Creamy Vanilla Bean Pudding with Cinnamon Whipped Cream
This homemade vanilla bean pudding is smooth, creamy and filled with rich vanilla flavour. Whole milk, whipping cream and egg yolks give it a soft, custard-like texture, while vanilla bean paste adds those lovely little vanilla flecks. Serve the pudding in individual dessert bowls or chill it in one large serving bowl, then finish it with fluffy whipped cream and a light dusting of cinnamon.
Equipment
- Medium heavy-bottomed saucepan
- Medium heat-safe mixing bowl
- Whisk
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Ladle or heatproof measuring cup
- Fine-mesh sieve, optional
- Rubber spatula
- Electric hand mixer or stand mixer
- Mixing bowl for whipped cream
- Individual dessert bowls or one large serving bowl
- plastic wrap
- Piping bag and star tip, optional
Ingredients
Vanilla Bean Pudding
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- ¾ cup granulated sugar
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 egg yolks large
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 2 teaspoons vanilla bean paste
- ½ teaspoon vanilla extract pure
Cinnamon Whipped Cream
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream cold
- 2 tablespoons icing sugar
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract pure
- Ground cinnamon for dusting
- Cinnamon sticks optional garnish
Instructions
Combine the dry ingredients.
- Add the granulated sugar, cornstarch and salt to a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan. Whisk until evenly combined. Breaking up the cornstarch now makes it easier to get a smooth pudding later.
Add the milk and cream.
- Slowly pour in the whole milk and heavy whipping cream while whisking. Continue whisking until the cornstarch has dissolved and no dry lumps remain.
Whisk the egg yolks.
- Place the egg yolks in a medium heat-safe bowl and whisk until smooth. Set aside while you begin cooking the pudding.
Heat the pudding mixture.
- Place the saucepan over medium heat. Cook for about 5 to 7 minutes, whisking frequently, until the mixture is hot and steaming. Scrape the whisk along the bottom and into the corners of the saucepan so the milk does not catch.
Temper the egg yolks.
- Slowly ladle about 1 cup of the hot milk mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly. Add it gradually. This warms the yolks without scrambling them.
Cook until thickened.
- Pour the warmed egg mixture back into the saucepan. Reduce the heat to medium-low and cook, whisking constantly, until the vanilla bean pudding thickens and a few slow bubbles rise to the surface, about 4 to 6 minutes.
Cook for one additional minute.
- Once the pudding begins bubbling, continue cooking for 1 minute while whisking. This helps activate the cornstarch and removes any raw starch flavour.
Add the butter and vanilla.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat. Stir in the unsalted butter, vanilla bean paste and pure vanilla extract until the butter has melted and the pudding looks smooth and glossy.
Strain if needed.
- For an especially silky homemade pudding, pour it through a fine-mesh sieve. This is optional, but it quickly removes any small lumps or cooked pieces of egg.
Portion and chill.
- Divide the pudding between 6 to 8 individual dessert bowls or pour it into one large serving bowl for a family-style dessert. Press plastic wrap directly against the surface to prevent a skin from forming.
Refrigerate.
- Chill the pudding for at least 3 hours, or overnight, until cold and softly set. It will look a little loose while warm but thickens considerably as it cools.
Prepare the vanilla whipped cream.
- Place the cold whipping cream, icing sugar and vanilla extract in a chilled mixing bowl. Beat with an electric mixer until soft to medium peaks form. Keep it fluffy rather than beating it until stiff.
Decorate and serve.
- Spoon or pipe the whipped cream over the chilled vanilla pudding. Dust lightly with ground cinnamon and garnish with cinnamon sticks, if desired.
For the smoothest homemade vanilla bean pudding, keep whisking as the mixture thickens and scrape along the bottom and corners of the saucepan. Once you see a few slow bubbles, cook for 1 more minute, then remove it from the heat so the pudding stays creamy instead of becoming too thick.
Notes
- Use whole milk and heavy whipping cream for the richest, creamiest homemade vanilla bean pudding. Lower-fat milk will work, but the texture will be lighter and less luxurious.
- Whisk the sugar, cornstarch and salt together before adding the liquid. This helps distribute the cornstarch evenly and reduces the chance of small lumps forming.
- Cook the pudding over medium to medium-low heat. It may look thin for several minutes, then suddenly begin to thicken. Keep whisking, especially along the bottom and around the edges of the saucepan.
- Temper the egg yolks slowly by adding the hot milk mixture in a gradual stream while whisking constantly. This keeps the yolks smooth and prevents scrambled egg pieces in the pudding.
- Once the pudding produces a few slow bubbles, cook it for 1 additional minute. This fully activates the cornstarch and helps the vanilla pudding set properly as it chills.
- The pudding will still look slightly soft while warm. Do not add extra cornstarch. It thickens noticeably after a few hours in the refrigerator.
- Vanilla bean paste gives this creamy vanilla pudding recipe a deeper flavour and the small vanilla flecks shown in the finished dessert. The added vanilla extract rounds out the flavour without making it overpowering.
- For an especially silky texture, pour the cooked pudding through a fine-mesh sieve before transferring it to the serving dishes. This step only takes a minute and removes any tiny lumps.
- Divide the pudding between individual dessert bowls for an elegant presentation, or pour it into one large serving bowl for an easy family-style dessert.
- Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface before chilling to prevent a pudding skin from forming.
- Chill the homemade pudding for at least 3 hours, although overnight chilling gives the best texture and makes this an easy make-ahead dessert.
- Add the whipped cream and cinnamon shortly before serving. A light dusting is enough—the cinnamon should complement the vanilla bean flavour, not cover it.
Nutrition
Serving: 1servingCalories: 536kcalCarbohydrates: 38gProtein: 8gFat: 40gSaturated Fat: 24gPolyunsaturated Fat: 2gMonounsaturated Fat: 10gTrans Fat: 0.2gCholesterol: 244mgSodium: 172mgPotassium: 275mgFiber: 0.04gSugar: 34gVitamin A: 1654IUVitamin C: 0.5mgCalcium: 220mgIron: 0.4mg
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