Brown Sugar Milk Pudding
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Brown Sugar Milk Pudding is a simple Japanese dessert with a sweet, milky taste and a silky, jiggly, creamy texture somewhere between a panna cotta and a jelly. Serve with brown sugar syrup and roasted soybean flour, and they make the perfect dessert for adults and kids.
In Indonesia, there is a Japanese barbecue restaurant called Gyu-Kaku that serves milk puddings as a dessert after the meal. Somehow, the dessert becomes one of the signature dishes of the restaurant. It is famous for its soft, creamy consistency that creates a melt-in-your-mouth sensation. The dessert is topped with brown sugar syrup, which adds a delicious and satisfying sweetness, and kinako or roasted soybean flour for extra nuttiness.
Unlike Western-style puddings, which are heavy and often rely on cornstarch or eggs for thickening, this Brown Sugar Milk Pudding achieves its consistency using gelatin, which makes the texture a bit lighter. It has the texture somewhere between a panna cotta and a jelly.
It’s the perfect quick, easy, and fuss-free dessert which uses pantry staples, so everyone can make it. It’s simple but can be a delicate and elegant single-serve treat for dinner guests or a light summer snack!
Ingredients You Need
- Whole milk. This is the base of the pudding. Use full-fat milk for richness.
- Heavy whipping cream. A little bit of heavy whipping cream is added to add richness.
- Granulated sugar. To add a subtle sweetness to the milk pudding
- Gelatin powder. To set the milk pudding and give it its jiggly texture.
- Vanilla extract. A splash of vanilla is added to enhance the flavour.
- Brown sugar. For the brown sugar syrup topping. The syrup adds a nice caramel-sweet flavour to the milk pudding.
- Kinako. Or roasted soybean powder. Kinako is made by finely grinding roasted soybeans into a golden yellow powder. This recipe uses kinako as a topping. It adds a little nuttiness to the pudding. Since it does not do much in terms of flavor, you can omit this ingredient if you don’t have it.
Cooking Tips
- Bloom the gelatin. To bloom gelatin, sprinkle powdered gelatin over cold water and let it sit for 5-10 minutes until it absorbs the liquid and becomes thick, or submerge sheets in cold water until soft. Once bloomed, gently heat the milk mixture until simmering. Turn off the heat and add the bloomed gelatin to the hot milk. Stir until gelatin is fully dissolved.
- Don’t boil the milk. Heat the milk gently just until simmering but not boiling. Boiling can affect the texture of the milk pudding. It can cause the cream to curdle or create an unappetizing skin on the surface.
- Strain the milk mixture. Pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve to remove any undissolved gelatin or bubbles for a silky-smooth texture.
More Japanese Dessert Recipes
- Warabi Mochi
- Japanese Coffee Jelly
- Black Sesame Madeleines
- Matcha Creme Brulee
- Black Sesame Madeleines
- Tofu Mitarashi Dango
Brown Sugar Milk Pudding
Ingredients
Milk Pudding
- 1 1/2 cups (375 ml) whole milk
- 1/2 cup (125 ml) heavy whipping cream
- 2 tbsp (25 gr) granulated sugar
- 2 tsp (7 gr) gelatin powder
- 1 1/2 tbsp (25 ml) water
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Brown Sugar Syrup
- 1/4 cup (50 gr) brown sugar
- 3 tbsp (45 ml) water
Topping
Instructions
Milk Pudding
- In a small bowl, bloom gelatin powder with water for 5 minutes. Set aside.
- In a saucepan, add milk, heavy whipping cream, and sugar. Heat on low-medium heat until simmering but not boiling. Remove from the heat.
- Add bloomed gelatin and vanilla extract. Stir until the gelatin is fully dissolved.
- Strain the mixture through a fine sieve and pour evenly among the prepared serving bowls.
- Remove any bubbles or foam on the top with a spoon.
- Cool at room temperature until completely cooled. Chill the milk pudding until it is set for at least 4 hours or overnight.
Brown Sugar Syrup
- In a saucepan, add brown sugar and water. Heat on low heat and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Turn off the heat and cool completely.
Assemble
- When you are ready to serve, pour brown sugar syrup on top of the milk pudding and sprinkle with kinako.
