She Strengthens

Savoring the Simplicity of Vanilla Frozen Pudding Pops

For those who appreciate the unadulterated taste of vanilla, this frozen pudding pop recipe is a dream come true. The key to unlocking its full flavor potential lies in using high-quality vanilla extract – don’t even think about substituting it with the artificial stuff!

Getting Creative with Extracts

If you’re feeling adventurous, consider adding an alternative or complementary extract flavor to give your pops a unique twist.

Essential Equipment

To bring this recipe to life, you’ll need freezer pop molds and an instant-read thermometer. Make sure your molds come with securely attached sticks or purchase wooden sticks separately.

Yield and Difficulty

This recipe yields approximately 10 (2-ounce) pops and is classified as easy. The total preparation and freezing time is around 25 minutes, plus 3 hours of freezing.

Ingredients

• 2 cups cold half-and-half
• 1/3 cup granulated sugar
• 1/4 teaspoon fine salt
• 2 teaspoons unflavored powdered gelatin
• 3 large egg yolks
• 3 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
• 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Step-by-Step Instructions

Heating and Whisking

Combine 1 3/4 cups of half-and-half, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat, stirring until the sugar dissolves (about 3-4 minutes).

Gelatin Softening

Meanwhile, pour the remaining 1/4 cup half-and-half into a small bowl and sprinkle gelatin evenly over the surface. Let it stand undisturbed for 3 minutes, until it becomes wavy and wrinkled.

Egg Yolk Whisking

Whisk 3 large egg yolks in a medium heatproof bowl until smooth (about 1 minute).

Combining Mixtures

Slowly pour half of the half-and-half mixture into the egg yolks, whisking constantly until incorporated. Then, pour the half-and-half/egg mixture back into the pan, adding the gelatin mixture and butter. Cook over low heat, whisking constantly, until the butter melts, the gelatin dissolves, and the mixture reaches 160°F (about 5 minutes).

Straining and Chilling

Remove the saucepan from heat, stir in the vanilla, and pour the mixture through a fine-mesh strainer into a medium heatproof bowl. Discard the solids and divide the mixture among pop molds. Freeze until frozen (about 3 hours). Alternatively, divide the mixture among ramekins and refrigerate until set (about 3 hours).