

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