Instant Pudding?

Well, I have to admit I'm not generally a fan of anything "instant" or "quick" when it comes to food. Oatmeal and pudding are two foods that come to mind. I'm a purist when it comes to using either rolled or steel-cut oats. I prefer the "whole" grain in its unadulterated form for both taste and texture. Equally, instant pudding was an unlikely choice for dessert.

My wife just returned from a four-day business trip & really wanted to indulge in the comforts of home. This included my "special" tuna salad, which I will save for another blog, and dessert. Now, she was really in the mood for cookies, but we had none. I considered whipping up a quick batch of sugar cookies, but we really needed something a little more immediate. So, while perusing our pantry, I discovered a box of Jell-O brand instant French Vanilla pudding. We love pudding, especially warm pudding on a cold winter's day.

Frankly, I had never made instant pudding, so I had never read the instructions. I assumed the milk would still need to be boiled and that the pudding would just set-up "instantly" with less fuss. To my surprise, the instructions simply read, mix two cups COLD milk with pudding mix. Whisk for five minutes and let set for five more.

Now this is where the foodie in me approached this particular task. I am fully capable of whisking something for five minutes. I love using a whisk to make whipped cream by hand. After searching for a whisk in our kitchen drawers, I could not find one. Instead, I found our hand-beater and got an idea. I combined the milk and mix in a bowl and began to beat the ingredients with all of the hand-power and enthusiasm I could devote to this task. The mixture began to froth. That gave me another idea. I wanted light and airy pudding.

After five minutes, the mixture was frothy and viscous. I transferred it to four small clear glass dishes to set.

It just so happens that I own another nifty gadget from the Microplane company. They make a special nutmeg greater. Freshly grated nutmeg is sublime. The dessert was topped with a pinch of fresh nutmeg and a sprinkling of coarse turbinado sugar (like Sugar in the Raw).

With three small steps, instant pudding was elevated to a masterful dessert. The frothy hand-mixed pudding preserved the airy texture. Freshly grated nutmeg added a gourmet touch. Finally, the turbinado topping added crunchy texture and bursts of sweet flavor.

In ten minutes a simple pantry item was elevated to gourmet status. My wife was happy with this new found treat & I will now add this to my repertoire of quick and easy desserts.

Side Note On Spices

Use a light hand with nutmeg, clove and cardamom; it is easy to overwhelm dishes with these flavors, so subtle hints are best. Many people do not like the strong flavor of clove. I often add trace amounts (literally enough to fit on the tip of a sharp knife) to dishes that call for cinnamon. A little clove adds nuance. Most clove-haters can't tell it's there and like the results.

Postscript: Carbon Footprint

My sister recently sent me a card that had the following caption on the front: Cinderella couldn't help but wonder about her carbon footprint. I made a comment to my wife that I reduced my carbon footprint by using a hand mixer to make our pudding.

After recently watching a Nova special about green energy in California, I was inspired to reflect on even the smallest tasks that both reduce our carbon footprint and contribute to renewable energy. I am delighted to use hand-power in the kitchen as much as possible. It may take longer, but it is fun, it burns calories, and cleanup is usually a lot easier (compared to a food processor or electric mixer). So, out of a humorous card and help from public television, I was inspired to do my part.