Why You Should Stop Stirring Pudding With A Spoon

When one thinks of pudding, those old-school Jell-O tubs of chocolate and vanilla swirls may come to mind. Often packed in lunch boxes to satisfy a sugary craving, pudding is rich and smooth, and comes in many flavors, like banana cream, lemon, and cheesecake, per Kraft Heinz.

But pudding goes beyond the old-fashioned Jell-O stuff, and as Crafty Baking discusses, there are many variations of pudding, ranging from familiar bread pudding and dry mixes to beautiful blancmanges and comforting Indian puddings. The word "pudding" also extends beyond desserts, especially within British culture, as noted by British Food: A History. Steak and kidney pudding, for instance, looks like a savory version of a molten chocolate lava cake, except with a meaty gravy pouring out from it, via BBC Good Food.

As interesting as savory pudding is, sometimes you just want something sweet, which is where instant or homemade pudding comes into play. But when it comes time to stir the mixture, we suggest ditching the spoon in favor of another handy tool.

Lumps are a common problem to run into when making pudding. Luckily, they're no match for the power of a whisk. But, as BBC Good Food notes, a whisk isn't just used for mixing ingredients. It's also used to enhance the volume of egg whites and/or heavy cream because of the increased airflow that happens while whisking. There are also many types of whisks, like balloon whisks for meringues and whipped cream, French whisks for heavier mixtures like custards and batters, and kettle whisks for soups and sauces, via Webstaurant Store.

But in the case of pudding, a whisk is hailed for preventing starchy clumps, which then yields a smooth and creamy mixture, via Taste of Home. Joy of Baking adds that lumps can also be prevented by using a heavy-bottomed saucepan over low heat. If any stubborn lumps are still present after the pudding is done, just strain out the mixture. So next time you're making a sweet treat like brownie pudding, remember to use a whisk to make the mixture clump-free and ultra-smooth.