Preparing Pudding

A simple custard made with sweetened, cooked milk and eggs, pudding has a creamy consistency that's supremely comforting. When made with rice or bread, it is known as rice pudding or bread pudding. When preparing pudding, remove immediately from the heat and whisk vigorously when it begins to curdle. By whisking vigorously, it will help to work out the clumps. To get a smooth texture with a finished pudding, press it through a fine-mesh sieve. And when a pudding has been burned on the bottom, simply transfer it to a new pan, leaving the burned bottom behind.

To crisp up a soggy crust on bread pudding, sprinkle it with sugar and place it under a broiler to caramelize the sugar. Occasionally, bread pudding can be dried and overcooked. When that happened, pour warm milk or cream over the pudding and warm it in the oven to rescue it. You can also mask the dryness by serving it with ice cream, a generous dollop of whipped cream, a warm fruit sauce, or caramel sauce.

Speeding up the cooling process could be achieved by transferring the pudding from the hot saucepan into a bowl or other container. To cool it even faster, spread pudding in a rimmed baking sheet. The more exposed surface, the quicker it will cool.

You can also flavor rice pudding. Simmer 6 to 8 whole cardamom pods in the milk before making your favorite rice pudding recipe. Remove the pods before serving. Also, choose a short-grain rice, which will create a creamier consistency.

To flavor bread pudding, add thinly sliced apples and dabs of apple butter to your favorite bread pudding. Bake as usual (in a hot water bath is best). You can also replace traditional bread with leftover quick breads such as pancakes, muffins, scones or biscuits.