Puddin': Luscious and Unforgettable Puddings, Parfaits, Pudding Cakes, Pies, and Pops: A Cookbook

by Clio Goodman, Adeena Sussman

The classic American treat finally gets its due: foolproof pudding recipes, from irresistible standards to inventive modern twists, by the chef and owner of New York City’s popular pudding destination.
 
Puddin’ shares Clio Goodman’s secrets for re-creating—and improving on—your sweetest childhood memories. From grown-up renditions of snack-time favorites like Butterscotch Pudding (spiked with whiskey) to party-ready showstoppers like Banana Upside-Down Cake with Malted Pudding and summertime crowd-pleasers like Peanut Butter Fudge Pops and Peach Melba Parfaits, Puddin’ serves up luscious and decadent recipes for your every dessert whim. Along the way, Clio offers suggestions for adapting her pudding recipes—all of which are naturally gluten-free—for vegan and low-fat variations. And because creamy pudding just begs for a companion, Puddin’ also includes recipes for homemade toppings, such as Salted Caramel Sauce, Marshmallow Crème, and Brownie Crumbs, that can be mixed and matched with the puddings of your choice or incorporated into one of Clio’s signature parfaits.
 
These surprisingly easy-to-execute pudding creations are destined to become staples of your dessert repertoire. Puddin’ is a celebration of an American classic.
 
Praise for Puddin’
 
“Remarkably versatile . . . A superb single-subject dessert cookbook.”—Library Journal (starred review)
 
“Unlock the secrets to divine creaminess. . . . This book has revisited and reinvented pudding in just about every imaginable form. Recipes are easy to follow and results could win you some delicious rewards.”—Eat Something Sexy

“Clio Goodman has a talent for transforming simple, elemental ingredients into amazing desserts. Puddin’ brings back memories of simpler times, and coming back to pudding is a return to an elemental form of inspiration. These sweet treats are the ultimate in comforting indulgence.”—Ron Ben-Israel, host of Sweet Genius

“Clio’s puddings are ethereal and utterly delicious. Her techniques are simple, but the magic is in the way she pairs unique ingredients in one little cup. Her puddings will dazzle any dinner party!”—Pichet Ong, pastry chef, author of The Sweet Spot, and judge of Sugar Dome




From the Hardcover edition.

Genres: Cookbooks, Nonfiction, Food and Drink, Cooking

190 pages, Kindle Edition

First published January 1, 2013

Reviews

[Trish · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lots of different things to do with pudding. I want to make the coffee pudding!

[Kitten Kisser · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am in home made pudding heaven! I have made many of the recipes in this book & they have all turned out amazing! If you don't like to cook from scratch, preferring to take a can of this & a box of that, throw them together & call it cooking you might want to head to the pudding isle in your grocery store. If on the other hand you are crazy about good home made treats you will absolutely love this book! Not only does Clio provide excellent pudding recipes she even provides recipes to make your own sprinkles, chocolate lacquer (inspired by Magic Shell), frosting, curds, cakes, caramel sauce cookies, toppings & more.

Thankfully Clio informs the reader to use the best whole ingredients possible. Unfortunately she doesn't discuss cocoa powder much saying any powder you have in your pantry will do. I have made a lot of chocolate pudding over the years as well as hot cocoa & I have to say that the cocoa powder matters very much. I highly recommend you use raw organic cacao powder. I have had much success with Earth Circle Organics Verified Raw Balinese Cacao Powder &
Certified Organic Raw Cacao Powder From Peru (both are sold on Amazon). There are other brands I plan on trying that I hope will be of the same quality but they are the only 2 I can recommend at this time because I have used them both. I have also tried Navitas Naturals Organic Raw Cacao Powder. Despite Navitas great reviews I found the cacao to be much lighter in color with weak flavor in comparison to the two brands I recommended above. Another concern is when the powder is alkalized. This is the poorest tasting & if you want to make your own hot cocoa it is a nightmare. Besides not tasting right, it doesn't dissolve well.

A peeve I have with the book is Clio's use of Corn Syrup. I do not use corn syrup & am hoping to be able to substitute honey. I have yet to make any recipes of hers that call for corn syrup. If I think of it, I'll update the review when I do use honey as a replacement.

Recipes I have made:

Chocolate Pudding
Hevra's Lemon Obsession Pudding
Lemon Curd (goes with the lemon pudding)
Maple Pudding
Pumpkin Pie Pudding
Eggnog Pudding

I loved all of the puddings except for the pumpkin pie pudding. This is surprising because I love pumpkin pie. The pudding wasn't bad, it did taste good but out of all the recipes it was my least favorite. As far as the other recipes go I love them all equally. When I eat one I say it's my favorite. Then the next one is my favorite. So they are all my favorite!

I would have made more puddings but getting this book in the autumn is a bad time for having enough fresh eggs for the recipes. Clio calls for plenty of egg yolks. I don't buy store bought eggs because I run my own small organic family farm. Nothing compares to pasture raised farm fresh organic eggs. If you raise chickens &/or have your own dairy cow you will be thrilled in the spring & summer to have a book that utilizes so much fresh dairy & eggs! I am thoroughly looking forward to springs bounty. The refrigerator will be stocked with every pudding imaginable thanks to this awesome book!

[Kitten Kisser · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am in home made pudding heaven! I have made many of the recipes in this book & they have all turned out amazing! If you don't like to cook from scratch, preferring to take a can of this & a box of that, throw them together & call it cooking you might want to head to the pudding isle in your grocery store. If on the other hand you are crazy about good home made treats you will absolutely love this book! Not only does Clio provide excellent pudding recipes she even provides recipes to make your own sprinkles, chocolate lacquer (inspired by Magic Shell), frosting, curds, cakes, caramel sauce cookies, toppings & more.

Thankfully Clio informs the reader to use the best whole ingredients possible. Unfortunately she doesn't discuss cocoa powder much saying any powder you have in your pantry will do. I have made a lot of chocolate pudding over the years as well as hot cocoa & I have to say that the cocoa powder matters very much. I highly recommend you use raw organic cacao powder. I have had much success with Earth Circle Organics Verified Raw Balinese Cacao Powder &
Certified Organic Raw Cacao Powder From Peru (both are sold on Amazon). There are other brands I plan on trying that I hope will be of the same quality but they are the only 2 I can recommend at this time because I have used them both. I have also tried Navitas Naturals Organic Raw Cacao Powder. Despite Navitas great reviews I found the cacao to be much lighter in color with weak flavor in comparison to the two brands I recommended above. Another concern is when the powder is alkalized. This is the poorest tasting & if you want to make your own hot cocoa it is a nightmare. Besides not tasting right, it doesn't dissolve well.

A peeve I have with the book is Clio's use of Corn Syrup. I do not use corn syrup & am hoping to be able to substitute honey. I have yet to make any recipes of hers that call for corn syrup. If I think of it, I'll update the review when I do use honey as a replacement.

Recipes I have made:

Chocolate Pudding
Hevra's Lemon Obsession Pudding
Lemon Curd (goes with the lemon pudding)
Maple Pudding
Pumpkin Pie Pudding
Eggnog Pudding

I loved all of the puddings except for the pumpkin pie pudding. This is surprising because I love pumpkin pie. The pudding wasn't bad, it did taste good but out of all the recipes it was my least favorite. As far as the other recipes go I love them all equally. When I eat one I say it's my favorite. Then the next one is my favorite. So they are all my favorite!

I would have made more puddings but getting this book in the autumn is a bad time for having enough fresh eggs for the recipes. Clio calls for plenty of egg yolks. I don't buy store bought eggs because I run my own small organic family farm. Nothing compares to pasture raised farm fresh organic eggs. If you raise chickens &/or have your own dairy cow you will be thrilled in the spring & summer to have a book that utilizes so much fresh dairy & eggs! I am thoroughly looking forward to springs bounty. The refrigerator will be stocked with every pudding imaginable thanks to this awesome book!

[Pattie Tierney · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had never heard of Clio Goodman or her New York bake shop, Puddin', before I read this book. Now I feel as if I not only know her, but know her well, and her shop is on my list of "must see" destinations the next time I head east. Meanwhile, I am ever so grateful to have her sumptuous new cookbook that bears her shop's name by my side, and a medium-size saucepan of milk, cream, eggs, and my favorite flavoring simmering on the stove.

For a long time cookbook collector like me, it takes something really special to grab my attention. This book has done it, it is incredible! Written in a conversational tone, it takes pudding to new heights. Full of some of the most delicious concoctions imaginable, the reader will be unable to wait to finish the book before trying one (or more) of these easy, taste-tempting recipes. True to its title, there are pudding recipes galore -- dream up an ingredient, and you'll find a pudding to match -- but in addition to the truly decadent recipes for rich and creamy puddings, there are also recipes for sauces, toppings, and desserts in which puddings are feature ingredients, think Mocha Cake with Coffee Frosting, Key Lime Pudding Cheesecake, and Coconut Cream Custard Tart. Do I have your attention? Good, because Goodman has also turned pudding into frozen pops that are so creamy and flavorful that, at first bite, your eyes will roll back into your head with pure bliss.

The author clearly loves what she does, and her enthusiasm is contagious. I took copious notes while reading the book and plan to experiment making my own parfaits using two varieties of puddings, a topping, and a sauce. Forget spending all day in the kitchen making a complicated dessert. More than a few recipes consist of simple ingredients that most cooks already have on hand. What is more comforting than a dish of delicious pudding? Two dishes, that's what, and I challenge you to stop there. When I close my eyes at night I dream about the Peanut Butter Pudding, the Brownie Crumbs, and the Salted Caramel Sauce.

Lively commentary, pictures that beg you to lick the page, and enough recipes to keep you busy for a long while, this would make a welcome holiday gift for your favorite chef or budding baker. While you're shopping, be sure to pick up one for yourself. Meanwhile, make up a batch of Coffee Pudding. I'm now trying to figure out how I can justify this as breakfast.

Disclaimer: I received a free digital copy of this book from NetGalley prior to publication. The opinions expressed are entirely my own.

[Sara Thompson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was so excited to be invited to review this book. I love pudding, it's honestly my favorite dessert. Then, just before it came, I was diagnosed with an egg allergy. My pudding dreams were crushed. However, this book has at least one pudding recipe for everyone. I found 2 wonderful recipes that were egg free and so many ideas.
Not only is this book full of pudding recipes but there are recipes that use pudding as an ingredients - cakes, pies, etc.
If you love pudding like I do - this is the book for you. I plan on having a winter of hot puddings. The one I love best is her peanut butter pudding (egg free). I had never thought about peanut butter for pudding but just imagine that over chocolate cake. So good.
As for the book itself, the pictures are beautiful, the book is well laid out. I highly recommend picking up a copy.

[Daniel Brandon · Rating 4 out of 5]

There were a few minor flaws with this book-- for instance, a given recipe will say. "Makes X servings," but won't say how big a serving size is. If you're dishing out the whole recipe at a party or something, that's no big deal, but if you're going to save some for later, it'd be nice if it said (for example), "Makes 8 6 oz. servings".

On the other hand, I appreciate having all of the recipes in the back for cakes and parfaits and whatnot that incorporate the puddings into more complicated desserts. And the malted milk pudding is my new bestest friend foreverz. 4 1/2 stars.

[Kelly · Rating 4 out of 5]

Amazing desserts, all made from scratch.

[Aasinathena · Rating 5 out of 5]

LOST in DESSERT-LICIOUS PUDDIN" HEAVEN !

[Darren · Rating 3 out of 5]

With a book like this in your hand you might soon be knocking out luscious, wonderful puddings like a pro… but the downside is that your waistline might start to expand like a balloon.

This relatively thin book sets out to teach the reader how to effortlessly make many puddings, whether classic "American standards" or more modern contemporary designs. The author's credentials? She is chef-owner of what is described as a popular New York "pudding destination".

Apart from the book relying on sole U.S. imperial measures (grr…) and not bothering to give recipes a clear estimation of a preparation/cooking time (a very black mark) the reader is given a fairly informal overview to the pudding maker's art and a wealth of various recipes. The advice and guidance feels a little too terse for a subject that can be a bit of a terrifying ordeal for many home cooks. It is not that it is a bad thing per se, but it is far from the extreme handholding one might get from a similar DK-branded book. If you need picture-by-picture guidance for each and every step this is not for you if you only will buy one pudding book at the beginning.

The reader might benefit from a sequential browse through this book at least once in order to soak up the various hints and tips that often prefix a given recipe and, at the same time, it might give you further inspiration as to what you may be capable of producing in the future. Design elements within this book are a little minimalist and it would have been nice to have seen some repetition, that is to say the "knowledge"-side of the book could have been bulked up and then each recipes could have had a "remember…" breakout-type box underlining a key piece of knowledge that you might have previously read and forgotten along the way! Similarly it would have been nice to have had more (and better) food photography for each recipe, particularly when you consider the book's price point.

The range of recipes is quite acceptable and things shouldn't pose too much of a problem to a determined cook but this probably is not as beginner-friendly as the publisher might like it to be. Making a decision over this book is a bit of a difficult thing as there are many positives to it but there are quite a few negatives and irritations that just feel to get in the way, especially when you consider the cover price. For a third or less of its price it would have been a possible no-brainer, but as the price rises so does one's expectations and it is here that the challenge becomes acute. One feels that there was a lot more potential for this book which hasn't been realised and that is a shame.

Puddin', written by Clio Goodman and published by Spiegel & Grau/Random House. ISBN 9780812994193, 160 pages. Typical price: USD25. YYY.

[Queer · Rating 3 out of 5]

Who doesn't love pudding? There is a quitessentially American exploration of the mundane in this book. Pudding does come in many flavors and combinations. The details on pudding cakes and pudding pops are the first of their kind. That being said, it would have been lovely for Puddin' to reflect the worldliness of pudding. Where are the unique flavor profiles? What combinations of the extras should go on each pudding? There is a surprising lack of depth for a cookbook that seeks to explore this decadent dessert.

[Mrs. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Delicious recipes and photos. Things to keep in mind:
1. Read the beginning of the book - she provides details about the ingredients that she uses, such as types of eggs and salts, and which you should use if you want the same results.
2. Cook the puddings a little longer (note, I said a LITTLE!) than she recommends, or they won't set up properly.
3. She has recipes that use the puddings in the first part of the book, and though I haven't tried any of those, they look fantastic.

[Cassie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh. My. God. An entire cookbook devoted to pudding. I think I've died and gone to pudding heaven.

All of the puddings sound marvelous. I especially like the sounds of "Pumpkin Pudding", "Desperate Measures Mint Chip Pudding", and "Key Lime Pudding". She even has recipes for "Eggnog Pudding" and "Maple Pudding"!

Yum...

[Shearon · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is wonderful! I love the many yummy and creative ideas for pudding. The directions are very easy to follow, and you can just let your imagine go wild with additions to the recipes. The only down side was that I felt it needed more pictures. I like seeing a visual of what I'm creating.

[Teresa · Rating 4 out of 5]

While I find her basics a bit too rich for pudding (all those eggs!), it is in her unique flavors that this book shines. While her reliance on homemade everything can make for an intensive cake making or pudding topping experience, it is lovely to have those recipes for your own creations. If you like pudding, this is a great book to expand your repertoire.

[Sandie · Rating 4 out of 5]

What I love about this book was the great inspiration of flavors but the downside is that every recipe is so heavy with egg yolks and cream. While that makes anything tasty it also isn't so good for you. I did make the apricot scented rice pudding with was over the top decadent and delicious. I don't think I would add the apricots next time though.

[Aglaea · Rating 1 out of 5]

Yet another cookbook without pictures of each dish. What is wrong with these people? Never heard of visual learners? Eating with one's eyes? Would give zero stars if I could, because there simply are no excuses when a book is digital. Glad I didn't waste my money, but was able to check it out from my library.

[Marie33 · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book provided by the publisher.

This is a great book filled with lots of yummy and interesting ideas. Its well put together and easy to follow.
My only down point is it needs more pictures, I like seeing a visual of what I'm going to make

[Jessica Haider · Rating 4 out of 5]

I am definitely going to be making the Apricot-scented Rice Pudding from this pudding-centric cook book. Though, I'd better stock up on eggs, whole milk and heavy cream if I want to start making some of the recipes from this cute little cookbook!

[False · Rating 2 out of 5]

I might go back and buy this book one day. It's put together beautifully. Great photographs. And it's all about PUDDING! For every recipe she strains the pudding through a sieve for a silkier finish, and I am left wondering just how messy "that" gets.