Mexican Vanilla Pudding Recipes

Steps:

• In medium saucepan over medium heat, heat milk until bubbles form at edges. In a bowl, combine sugar, cornstarch and salt. Pour into hot milk, a little at a time, stirring to dissolve. Continue to cook and stir until mixture thickens enough to coat the back of a metal spoon. Do not boil. Remove from heat, stir in vanilla and butter. Pour into serving dishes. Chill before serving.

Steps:

• Place 2 cups milk and salt in a saucepan. Sprinkle sugar on milk and do not stir; heat over medium-high. Quickly combine cornstarch with remaining milk; add egg yolks and mix well. When milk comes to a full boil, remove saucepan from the heat and stir in cornstarch mixture. Pudding will begin to thicken. Return to the heat and cook for 1 minute. Remove from the heat; stir in vanilla and butter. Pour into individual dishes. Serve warm.

Steps:

• Add the apple, onion, piloncillo, cinnamon, cloves, salt and 1 whole peeled banana to a medium pot. Depending on what type of bread you are using, add 6 cups water (if using bolillos or birotes) or 7 cups (if using a dense baguette) to the pot. Cover and bring to a boil, then turn to medium-low to simmer for 15 minutes, until the piloncillo has dissolved and the liquid becomes fragrant. Turn off the heat and let steep for 5 minutes.
• Pour the liquid through a strainer or colander, reserving the liquid and discarding the solids. Thinly slice the remaining 2 bananas and set aside.
• Grease a 9-by-13-inch baking dish with the butter, and line the bottom of the dish with a half of the bread cubes. (You'll need enough to cover the bottom of the dish in one layer.) Layer on half the sliced bananas, raisins, almonds and cheese. Ladle half of the liquid over the first layer until completely coated.
• Add another layer with the remaining bread, banana, raisins, almonds and cheese, then use the remaining liquid to coat the top layer. Gently press down on the bread to make sure it fully absorbs the liquid.
• Cover the baking dish with aluminum foil and allow the capirotada to sit in the refrigerator for at least 1 hour so the bread fully absorbs most of the liquid.
• Heat oven to 350 degrees. Add the capirotada, still covered with foil, and bake for 30 minutes. Remove the foil and bake for another 15 to 20 minutes, until the top layer lightly browns.
• Remove from the oven and let the capirotada rest for 20 minutes before serving so it fully sets. Serve with more almond slices.

Steps:

• Prepare an ice bath; set aside. In a small bowl, combine cornstarch, 2 tablespoons sugar, and salt. Whisk eggs in a separate bowl until smooth; whisk in cornstarch mixture.
• Combine milk, remaining sugar, and vanilla-bean scrapings in a medium saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Slowly pour milk into egg mixture, whisking constantly.
• Return mixture to saucepan set over medium-high heat. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Remove pan from heat, and transfer mixture to a medium heat-proof bowl.
• Whisk in butter and vanilla extract. Set bowl in ice bath, stirring occasionally, until chilled. Serve pudding with chocolate shavings on top, if desired.

Steps:

• 1. In a heavy medium nonreactive saucepan, mix 1/2 cup of the sugar with the cornstarch and salt. Stir in the egg yolks until blended, and gradually whisk in the milk. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly, and cook until thickened, about 6 to 8 minutes. 2. Remove from the heat and stir in the sherry and the vanilla. Transfer to a bowl. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing it directly on the surface of the pudding to prevent a skin from forming on top. Refrigerate until cold, at least 2 hours. (Natillas will have a creamy soft consistency.) Spoon into small dessert bowls and serve cold. Garnish, if desired. Pudding keeps, covered and refrigerated, up to 3 days.From "1,000 Mexican Recipes." Copyright 2001 by Marge Poore. Used with permission of the publisher, Wiley Publishing, Inc. All Rights Reserved.