For all the kids and kids at heart

If you have never made pudding from scratch I highly recommend it. Homemade pudding is pretty quick and simple to make (except for the cooling time, unless you don’t mind eating it somewhat warm like I do), and fairly healthy for a sweet treat, especially compared to the box variety and far tastier. I have reduced the sugar for this recipe, and actually think it could be dropped a little more. We enjoyed our vanilla pudding with sliced peaches, but it would be just as good with strawberries or plums. This recipe includes directions for making it chocolate, which would be even better with the 1/2 cup sugar. (I am going to try it with 1/3 cup next time I make the vanilla.)

From Marthastewart.com
1/4 cup Cornstarch

1/4 tsp Salt (I use 1/2 tsp)

1/3 cup Unsweetened Cocoa Powder (if you are making the chocolate pudding)

2.5 cups of Milk

4 large Eatwell Farm Egg Yolks

2 TB unsalted Butter, cut into pieces

1 tsp Vanilla Extract

Place a fine-mesh sieve over a medium bowl; set aside (I am far too lazy for this step, so I never do it. And really I don’t find that my pudding is lumpy). In a medium saucepan, off heat, whisk together sugar, cornstarch and salt. If making chocolate pudding, add cocoa powder. Very gradually (a few tablespoons at a time) whisk in milk, taking care to dissolve cornstarch. Whisk in egg yolks. Whisking constantly, cook over medium heat until the first large bubble forms and sputters. Reduce heat to low; still whisking, cook 1 minute. Remove from heat’ immediately pour through sieve into bowl. Stir butter and vanilla into hot pudding. Place plastic wrap directly on surface of pudding (to prevent skin from forming); chill at least 3 hours and up to 3 days. Before serving, whisk pudding until smooth; divide among four serving dishes.