Gluten Free

Dessert, Dairy Free, Gluten Free, Summer

Caramel Pudding

When I tell friends I’m living in a hotel for the summer I am often met with oohs and aahs, cooing jealousy over the blasting air conditioning and pools and hot tubs that are all too lacking from daily life in NYC apartment buildings. Well kiddos, it’s my turn to ooze lament.

I DO NOT HAVE AN OVEN.
NO OVEN=NO BAKING
NO BAKING=NO DESSERT

At least, that was my initial fear. After living without cookies and cakes for a few weeks I scoured my brain for summertime stovetop sweets. And what did I see in the murky depth of my mind? A nice cool bowl of glossy thick pudding. Yes friends, pudding is the ultimate hot weather, no-oven-needed dessert, and if you think it’s hard to make, just watch the video above for a snappy tutorial.

Make a batch, dive in, cool off, chill out.
Deal?

Caramel Pudding
Inspired by the dear Smitten Kitchen

Business

  • ⅔ cup Sugar (Cane, Palm or Maple)
  • ¼ cup Cornstarch (or Tapioca Starch)
  • ¼ teaspoon Salt
  • 3 ½ cups Coconut Milk
  • 1 Egg Yolk
  • 2 tablespoons Whiskey


Party

  1. Pour the sugar in the bottom of a heavy saucepan over low heat. Let the sugar cook down into a nice golden caramel, slowly and without too much fussing about. Caramel will make itself if you let it.
  2. When the sugar is nice a burbly-brown, whisk in the cornstarch and salt.
  3. Keeping the heat low, pour in the coconut milk while whisking. If the sugar seizes up, fret not. Keep whisking, it will slowly melt into the milk and lend its golden hue to the pudding.
  4. Continue to whisk the pudding over low-medium heat for 10-15 minutes, or until the milk has thickened and you can see the trail of tines left by each flick of your whisk.
  5. Add one egg yolk and whisk immediately to avoid chunky bits of scrambled egg floating around your pudding. When the pudding has thickened enough to heavily coat the back of a spoon, turn off the heat.
  6. Pour in the whiskey (with the heat off ) and whisk until the heaviest breath of alcohol has burned off and you’re left with the delirious scent of spirited pudding.
  7. Pour the pudding into a dish (if you’re worried about lumps, pass it through a sieve on the way to the dish) and place plastic wrap along its surface to prevent any skin from forming. Put the dish in the fridge for at least 1 hour to chill.
  8. Have a pudding party.