Why Your Plant Milk-Based Pudding Mix Isn't Setting (And How To Fix It)

"From the base for classic watergate salad to the shortcut for easy Bavarian cream in any custard-based dessert, pudding mix can serve many purposes. But while it may not always look or taste the same, there's one thing that pudding always is, and that's spoonable. While homemade pudding utilizes egg proteins and fats from cream and milk to thicken, plant-based pudding mix doesn't always set correctly."

"However, to use cornstarch as a fix for your plant milk-based pudding mix, you'll want to create a slurry of 1 tablespoon of cornstarch mixed with 3 tablespoons of water, whisked until smooth. This mixture will work to bind and thicken your pudding, similar to how eggs would in a homemade recipe. While guar gum isn't a common ingredient in pudding recipes, it's used a lot in vegan and plant-based cooking."

Pudding mix serves as a versatile shortcut for desserts, but homemade puddings rely on egg proteins and fats to thicken. Plant-based pudding mixes can fail to set when used with non-dairy milks. Two effective thickeners are a cornstarch slurry and guar gum. Prepare a cornstarch slurry by whisking 1 tablespoon cornstarch with 3 tablespoons water until smooth; it binds and thickens similarly to eggs. Add guar gum sparingly—about a teaspoon per cup of non-dairy milk—and whisk directly into ingredients. Both thickeners are largely flavorless, but neither supplies egg proteins or fats, so choose a rich, neutral plant milk.

Read at www.tastingtable.com