Simply Delicious Vanilla Pudding

Four half-cup servings

• 2 cups whole milk, divided
• 2 large egg yolks
• 1/2 cup granulated sugar
• 3 tablespoons cornstarch
• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
• 1 teaspoon unsalted butter

Directions

Place the egg yolks, sugar, cornstarch and 1/2 cup of milk together in a medium bowl. Mix together until well combined. Set aside.

Heat 1 1/2 cups of milk in a saucepan over medium heat until it steams. Carefully pour about half of the hot milk into the egg mixture, stirring constantly with a whisk. Return the pan to the heat and pour the egg mixture into the pan with the remaining milk, continuing to stir with the whisk.

Keep cooking the mixture, stirring constantly, until the mixture comes to a boil. This takes about 15 minutes on my electric stove. Continue cooking and stirring for three minutes more. The pudding will have thickened nicely at this point.

Remove the pudding from the heat. Stir in the butter and vanilla until well combined. Cover the pudding with plastic wrap, pushing the plastic onto the surface of the pudding to keep it from forming a skin. Chill until serving time.

Remove the plastic wrap and stir the pudding before serving. Garnish as you wish.