Microwave Df (Dairy-Free) Puddings With Eight Flavor Options

This fabulous recipe has so many options! I like to add a splash of almond extract and serve the vanilla pudding with cherries or strawberries. YUM! You can make this with diary if you like, but you won't know it's dairy-free if you choose to make it that way. When we discovered a family member had milk allergies, good desserts were hard to make. This easy recipe gives you so many delicious options! Feel free to experiment with more. It also works great for pie filling!

• Ready In: 15 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 3⁄4 cup sugar
• 1⁄4 cup cornstarch
• 3  cups milk (almond, soy or coconut milk beverage. NOT rice milk for DF! Coconut milk makes the prettiest pudding)
• 4  beaten  egg yolks
• 3  tablespoons margarine (Fleichmans unsalted for DF) (optional) or 3  tablespoons butter (optional)
• 1 1⁄2 teaspoons vanilla

Directions

1. In a 1 ½-2 quart glass bowl, stir together sugar and cornstarch.
2. Stir in milk.
3. Microwave, uncovered for 7-9 minutes, stirring every 1-2 minutes, until thickened and bubbly.
4. In a separate bowl, beat egg yolks well.
5. Gradually stir about 1 cup of the hot mixture into the egg yolks to temper them (not scramble!).
6. Return all to the hot mixture remaining in the larger bowl, stirring well.
7. Microwave uncovered for an additional 2-3 minutes more until the edges are bubbly, stirring every 30 seconds.
8. Stir. Cook an additional 30 seconds.
9. Stir in remaining margarine or butter and extract.
10. Cover the surface with plastic wrap.Serve warm or chilled.
11. FLAVOR OPTIONS:
12. MOCHA: Increase sugar to 1 cup. Before cooking the milk-cornstarch mixture, stir in 3 1-oz squares unsweetened chocolate (check label for DF), cut up, and 1 tablespoons instant coffee crystals.
13. COCONUT: Stir in 1 cup coconut with the butter & vanilla.
14. BUTTERSCOTCH: Substitute packed brown sugar for the sugar and increase margarine or butter to ¼ cup.
15. BANANA: Slice 1 banana into the pudding when slightly cooled.
16. CITRUS: Increase sugar to 1 cup and cornstarch to 1/3 cup Gradually stir in 1 teaspoons lemon or lime zest and 1/3 cup lemon or lime juice with the margarine or butter and vanilla.
17. ALMOND: Reduce the vanilla to 3/4 teaspoons Add 1/2 teaspoons almond extract. Just before serving, sprinkle with sliced almonds.
18. MAPLE-NUT: Substitute ½ cup brown sugar for the sugar and ¼ cup maple-flavored syrup or molasses with the milk. Before serving, sprinkle with ¼ cup toasted chopped pecans, walnuts or almonds.