Thread: What makes pudding get stiff

<[email protected]> ha scritto nel messaggio
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>I always thought there was gelatin in it, but I just read the
> ingredients and there is none. It does say (for thickening) "contains
> disodium phosphate and tetrasodium pyrophosphate".
> What the heck is that stuff?
>
> I like pudding and make it 3 or more times a week. But after reading
> this, I am not sure if I want to keep eating it. I always figure if
> the ingredients can not be pronounced, it's not safe to eat. All
> these years I thought it was just gelatin, and since the "Jello
> Company" makes it, I never bothered to even look at the ingredients.
> The only reason I noticed was because I used a box that got pushed to
> the back shelf and was expired by about 2 years. It never got stiff.
> I guess that's the reason for the expiration date. It still tasted
> fine, we just drank it like a milkshake.
>
> Didn't they used to use gelatin?
> I wonder if they sell a non-chemical variety in health food stores.
>
> Susan

Never was gelatin, but corn starch or flour plus eggs. Those appear to be
two preservatives, although I didn't look them up.

If you are worried, open an old fashioned US cookbook to the desserts
section and make it from scearch, which is very easy and then you know
what's in it.
--
http://www.judithgreenwood.com

[email protected] wrote:
> I always thought there was gelatin in it, but I just read the
> ingredients and there is none. It does say (for thickening) "contains
> disodium phosphate and tetrasodium pyrophosphate".
> What the heck is that stuff?
>
> I like pudding and make it 3 or more times a week. But after reading
> this, I am not sure if I want to keep eating it. I always figure if
> the ingredients can not be pronounced, it's not safe to eat. All
> these years I thought it was just gelatin, and since the "Jello
> Company" makes it, I never bothered to even look at the ingredients.
> The only reason I noticed was because I used a box that got pushed to
> the back shelf and was expired by about 2 years. It never got stiff.
> I guess that's the reason for the expiration date. It still tasted
> fine, we just drank it like a milkshake.
>
> Didn't they used to use gelatin?
> I wonder if they sell a non-chemical variety in health food stores.
>
> Susan


You can easily make real pudding by simply using corn starch or flour as
the thickener for real ingredients:



http://allrecipes.com/HowTo/Homemade...ng/Detail.aspx


http://www.cooks.com/rec/view/0,1840...236195,00.html

http://allrecipes.com/Recipe/Chocola...ng/Detail.aspx

On Mar 22, 9:23�am, George <geo...@nospam.invalid> wrote:
> susansu...@nospam.com wrote:
> > I always thought there was gelatin in it, but I just read the
> > ingredients and there is none. �It does say (for thickening) "contains
> > disodium phosphate and tetrasodium pyrophosphate".
> > What the heck is that stuff?
>
> > I like pudding and make it 3 or more times a week. �But after reading
> > this, I am not sure if I want to keep eating it. �I always figure if
> > the ingredients can not be pronounced, it's not safe to eat. �All
> > these years I thought it was just gelatin, and since the "Jello
> > Company" makes it, I never bothered to even look at the ingredients.
> > The only reason I noticed was because I used a box that got pushed to
> > the back shelf and was expired by about 2 years. �It never got stiff.
> > I guess that's the reason for the expiration date. �It still tasted
> > fine, we just drank it like a milkshake.
>
> > Didn't they used to use gelatin? �
> > I wonder if they sell a non-chemical variety in health food stores.
>
> > Susan
>
> You can easily make real pudding by simply using corn starch or flour as
> the thickener for real ingredients:

Tapioca (cassava) starch is even better. Tapioca pudding can be made
any flavor; chocolate, orange, strawberry, coconut, any flavor or
combination thereof. Tapioca is available in many forms; boxed
pudding mix (instant/cooked), from scratch pearls of all sizes.. often
the pearls are actually sego palm starch.

George wrote:

> s
> > fine, we just drank it like a milkshake.
> >
> > Didn't they used to use gelatin?
> > I wonder if they sell a non-chemical variety in health food stores.
> >
> > Susan
>
> You can easily make real pudding by simply using corn starch or flour as
> the thickener for real ingredients:

For me, pudding mixes rank right up there with pancake mixes as consumer
rip-offs. With a pudding mix you add milk and eggs, the relatively
expensive ingredients. To make it from scratch you just mix a bit of corn
starch with sugar and a a little salt, add the milk and egg and cook the
same as you do with the packages stuff. Of course there is the instant
pudding mix where you just add milk and beat the daylights out of it.

Dave Smith wrote:
> George wrote:
> >
> > > Didn't they used to use gelatin?
> > > I wonder if they sell a non-chemical variety in health food stores.
>
> > You can easily make real pudding by simply using corn starch or flour as
> > the thickener for real ingredients:
>
> For me, pudding mixes rank right up there with pancake mixes as consumer
> rip-offs. �With a pudding mix you add milk and eggs, the relatively
> expensive ingredients.

How is pudding mix a rip-off... a box of Jello brand mix costs less
than a buck (other brands cost even less) and only needs milk (I've
never seen any needing eggs, some brands just water). Most folks
don't want so much pudding that it pays to make it from scratch, and
it costs nearly as much from scratch, more if you add eggs, plus you
need flavoring, and the extra energy use cooking for nearly an hour.
And these days many folks buy pudding already made in single serving
size from the refrigerator section, it costs more but most folks don't
want large servings as pudding is not a very healthful food... the
last time I made pudding from scratch I figured if I'm gonna do all
that stirring for an hour I may as well make a lot, so I ended up with
an 8 quart pot nearly filled with tapioca pudding... can't eat much
more than a cupful without feeling like a stomach full of lead,
luckily my neighbor has a slew of active kids, they got most of it.
If I ever get the urge for pudding again it's going to be a mix from a
box... I don't ever think rip-off with anything doing what it says it
will and costing like 79 cents. A rip-off is ordering the pudding
dessert at a restaurant and they charge $7 because it's topped with
some stale cake crumbs and a mint leaf... and you can bet restaurants
make theirs from a mix, if you're lucky... often it's redi-made pie
filling out of a #10 can.

The message <[email protected]>
from Sheldon <[email protected]> contains these words:

> Dave Smith wrote:
> > George wrote:
> > >
> > > > Didn't they used to use gelatin?
> > > > I wonder if they sell a non-chemical variety in health food stores.
> >
> > > You can easily make real pudding by simply using corn starch or flour as
> > > the thickener for real ingredients:
> >
> > For me, pudding mixes rank right up there with pancake mixes as consumer
> > rip-offs. �With a pudding mix you add milk and eggs, the relatively
> > expensive ingredients.

> How is pudding mix a rip-off... a box of Jello brand mix costs less
> than a buck (other brands cost even less) and only needs milk (I've
> never seen any needing eggs, some brands just water). Most folks
> don't want so much pudding that it pays to make it from scratch, and
> it costs nearly as much from scratch, more if you add eggs, plus you
> need flavoring, and the extra energy use cooking for nearly an hour.

????????????????? cooking for nearly an HOUR? Isn't your pudding
what we call blancmange?

Making blancmange from scratch with cornflour (milk, sugar,
flavouring, no eggs) takes about 4 minutes ; then you pour it into a
mould and leave it to cool and set. Couldn't be simpler.

Janet

<snip>

Viagra.

Cheers,

Michael Kuettner

Sheldon wrote:

> D
> > For me, pudding mixes rank right up there with pancake mixes as consumer
> > rip-offs. �With a pudding mix you add milk and eggs, the relatively
> > expensive ingredients.
>
> How is pudding mix a rip-off... a box of Jello brand mix costs less
> than a buck (other brands cost even less) and only needs milk (I've
> never seen any needing eggs, some brands just water).

You don't add eggs anymore? I guess that shows how long it has been since I
bought any. So I guess they use some sort of dried egg or interesting chemical
thickeners instead of egg. You still have to add the milk, so it is still
cheaper to mix up a little cornstarch and sugar and tad of salt and cook it up
with some egg and milk. The results will be a hell of a lot better. None of
their flavours are very good.


> Most folks
> don't want so much pudding that it pays to make it from scratch, and
> it costs nearly as much from scratch, more if you add eggs, plus you
> need flavoring, and the extra energy use cooking for nearly an hour.

One egg. And it cooks in minutes, the same time it takes to cook the packaged
crap. The one place I can see a savings is on chocolate, but their chocolate
flavour pudding sucks. It is dark, but it doesn't even taste like chocolate.



>
> And these days many folks buy pudding already made in single serving
> size from the refrigerator section, it costs more but most folks don't
> want large servings as pudding is not a very healthful food... the
> last time I made pudding from scratch I figured if I'm gonna do all
> that stirring for an hour I may as well make a lot, so I ended up with
> an 8 quart pot nearly filled with tapioca pudding..

You are going to have to stop cooking navy sized batches.



> . can't eat much
> more than a cupful without feeling like a stomach full of lead,
> luckily my neighbor has a slew of active kids, they got most of it.
> If I ever get the urge for pudding again it's going to be a mix from a
> box... I don't ever think rip-off with anything doing what it says it
> will and costing like 79 cents.

I haven't bought it in ages and don't even look at the prices of it in the
store, but I did check it out online and they were selling it by the case with a
price that worked out to about $1.15 per box. So if buying it by the case gets
you that price, I find it hard to believe that single boxes in the store are
only 79 cents.





> A rip-off is ordering the pudding
> dessert at a restaurant and they charge $7 because it's topped with
> some stale cake crumbs and a mint leaf... and you can bet restaurants
> make theirs from a mix, if you're lucky... often it's redi-made pie
> filling out of a #10 can.

It costs about as much for a bowl of rice pudding in a greasy spoon as it costs
me to make an entire batch, and my rice pudding recipe calls for 4 cups of milk.
Another profitable dessert for restaurants is creme caramel. It is cheap and
easy to make and they charge a lot for it.

[email protected] wrote:
> I always thought there was gelatin in it, but I just read the
> ingredients and there is none.


Cornstarch.

gloria p

[email protected] wrote:
> I always thought there was gelatin in it, but I just read the
> ingredients and there is none. It does say (for thickening) "contains
> disodium phosphate and tetrasodium pyrophosphate".
> What the heck is that stuff?
>
> I like pudding and make it 3 or more times a week. But after reading
> this, I am not sure if I want to keep eating it. I always figure if
> the ingredients can not be pronounced, it's not safe to eat. All
> these years I thought it was just gelatin, and since the "Jello
> Company" makes it, I never bothered to even look at the ingredients.
> The only reason I noticed was because I used a box that got pushed to
> the back shelf and was expired by about 2 years. It never got stiff.
> I guess that's the reason for the expiration date. It still tasted
> fine, we just drank it like a milkshake.
>
> Didn't they used to use gelatin?
> I wonder if they sell a non-chemical variety in health food stores.
>
> Susan

Chocolate Pudding
1 ounce chocolate (one square)
1 pint milk
1/2 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1/4 teaspoon salt
1 teaspoon vanilla
1 teaspoon butter
Melt chocolate in 1/2 cup milk, stir until well blended. Heat remaining
milk and add chocolate mixture. Sift sugar, cornstarch and salt together
and add to hot milk gradually. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened.
Add vanilla and butter. Pour into serving dishes and chill. Serves 4.
Janet

Sheldon wrote:
> Dave Smith wrote:
>> George wrote:
>>>
>>>> Didn't they used to use gelatin?
>>>> I wonder if they sell a non-chemical variety in health food stores.
>>
>>> You can easily make real pudding by simply using corn starch or
>>> flour as the thickener for real ingredients:
>>
>> For me, pudding mixes rank right up there with pancake mixes as
>> consumer rip-offs. ?With a pudding mix you add milk and eggs, the
>> relatively expensive ingredients.
snip
the
> last time I made pudding from scratch I figured if I'm gonna do all
> that stirring for an hour I may as well make a lot, snip
It takes about as long to make pudding as it does to make a cup of hot
chocolate from scratch.
Janet

In article <[email protected]>,
[email protected] wrote:

> I always thought there was gelatin in it, but I just read the
> ingredients and there is none. It does say (for thickening) "contains
> disodium phosphate and tetrasodium pyrophosphate".
> What the heck is that stuff?

Chemical thickener, I suppose. There are lots of thickeners -- guar
gum, gum arabic, can't think of a couple others.

> Didn't they used to use gelatin?

For gelatin, yes; for pudding, no. A common thickener for pudding is
cornstarch. Some puddings have egg, some do not.

> I wonder if they sell a non-chemical variety in health food stores.

It's pretty easy to make from scratch, Susan. Sugar, milk, starch to
thicken, Look up some recipes.

--
-Barb, Mother Superior, HOSSSPoJ
http://www.caringbridge.org/visit/amytaylor
Pray for the abatement of her pain.

Melba's Jammin' wrote:

> For gelatin, yes; for pudding, no. A common thickener for pudding is
> cornstarch. Some puddings have egg, some do not.
>

I always consider it a custard if it has egg in it, but a pudding if
only thickened with cornstarch.

And making pudding from scratch is such a no-brainer. All Jello pudding
does is save you the measuring. How hard is *that* to do?

On Sat, 22 Mar 2008 14:20:52 -0400, Dave Smith
<[email protected]> wrote:

>Sheldon wrote:
>
>> D
>> > For me, pudding mixes rank right up there with pancake mixes as consumer
>> > rip-offs. �With a pudding mix you add milk and eggs, the relatively
>> > expensive ingredients.
>>
>> How is pudding mix a rip-off... a box of Jello brand mix costs less
>> than a buck (other brands cost even less) and only needs milk (I've
>> never seen any needing eggs, some brands just water).
>
>You don't add eggs anymore? I guess that shows how long it has been since I
>bought any. So I guess they use some sort of dried egg or interesting chemical
>thickeners instead of egg. You still have to add the milk, so it is still
>cheaper to mix up a little cornstarch and sugar and tad of salt and cook it up
>with some egg and milk. The results will be a hell of a lot better. None of
>their flavours are very good.
>
>
>> Most folks
>> don't want so much pudding that it pays to make it from scratch, and
>> it costs nearly as much from scratch, more if you add eggs, plus you
>> need flavoring, and the extra energy use cooking for nearly an hour.
>
>One egg. And it cooks in minutes, the same time it takes to cook the packaged
>crap. The one place I can see a savings is on chocolate, but their chocolate
>flavour pudding sucks. It is dark, but it doesn't even taste like chocolate.
>
>
>
>>
>> And these days many folks buy pudding already made in single serving
>> size from the refrigerator section, it costs more but most folks don't
>> want large servings as pudding is not a very healthful food... the
>> last time I made pudding from scratch I figured if I'm gonna do all
>> that stirring for an hour I may as well make a lot, so I ended up with
>> an 8 quart pot nearly filled with tapioca pudding..
>
>You are going to have to stop cooking navy sized batches.
>
>
>
>> . can't eat much
>> more than a cupful without feeling like a stomach full of lead,
>> luckily my neighbor has a slew of active kids, they got most of it.
>> If I ever get the urge for pudding again it's going to be a mix from a
>> box... I don't ever think rip-off with anything doing what it says it
>> will and costing like 79 cents.
>
>I haven't bought it in ages and don't even look at the prices of it in the
>store, but I did check it out online and they were selling it by the case with a
>price that worked out to about $1.15 per box. So if buying it by the case gets
>you that price, I find it hard to believe that single boxes in the store are
>only 79 cents.
>
>

Yes, it's only 79 cents and the generic brands are 50 cents. It's the
instant stuff and what I have been making. Just add milk and stir a
lot... I've never complained about the flavor, but I am not fond of
all the chemicals, and I have never found where it gets as thick as
the pre-made stuff. Although I make it with powdered milk so that
could be why. No one in this house drinks milk and it gets stale, so
I only buy the powdered stuff.



>
>
>
>> A rip-off is ordering the pudding
>> dessert at a restaurant and they charge $7 because it's topped with
>> some stale cake crumbs and a mint leaf... and you can bet restaurants
>> make theirs from a mix, if you're lucky... often it's redi-made pie
>> filling out of a #10 can.
>
>It costs about as much for a bowl of rice pudding in a greasy spoon as it costs
>me to make an entire batch, and my rice pudding recipe calls for 4 cups of milk.
>Another profitable dessert for restaurants is creme caramel. It is cheap and
>easy to make and they charge a lot for it.
>
>
>

One time on Usenet, "Janet Bostwick" <[email protected]> said:
> [email protected] wrote:

> > I always thought there was gelatin in it, but I just read the
> > ingredients and there is none. It does say (for thickening) "contains
> > disodium phosphate and tetrasodium pyrophosphate".
> > What the heck is that stuff?

<snip>

> Chocolate Pudding
> 1 ounce chocolate (one square)
> 1 pint milk
> 1/2 cup sugar
> 3 tablespoons cornstarch
> 1/4 teaspoon salt
> 1 teaspoon vanilla
> 1 teaspoon butter
> Melt chocolate in 1/2 cup milk, stir until well blended. Heat remaining
> milk and add chocolate mixture. Sift sugar, cornstarch and salt together
> and add to hot milk gradually. Cook, stirring constantly, until thickened.
> Add vanilla and butter. Pour into serving dishes and chill. Serves 4.

Sounds lovely, copied and saved. Thanks Janet... :-)

--
Jani in WA

Little Malice wrote:
> One time on Usenet, "Janet Bostwick" <[email protected]> said:
>> [email protected] wrote:
>
>>> I always thought there was gelatin in it, but I just read the
>>> ingredients and there is none. It does say (for thickening)
>>> "contains disodium phosphate and tetrasodium pyrophosphate".
>>> What the heck is that stuff?
>
> <snip>
>
>> Chocolate Pudding
>> 1 ounce chocolate (one square)
>> 1 pint milk
>> 1/2 cup sugar
>> 3 tablespoons cornstarch
>> 1/4 teaspoon salt
>> 1 teaspoon vanilla
>> 1 teaspoon butter
>> Melt chocolate in 1/2 cup milk, stir until well blended. Heat
>> remaining milk and add chocolate mixture. Sift sugar, cornstarch
>> and salt together and add to hot milk gradually. Cook, stirring
>> constantly, until thickened. Add vanilla and butter. Pour into
>> serving dishes and chill. Serves 4.
>
> Sounds lovely, copied and saved. Thanks Janet... :-)
>
> --
> Jani in WA
You are welcome.
Janet