Making pudding at home is simple, comforting, and surprisingly satisfying. Follow these easy step-by-step instructions and you’ll get a perfectly smooth, creamy pudding every time.
Start with a medium saucepan (about 1.5 quarts). Stainless steel works best, but avoid very thick-bottomed ones.
Take a 2-cup (about 16 fl oz) carton of milk. Pour about 1 2/3 cups (400 ml) into the saucepan. You can eyeball it or measure it using a measuring cup.
Place the saucepan on medium heat (stovetop, electric, or gas). Heat the milk until it’s warm but not boiling—small bubbles should just begin to form on the surface.
In a separate small bowl (about 1 cup capacity), add the pudding powder. Mix in 2 tablespoons of sugar and stir well while dry.
Pour in the remaining 1/3 cup (100 ml) of milk at room temperature. Stir carefully until the mixture becomes smooth and lump-free.
Now take the bowl in one hand and a wooden spoon in the other. Slowly pour the mixture into the warm milk while stirring constantly.
Set the bowl aside. Hold the saucepan handle (use a towel—it’s hot), and continue stirring firmly. Keep stirring non-stop as the pudding thickens. The thicker it gets, the stronger you need to stir.
Cook until it starts to bubble with thick “plop” sounds—like a gentle volcano. That means it’s ready.
Make sure the heat is not too high, or the pudding will stick to the bottom and burn.
Pour the pudding into a serving bowl. If you want to avoid a skin forming on top, stir it every minute or two while it cools.
Guaranteed success.
Note: This pudding is not suitable for filling cakes—extra steps are needed for that. If you’re interested, that can be explained too.
