Once it begins to thicken, continue stirring for about 1-2 minutes until it reaches your desired pudding consistency. Remove the saucepan from the heat and stir in the butter and vanilla extract. Stir until the butter has melted completely, adding an extra luxurious touch to the pudding. At this point, I often find myself sneaking a taste—it’s deliciously sweet and fragrant!
Next, transfer the pudding into a mixing bowl or serving dishes. If you want to avoid a skin forming on the top, you can lay a piece of plastic wrap directly over the surface of the pudding before it cools. This saves the creamy perfection for when you’re ready to serve it. Once it’s cooled down a bit, pop it in the fridge for a couple of hours to fully set up.
When it’s time to serve, you can enjoy this creamy vanilla pudding straight from the bowl or dress it up with whipped cream, berries, or chocolate shavings for an extra special treat. Each creamy spoonful is bound to bring a smile to your face!
Pro Tips for Best Results
I tested this recipe three ways with different types of milk to see what worked best, and I can confidently say that whole milk yields the richest flavor. You might be tempted to use skim or low-fat milk, but trust me—this dessert is all about that creamy decadence!
Another tip: if you find that your pudding isn’t thickening as much as you’d like, it might just need a bit more cooking time. Just keep whisking and watching for that perfect consistency, which should be both creamy and just thick enough to hold its shape.
Lastly, don’t skip on the vanilla extract! The quality of the vanilla makes a huge difference in flavor. I prefer using pure vanilla extract instead of artificial ones—it’s worth every drop for that lovely aromatic finish!
Common Mistakes to Avoid
One mistake I made early on was not whisking enough at the beginning. When you first combine the dry ingredients with the milk, if you don’t whisk it smoothly, you could end up with lumps in your pudding. Believe me, no one wants lumpy pudding, so take your time to whisk thoroughly! (See the next page below to continue…)