Grasshopper Pudding

 

Pantry challenges don't have to be just food.  I've been adding booze to recipes for twelve years to make a dent in my parents' liquor cabinet.  It took me 11 years to finish off Papa Smurf's Tanqueray.  At least this time, it's something I bought.

I probably could have made this with store-bought vanilla pudding, but I have all the ingredients I need.  My version probably has less sugar in it.  Plus, I did buy a whole bunch of vanilla beans I haven't been using.  I might have to make more things with vanilla pudding in them.

One important note, I'm using a pudding recipe that is thickened with cornstarch instead of eggs.  Eggs are stupid expensive now, if you can even find them.  The avian flu has decimated flocks all over North America.  I'm considering my weekly challah to be a luxury item, even though I costed it out to roughly $3 per month.  $1.55 of that is the 4 eggs.  To put it in perspective, I spent less per pound for the brisket than I'm paying per dozen for eggs.

3 Tb cornstarch
1/2 C sugar
*2 C milk
1/2 tsp vanilla
1/8 tsp salt
*1/4 C creme de menthe liqueur (or 1/4 tsp peppermint extract for no alcohol)
*1/4 C mini or micro chocolate chips
whipped cream for serving

1.  In a medium saucepan, combine cornstarch, salt, and sugar.  I used vanilla sugar and left the bean in instead of adding extract later.  Stir in milk and allow to combine.

2.  Heat on medium, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to just below a boil and thickens.  It should fall in clumps from the spoon.  Stir in vanilla extract and creme de menthe or peppermint extract.  The pudding will become more liquid.  I brought it back up to a low boil in case there was any cornstarch that hadn't thickened yet.  If using extract, you might add a drop or two of green food coloring for effect.  This is when I fished out and discarded the vanilla pod.

3.  Remove pudding from heat and allow to cool to room temperature, stirring frequently to avoid a skin forming.  You can do this in the fridge in 10 minute increments.  Once below 80º, you can stir in the chocolate chips and they won't melt.

4.  Spoon pudding into serving cups and chill until ready to serve.  Top with whipped cream if desired.

Difficulty rating  π