My in-laws have a friend who became an ex-patriot. She worked as a nurse across the world before marrying and settling down in England. She's picked up a smidgen of the accent, as well as the dialectical regionalisms: lift, loo, jumper, biscuit. We often comment how she sounds like Miss Rabbit from Peppa Pig, which we recently confessed to her much to her amusement.
I recall a time when she visited with her son who was still in grade school at the time. When invited for dinner, he asked in his unmistakably British accent, "Will there be a pudding?"
Everyone in the room had to take a second. Pudding? I mean, I guess I could run and get a Snack Pack from the Rite Aid. Seemed like an odd request. But hey, I'm sure I had random requests at his age.
After a hot minute, we realized pudding was a regionalism for dessert. This resulted in laughter, and a never-ending inside joke between my in-laws asking from someone to make a pudding whenever we are craving something sweet. I can't remember if we had dessert that day, but in retrospect I could have made some pudding because it's frankly stupid easy to make. You dump the ingredients in a pot, boil it until it thickens, and then chill. It's that simple.
I know, I know... why would you make pudding when Jell-O makes a powder mix, and there are tons of ready-made options in the refrigerated aisle of the market. I've got two responses: taste and customizability. Homemade pudding simply tastes better, because you are using real ingredients without any of the extra processed things that go into the questionably dehydrated mixes at the store. Not only that, you can have some fun and play around with flavors, incorporating fresh fruit juices and purees, or throwing in some curveballs like malted milk powder, fresh herbs, or rosewater. Pudding is secretly a vehicle for creativity, it doesn't just need to be chocolate, vanilla, and butterscotch.
But why stop there? Instead of just making pudding cups, why not make a straight-up pudding pie to keep in your fridge? It makes for a communal dessert to share with your household, and the added crunch of a graham cracker crust and fluffy whipped cream on top make for an elevated dessert experience. It really feels like you're treating yourself.
Follow my recipe below, and feel free to modify the flavors. Try different herbs and fruit, or omit them both and add some semi-sweet chocolate to your pudding pot. The possibilities are endless.
Whenever a little British boy asks if there will be a pudding, tell him yes. And then, make this.
With pudding for pudding,
~c.j.
LEMON TARRAGON PUDDING PIE
PREP TIME: 10 minutes
ACTIVE COOK TIME: 20 minutes
INACTIVE COOK TIME: 4+ hours (for chilling)
YIELD: 8 servings
INGREDIENTS
1 sleeve graham crackers (136 g, or 9 crackers)
6 tbsp butter, melted
1/2 tsp kosher salt, divided
5 lemons
2 3/4 c. heavy cream, divided
4 large egg yolks
3 tsp vanilla extract, divided
2/3 c. granulated sugar
1/4 c. cornstarch
2 tbsp fresh tarragon, chopped, plus more whole tarragon leaves for garnish
2 tbsp powdered sugar
DIRECTIONS
Preheat oven to 350°F. In a food processor, pulverize graham crackers into fine crumbs. Add in melted butter and salt and combine until it comes together and has a sandy texture. (Alternatively, you could put the graham crackers in a freezer bag and beat the living daylights out of them before combining with the butter and salt). Press the graham cracker mixture into a tart shell or pie tin, evenly covering the bottom and the sides. Place the pie tin onto a cook sheet and bake in the oven until fragrant and slightly darkened, about 10 minutes. Allow to cool.
Juice and zest 4 of the lemons into a bowl and set aside. In a medium pot, combine 2 cups heavy cream, egg yolks, 1 tsp vanilla, granulated sugar, cornstarch, 2 tbsp chopped fresh tarragon, and 1/4 tsp kosher salt. Whisk generously to combine, then place on the stove over medium heat. Whisk constantly. Once mixture hits a simmer, it will start to thicken. Continue to whisk constantly until mixture reaches a thick, pudding consistency. (From start to finish, this entire step should take about 10 minutes). Immediately remove pudding from heat and thoroughly whisk in the reserved lemon juice and zest. Transfer hot pudding into the prepared graham cracker crust and smooth with the back of a spoon. Cover with a layer of plastic wrap touching the pudding -- this is to help avoid the development of a top skin. Place pie in the fridge for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight.
When ready to serve, add remaining 3/4 c. heavy cream, powdered sugar, and remaining 2 tsp vanilla extract in the bowl of a stand mixer with the whisk attachment and whisk until stiff peaks form. (Alternatively, you could use a hand mixer, or whisk by hand if that's your jam). Remove pie from the fridge, and remove the layer of cling wrap. Dollop the whipped cream over the pie, creating a layer that doesn't quite go to the edges of the pie so the lemon pudding is still visible. Zest half of the remaining lemon directly over the pie, and strategically decorate with tarragon leaves. Slice and enjoy.
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