My hubs and son are big fans of pudding. Smooth, creamy and dreamy, plus it keeps great in the fridge! I also tell myself it’s got a lot of protein which is good for the kiddos. I don’t talk to myself about the sugar in it. My self doesn’t have time for that kind of judgment in her life. That’s also why my self has sworn off jeans for the next couple months, but I digress.
I suppose if you want to get technical, this is actually a custard, but to me, Vanilla Spice Custard doesn’t sound as appealing as Vanilla Spice Pudding. Either way, this recipe is like eating a creamy gingerbread cookie! J’adore all the spice and texture! It’s also lovely because it can be make-ahead, just hold off on the toppings until right before you serve!
It was so cute to watch Cal eat this for the first time! I wish I had it on video. He took a tiny, cautious bite, and then another bigger bite, and then he didn’t come up for air until it was gone. Pure. Gratification.
You will need…
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3 TBS cornstarch
- 1/2 tsp salt
- 4 egg yolks
- 3 cups milk
- 2 TBS butter
- 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract
- 1 cinnamon stick
- 1/2 tsp cinnamon
- 1/2 tsp ginger
- 1/4 tsp allspice
- 1 1/2 cups crushed gingersnaps
- whipped cream for topping
- 1 toffee bar, chopped for topping
- assorted sprinkles for topping
Pour the milk into a medium saucepan, drop in the cinnamon stick to steep, and heat it up stirring occasionally until heated through and just bubbling around the edges.
In the meantime, whisk together the eggs, sugar and cornstarch in a medium mixing bowl. Whisk it together until is a light butter color.
When the milk is hot, pour about half a cup into the egg mixture and whisk it in quickly, repeat the process two more times until you have tempered the eggs and they’re heated through, but not in danger of scrambling.
Pour the entire egg mixture into the saucepan and return to the stove, whisking frequently. Add in the ginger, cinnamon, allspice and vanilla. and stir until it’s nice and thick and coats the back of a spoon. It should only take about five minutes. Plop in the butter for added velvety-ness. Remove and discard the cinnamon stick.
Crush the ginger snaps in a plastic bag with a rolling pin and spoon about 2 tablespoons in the bottom of pudding cup, or bowl if that’s what you’re using. Top with desired amount of pudding. Cover each individual cup with plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding, and cool in the fridge for 2 hours, then top with whipped cream, chopped toffee and sprinkles! Yields 5-6 servings.
Here is a handy printable!
Highbrow Downhome 