Not quite sure what to do with milk that’s about to expire? The answer is to turn it into milk puddings! Creamy, milky and satisfyingly jiggly, this easy milk pudding recipe is a lovely little dessert to keep chilled in the fridge. It is delicately sweet rather than overly rich, with a smooth, softly set texture that practically melts in your mouth.
This Japanese-inspired milk pudding requires only five simple ingredients and around five minutes of cooking. There are no eggs and no baking involved – simply heat the mixture, pour it into individual dessert glasses and leave it to set in the fridge. I have been making these mini milk puddings since I was a teenager, and it’s a family favourite recipe. I would store them in little jars and grab one from the fridge as an after-school treat.
Why You’ll Love This Mini Milk Pudding Recipe
- Quick & easy – the pudding mixture takes only around five minutes to prepare.
- Only 5 ingredients – everything is made with straightforward ingredients and no specialist equipment.
- No eggs or baking – this is an eggless, no-bake dessert that sets in the fridge.
- Creamy and jiggly – gelatin creates a delicate wobble, while a little cornflour gives the pudding a creamier mouthfeel.
- Perfect for preparing ahead – make the puddings earlier in the day and keep them chilled until dessert.
What Is Milk Pudding?
Milk pudding is a broad name for a soft dessert made primarily from milk and sugar. Different versions are found across Asia and elsewhere, using ingredients such as eggs, cornflour, agar or gelatin to thicken and set the milk. This recipe is a simple Japanese-inspired milk pudding made with gelatin and a small amount of cornflour. It is different from Japanese purin, which is an egg custard commonly served with caramel. It is also different from Cantonese steamed milk pudding, which is traditionally set with egg whites. The finished pudding is creamy, lightly sweet and softly set, with a delicate jiggle rather than the firm texture of jelly.
How to Make Japanese-inspired Milk Pudding at Home
Ingredients You Need for Making Milk Pudding
- Milk – full-fat milk is preferred as it gives richer flavours and a creamier texture. Semi-skimmed milk works too, but the finished pudding will taste lighter.
- White Sugar -granulated or caster sugar can be used. The pudding is intended to be delicately sweet, but you can adjust the quantity slightly according to taste.
- Cornflour (cornstarch) – gently thickens the milk and gives the pudding a smooth, creamy consistency.
- Gelatin Powder – I use this Halal Beef Gelatin Powder
- Warm Water – for dissolving the gelatin powder
Making Japanese-inspired Milk Pudding Step-by-Step
Step 1: Prepare & Heat the Milk Mixture
Add the milk, sugar and cornflour to a small saucepan. Whisk thoroughly while the milk is still cold so that the cornflour dissolves without forming lumps.
Place the saucepan over low to medium-low heat. Stir continuously, paying particular attention to the bottom and edges of the pan, until the sugar dissolves and the mixture becomes hot and slightly thickened.
Step 2: Prepare & Add the Gelatin
Mix the gelatin powder with the warm water until combined. Add to the warm milk mixture and continue stirring until it has completely dissolved.
Step 3: Divide & Chill
Pour the mixture between four to six small pudding jars, ramekins or dessert glasses. Allow the puddings to cool, then cover and refrigerate for at least one hour—or until completely set.
Serve the milk puddings cold, either plain or with your preferred toppings.
Recipe Tips for the Best Milk Pudding
- You are going to need a Milk Pan / Small Pot for this recipe, and some Mini Pudding Jars / Dessert Glasses (the ones used in the pictures)
- Mix the cornflour/cornstarch into cold milk. Cornflour is much easier to dissolve in cold liquid. Whisk it into the milk before heating to prevent small floury lumps from forming.
- Use gentle heat. Milk can catch and scorch surprisingly quickly. Cook the mixture over low to medium-low heat and stir continuously, scraping across the bottom and into the corners of the saucepan.
- Don’t vigorously boil the milk. The milk only needs to become hot enough for the cornflour to activate and the sugar to dissolve. A vigorous boil can cause the milk to burn, develop a skin or spill over the saucepan.
- Use whole milk for the creamiest result. Semi-skimmed milk will still set, but whole milk creates a fuller flavour and silkier consistency. The higher the fat content, the richer the flavours and the creamier the texture. That’s why it’s very popular in Asia to use Japanese 3.5% Hokkaido Milk to make milk puddings of this kind due to its rich and fatty nature.
- Technically, you can use any type of milk you like for this recipe. For a plant-based alternative, I’ve only tried using oat milk, which turned out reasonably well, but I had to slightly adjust the sugar amount. If you plan to make it with an alternative milk, you may need to make some tweaks.
- Allow sufficient chilling time. The pudding may begin to set within an hour, particularly in very small jars, but larger servings may need two to three hours. For the most reliable result, prepare it several hours before serving.
- Cover the puddings once cooled. Cover the jars or glasses before refrigerating to stop the pudding from absorbing other flavours and prevent a dry skin from forming on top. If your pudding jar/cup doesn’t come with a cover, simply use cling film
- This recipe yields roughly 4-6 mini puddings, depending on the size of jars/cups you use.
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Easy Creamy Japanese-inspired Milk Pudding Recipe
Equipment
- 1 Milk Pan / Small Pot
- 4-6 Mini pudding jars / dessert glasses
Ingredients
- 2 cups Milk
- 5 tbsp White Sugar
- 1 tbsp Cornflour / Cornstarch
- 2½ tsp Halal Gelatin Powder
- 2 tbsp Warm Water
Instructions
- Add milk, sugar, and cornflour to a small saucepan. Whisk thoroughly while the milk is still cold so that the cornflour dissolves.2 cups Milk, 5 tbsp White Sugar, 1 tbsp Cornflour / Cornstarch
- Place the saucepan over low to medium-low heat. Stir continuously until the sugar dissolves. Do not allow it to come to a boil.
- Stir gelatin powder with the warm water until dissolved. Add the gelatin mixture to the hot milk and stir until fully dissolved.2½ tsp Halal Gelatin Powder, 2 tbsp Warm Water
- Divide the milk mixture evenly into your pudding cups/jars.
- Set aside and allow to cool down. Cover and refrigerate them for an hour for the mixture to set. Serve cold.
Video
Notes
- This recipe yields roughly 4-6 mini puddings depending on the size of jars/cups you use.
- Mix the cornflour into cold milk. Cornflour is much easier to dissolve in cold liquid. Whisk it into the milk before heating to prevent small floury lumps from forming.
- Use gentle heat. Milk can catch and scorch surprisingly quickly. Cook the mixture over low to medium-low heat and stir continuously, scraping across the bottom and into the corners of the saucepan.
- Don’t vigorously boil the milk. The milk only needs to become hot enough for the cornflour to activate and the sugar to dissolve. A vigorous boil can cause the milk to burn, develop a skin or spill over the saucepan.
- Use whole milk for the creamiest result. Semi-skimmed milk will still set, but whole milk creates a fuller flavour and silkier consistency.
- Allow sufficient chilling time. The pudding may begin to set within an hour, particularly in very small jars, but larger servings may need two to three hours. For the most reliable result, prepare it several hours before serving.
- Cover the puddings once cooled. Cover the jars or glasses before refrigerating to stop the pudding from absorbing other flavours and prevent a dry skin from forming on top.
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Is it possible to replace the white sugar for maple syrup? And is cornstarch the same as cornflour? I’m writing from the USA.
Thanks
You’re welcome!
It is very cute and jiggly !! But it is kind of burnt !!
Hi Claire, thank you for your feedback! I have not had any issues with the milk burning . This may be because of overheating the mixture. I’ll recommend to aim for a very gentle boil – not a full bubbling/vigorous boil – and immediately remove it from heat. Hope this helps!