Recipe: Vanilla Pudding

Makes 4 cup, 4 to 6 servings

3/4 cup granulated sugar

2 tablespoons cornstarch

1/8 teaspoon salt

3 1/2 cups half-and-half

3 large egg yolks

1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1 tablespoon vanilla

Whipped cream for garnish, if desired

1. Combine sugar, cornstarch and salt in a medium saucepan. Slowly whisk in half-and-half and then yolks.

2. Bring mixture to a simmer over medium-high heat, whisking gently but constantly and scraping bottom and sides of pan. Reduce heat to medium and cook, stirring constantly until pudding is thick and coats the back of a spoon.

3. Strain pudding through a fine-mesh strainer into a bowl, scraping the inside of the strainer with a rubber spatula to pass the pudding through. Stir butter and vanilla into pudding until butter is melted.

4. Press plastic wrap directly on the surface to prevent a skin from forming and refrigerate until set, about 3 hours. (Pudding can be covered tightly with plastic wrap and refrigerated up to 2 days, but stir briskly before serving.) Served with whipped cream for garnish, if desired.