# Does anyone cooking pudding from scratch anymore? **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [January 23, 2012, 11:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-cooking-pudding-from-scratch-anymore/610444 "2012-01-23T23:18:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Rushgeekgirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rushgeekgirl/32/3715_2.png) [@Rushgeekgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rushgeekgirl)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 2:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-cooking-pudding-from-scratch-anymore/610444/21 "2012-01-24T02:49:32Z")
I make mine from scratch. Usually vanilla to use with banana pudding (with the cookies and sliced bananas). Sometimes I just enjoy a little warm vanilla or rice pudding for dessert. ---
**Author:** ![BeaMyra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/2bfe46/32.png) [@BeaMyra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BeaMyra)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 8:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-cooking-pudding-from-scratch-anymore/610444/22 "2012-01-24T08:25:14Z")
Pudding and custard you can actually make in a rice cooker. And it’s so easy. It does take a bit of timing and trial and error to get it right though. ---
**Author:** ![sandra\_nz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/eada6e/32.png) [@sandra\_nz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sandra_nz)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 8:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-cooking-pudding-from-scratch-anymore/610444/23 "2012-01-24T08:48:38Z")
If you can find it, there is a British series called ‘[The Great British Bake Off](http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b013pqnm)’ which is a baking competition. It’s not just desserts, it’s slices and biscuits and sweet buns, etc, but it’s very inspiring! ---
**Author:** ![SanVito](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sanvito/32/2805_2.png) [@SanVito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanVito)\ **Post date:** [January 24, 2012, 11:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-cooking-pudding-from-scratch-anymore/610444/24 "2012-01-24T11:16:35Z")
> [@sandra\_nz](#): > > If you can find it, there is a British series called ‘[The Great British Bake Off](http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b013pqnm)’ which is a baking competition. It’s not just desserts, it’s slices and biscuits and sweet buns, etc, but it’s very inspiring! And it has been a massive hit in the UK, much to the surprise of the TV execs. I wouldn’t be surprised if they aren’t touting the format globally, so expect to see a US version some time in the future. ---
**Author:** ![Lissla\_Lissar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8491ac/32.png) [@Lissla\_Lissar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissla_Lissar)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2012, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-cooking-pudding-from-scratch-anymore/610444/25 "2012-01-25T18:26:34Z")
**Left Hand** , I make mac’n’cheese from scratch, too, and I use a simpler recipe- boil pasta, add milk mixed with cornstarch (1 tsp to one cup of milk), cook until it thickens, and then add as much grated cheese as you want. I think it’s usually about two cups in mine. Also goo with peas/bacon/mustard added. It’s very good. I should make some chocolate pudding. And some vanilla. And layer them. I haven’t done it in ages. ---
**Author:** ![TriPolar](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripolar/32/3008_2.png) [@TriPolar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TriPolar)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2012, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-cooking-pudding-from-scratch-anymore/610444/26 "2012-01-25T18:35:29Z")
I’ve made pudding from scratch, and still make custard that way. But for simple starch thickened pudding the mixes are just fine. ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [January 25, 2012, 11:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-cooking-pudding-from-scratch-anymore/610444/27 "2012-01-25T23:48:35Z")
I’ve made the baked custard from the Better Homes and Gardens New Cook Book for years, excellent. Add a few raisins when you pour it into the baking dish. Then I got a hankering for vanilla pudding and just happened to catch the Good Eats banana pudding episode. You can make the banana pudding, or just use the base to flavor with what you have around. I’ve made banana, vanilla, lemon, and chocolate using [This Basic Recipe](http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/refrigerated-banana-pudding-recipe/index.html). Very simple, quick, and delicious. ---
**Author:** ![Pstarr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f19dbf/32.png) [@Pstarr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pstarr)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 12:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-cooking-pudding-from-scratch-anymore/610444/28 "2012-01-26T00:11:26Z")
Yeah, I can’t believe anyone uses the box pudding at all. Just last weekend we made homemade banana pudding using vanilla pudding (with fresh vanilla bean). 1000x times better than the boxed stuff and takes just about as long. One of these days I’m going to get around to making our own vanilla wafers when we make this recipe. We normally cheat and use the yellow boxed Nilla’s, but this last time we were in a hurry and used the vanilla wafers from Trader Joes. Oh man, those babies were a vast improvement! ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 12:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-cooking-pudding-from-scratch-anymore/610444/29 "2012-01-26T00:33:32Z")
I make a homemade butterscotch. I have to hunt up the recipe ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 3:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-cooking-pudding-from-scratch-anymore/610444/30 "2012-01-26T03:48:24Z")
Tapioca! _sigh_ I was deliriously happy for years with Minute Tapioca. Then I found “the real deal.” The only real problem with non-instant tapioca pearls is that you need to soak them overnight. Oh, you haven’t LIVED until you’ve made non-instant tapioca with cream of coconut as part of the milk… _sigh_ ~VOW ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 9:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-cooking-pudding-from-scratch-anymore/610444/31 "2012-01-26T21:15:21Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > I make a homemade butterscotch. I have to hunt up the recipe Difficult to find but I believe [this is it](http://www.gourmet.com/recipes/2000s/2009/02/butterscotch-pudding). Now I need to make it and see. Interesting that I did not notice the first time but a lot of butterscotch pudding recipies use egg (this one doesn’t). Any thoughts on eggs in pudding? ---
**Author:** ![Moonlitherial](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/4bbf92/32.png) [@Moonlitherial](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Moonlitherial)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-cooking-pudding-from-scratch-anymore/610444/32 "2012-01-26T21:32:37Z")
I prefer custards but I make both Chocolate and banana from scratch. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 10:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-cooking-pudding-from-scratch-anymore/610444/33 "2012-01-26T22:32:16Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > Difficult to find but I believe [this is it](http://www.gourmet.com/recipes/2000s/2009/02/butterscotch-pudding). Now I need to make it and see. Interesting that I did not notice the first time but a lot of butterscotch pudding recipies use egg (this one doesn’t). Any thoughts on eggs in pudding? I much prefer it with eggs - it’s the same taste difference as vanilla ice cream vs French vanilla ice cream. Eggs give it a slightly custardy, pastry cream flavor. The cooking directions are slightly different. ---
**Author:** ![Biggirl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/biggirl/32/3294_2.png) [@Biggirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Biggirl)\ **Post date:** [January 26, 2012, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-cooking-pudding-from-scratch-anymore/610444/34 "2012-01-26T23:04:16Z")
I used to make pudding for my kids when they were little. Always vanilla. I found it tasted and felt much better than the boxed stuff. As far as the boxed stuff goes, the instant mix is awful with a strange, metallic aftertaste that makes me wanna spit repeatedly after eating. The add your own milk one is much, much better. ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2012, 12:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-cooking-pudding-from-scratch-anymore/610444/35 "2012-01-27T00:35:51Z")
Instant pudding can suck it. Real pudding is delicious and not at all difficult to make. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2012, 12:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-cooking-pudding-from-scratch-anymore/610444/36 "2012-01-27T00:38:56Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > I much prefer it with eggs - it’s the same taste difference as vanilla ice cream vs French vanilla ice cream. Eggs give it a slightly custardy, pastry cream flavor. The cooking directions are slightly different. Whole or yolks-only? ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2012, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-cooking-pudding-from-scratch-anymore/610444/37 "2012-01-27T01:44:46Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > Whole or yolks-only? It doesn’t matter - use whatever the recipe calls for. The flavor is in the yolks. If it tastes too eggy or not eggy enough for you, just leave out or add an extra yolk the next time. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2012, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-cooking-pudding-from-scratch-anymore/610444/38 "2012-01-27T22:25:17Z")
> [@needscoffee](#): > > It doesn’t matter - use whatever the recipe calls for. The flavor is in the yolks. If it tastes too eggy or not eggy enough for you, just leave out or add an extra yolk the next time. Does the protein in the egg white change the texture? I know moving from whole milk to half and half to cream can make the pudding harder. ---
**Author:** ![Duke\_of\_Rat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Duke\_of\_Rat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duke_of_Rat)\ **Post date:** [January 27, 2012, 10:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-cooking-pudding-from-scratch-anymore/610444/39 "2012-01-27T22:29:50Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > Any thoughts on eggs in pudding? The basic pudding recipe I posted also uses eggs, 2 whole plus a yolk. And cornstarch. You have to be really careful when cooking it, it will go from runny to stiff in just a couple of degrees, but the texture when it’s just right is wonderful. Now I must make butterscotch. ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [January 28, 2012, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-cooking-pudding-from-scratch-anymore/610444/40 "2012-01-28T00:44:33Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > Does the protein in the egg white change the texture? I know moving from whole milk to half and half to cream can make the pudding harder. I don’t know about moving from whole milk to 1/2&1/2 to cream making the texture harder, that has not been my experience, but yes, the egg white can change the texture, more so than the yolk, which has much less stiffening power. You should definitely use a recipe that already calls for eggs, because the cooking process is different than a non-egg pudding recipe. If you think you want to increase the number of eggs, and you want to be extra safe, you can just increase it by one yolk instead. > [@Duke\_of\_Rat](#): > > The basic pudding recipe I posted also uses eggs, 2 whole plus a yolk. And cornstarch. You have to be really careful when cooking it, it will go from runny to stiff in just a couple of degrees, but the texture when it’s just right is wonderful. > > Now I must make butterscotch. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-cooking-pudding-from-scratch-anymore/610444.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/does-anyone-cooking-pudding-from-scratch-anymore/610444.md?page=3)