Paula Deen Honey Pudding

Paula Deen honey pudding takes 2 hours 5 minutes and just milk, honey and egg yolks to make a silky stovetop custard that serves 4. It's an easy make-ahead Southern dessert for potluck, Sunday dinner or church supper, and it's a no-bake treat that needs only one saucepan.

Whisk the custard nonstop while it comes to a boil, then keep it bubbling for a full minute. Skip that minute and the cornstarch never fully thickens, so you end up with a runny pudding instead of a spoonable one.

Paula crowns each serving with crushed honey graham crackers and chopped honey-roasted peanuts, which adds a salty crunch against the smooth custard. Since the pudding chills for 2 hours, it's ready when your guests are, and you only top it right before serving.

Paula Deen Honey Pudding

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Course: DessertCuisine: American, SouthernDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

5

minutes

Cooking time

5

minutes

Calories

260

kcal

Honey sweetens a smooth, spoonable custard that thickens in the fridge under a layer of plastic wrap. Crunchy graham crackers and salty peanuts go on at the end, so every bite has a little contrast.

Ingredients

• 2 cups whole milk
  

• ½ cup honey
  

• 3 egg yolks
  

• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
  

• 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
  

• crushed honey graham crackers
  

• chopped honey-roasted peanuts
  

• fresh mint, for garnish
  

Directions

• Cook the custard: Whisk 2 cups whole milk, 1/2 cup honey, 3 egg yolks and 1 tablespoon cornstarch together in a large, heavy-bottomed saucepan. Bring it to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly, and boil for 1 minute.
• Add the vanilla: Take the pan off the heat, then whisk in 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Doing it off the heat keeps the vanilla flavor bright.
• Cover and chill: Pour the custard into a medium bowl and press plastic wrap right onto the surface so no skin forms. Refrigerate for about 2 hours, until the pudding is thick and cold.
• Top and serve: Spoon the chilled pudding into serving dishes, then sprinkle each one with crushed honey graham crackers and chopped honey-roasted peanuts. Garnish with fresh mint, if you like.

Tools for this recipe

• Cuisinart MultiClad Pro 3-quart saucepan, OXO 11-inch balloon whisk, Pyrex 3-piece glass mixing bowl set, Nielsen-Massey Madagascar Bourbon vanilla extract, 8 oz. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

FAQs

Why did my honey pudding turn out runny?

Most often the custard didn't boil for the full minute, so the cornstarch never activated. Whisk it constantly over medium heat and let it bubble for 60 seconds. It also thickens a lot as it chills, so give it the full 2 hours before judging it.

Can I make honey pudding ahead of time?

Yes, the pudding is made to chill, so you can make it a day ahead and keep it covered in the fridge. Hold off on the graham crackers and peanuts until just before serving, since they go soft if they sit on the custard.

How do I keep a skin from forming on the pudding?

Press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the custard, not just across the top of the bowl. With no air touching it, the skin has nothing to form on, and the pudding stays smooth.

Can I swap the honey-roasted peanuts for something else?

Chopped pecans or regular roasted peanuts work well, though you lose a little of that honey sweetness on top. Plain graham crackers also stand in fine for the honey ones, since the pudding itself already carries the honey flavor.

What's the most common mistake with this recipe?

Walking away from the stove is the big one, because the milk and egg yolks scorch or scramble quickly. Use a heavy-bottomed pan and keep whisking the whole time. If you spot a few lumps, strain the custard into the bowl before chilling it.