|
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.
|
