MATT TAYLOR-GROSS
Recipes

Our 14 Best Pudding and Custard Recipes For A Simple Make-Ahead Sweet Treat

From dark chocolate pudding to orange flan, 17 ways to make the most of dairy and eggs

There are some magic duos in the the food world: eggs and cheese, chocolate and peanut butter, and one of our personal favorites, cream and sugar. Whether you throw in some eggs and bake the mixture into a rich, creamy custard or put it on the stove and stir in some rice, it's nearly impossible to go wrong with the combination of dairy and sugar. Here are our favorite ways to capitalize on the magic.

Lavender Rice Pudding with Pears
Lavender Rice Pudding with Pears

Lavender and delicately floral Bosc pears complement each other in this rich rice pudding, made fluffy and light with whipped cream. Get the recipe for Lavender Rice Pudding with Pears »

Spotted Dick with Custard Sauce
Spotted Dick with Custard Sauce

Thick dreamy custard is spooned over dense currant-laden steamed pudding in this classic English dessert.

Fermented Banana Chocolate Pudding

Though this recipe takes some advanced planning (you need to allow around 2 weeks for the bananas to ferment), it’s well worth the wait. The fermented, sweet tang of bananas blends with bitter chocolate for a tropical spin on the classic pudding. It’s easier, too, as the pudding is set with gelatin rather than egg yolks, which also lets the banana flavor shine through. Get the recipe for Fermented Banana Chocolate Pudding »

Though this recipe takes some advanced planning (you need to allow around 2 weeks for the bananas to ferment), it's well worth the wait. The fermented, sweet tang of bananas blends with bitter chocolate for a tropical spin on the classic pudding. It's easier, too, as the pudding is set with gelatin rather than egg yolks, which also lets the banana flavor shine through.

Note: If you want to ferment and puree more bananas than this recipe needs, the three bananas called for in this recipe should yield 1 1/4 cups of puree. Combine that with your half-and-half and reserve the rest for another day.

Indian Rice Pudding

This traditional cardamom-scented Indian rice pudding owes its particular richness to the inclusion of whole milk, which has been reduced by half during the cooking process to produce a thick, creamy base.

Persimmon Pudding

Eva Powell, a former elementary-school librarian in Mitchell, Indiana, has won the town’s pudding contest five times with her recipe for persimmon pudding with a crispy, cake-like crust.

Sevaya Kheer (Vermicelli Milk Pudding)
Sevaya Kheer (Vermicelli Milk Pudding)

Home cook Yamini Joshi gave us the recipe for this Punjabi dessert of cardamom-spiced milk bolstered by toasted vermicelli noodles, dried fruit, and nuts.

Tamil-Style Sweet Rice Pudding

Sakkarai Pongal, Tamil-Style Rice Pudding »

Maple Pot de Crème
Maple Pot de Crème

Creamy custard sweetened with maple syrup makes a lovely ending to any meal. Get the recipe for Maple Pot de Crème »

Banana Pudding
Banana Pudding

Custard, vanilla wafers, and bananas are layered and topped with whipped cream in our version of the classic Southern dessert. Get the recipe for Banana Pudding »

Butterscotch Pudding
Butterscotch Pudding

In 2007, chef Nancy Silverton put an Italian spin on this dessert, calling it a “budino” and topping it with caramel sauce and fleur de sel. Call it what you will, it is still, at its core, everything we’ve always loved about butterscotch pudding.

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