Old-Fashioned Vanilla Pudding (Low Sugar, Gluten Free)

I received some dark chocolate dessert cups a little while back as a gift, and I have been trying to find an excuse for using them. When Mother's Day weekend came along and my mother-in-law was coming to my house, I grabbed my chance. This pudding fit the bill perfectly. Top the concoction with strawberries and it was perfect. It felt light and complete. And it only had about 1 Tbsp. of sugar per serving (at least in the pudding!). That felt a lot better to me than the usual desserts I make.

Ingredients (for 4 servings)

4 Tbsp. sugar
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1/4 tsp. salt
2 c. milk
2 egg yolks
3 Tbsp. butter
1 tsp. vanilla extract

Directions

1. Stir together sugar, cornstarch, and salt in small saucepan. Gradually add milk. Cook, stirring frequently, over medium heat until mixture thickens and becomes bubbly. Lower heat and cook and stir 2 minutes more. Remove from heat.

2. Beat egg yolks gently. Take a small amount of cooked mixture and stir it into egg yolks to temper egg. This will prevent eggs from becoming scrambled in your pudding. Return egg yolk to the mixture, stirring constantly. Bring to a slow boil. Cook and stir 1 minute longer. Remove from heat. Stir in butter and vanilla.

3. Cool for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer to dessert dishes. Cover and refrigerate for 1 hour.

(recipe adapted from allrecipes.com)

Update 6/11: Tried it chocolate as well. Instead of adding vanilla I stirred in about 1/3 c. melted chocolate chips. Not as healthy, but it was delicious.