If You Aren't Using This Kitchen Tool To Mix Instant Pudding, You Need To Start ASAP

Instant pudding is designed to be as simple of a process as possible to make. But the tools you use can be the difference between a dessert that tastes like it came from a grocery store shelf and one that has your guests asking for your recipe.

While it's not necessarily wrong to use a wooden spoon, large fork, or a rubber spatula, one surefire way to make your instant pudding perfectly is to use a large whisk — the micro-sized whisks have their uses, but this is not one of them. Whisking the pudding mix with milk (or other liquid of choice) will prevent it from clumping. 

When using another utensil, you can risk overmixing while trying to get rid of the lumps, or take the chance that someone will ultimately bite into an unmixed portion of powder. The spaced wires of the whisk are designed to help the powder dissolve into the liquid evenly, without lumps or the gritty texture you'll get otherwise. Whisking also helps thicken the pudding – use a side-to-side motion rather than circular for the best results. 

Sure, it's possible to use an electric handheld mixer or an electric whisk when making instant pudding. Along with the clumps being worked through, the electric mixer will also aerate your pudding faster, and whipping will make it fluffier. But, electric tools can be messy. You'd have to ensure that you start on a low setting to avoid splashing your milk and powder outside of the bowl (and on yourself). Secondly, you'd need a rubber spatula to scrape the bowl as you go and avoid uneven mixing. But with a whisk, you won't splash yourself, and you'll be able to scrape the bowl as you go with the same tool.

Instant pudding only takes moments to mix with a whisk, and then it can go into the fridge to firm up and set. It's important to note that there should be no more mixing past that stage. Even when it comes time to serve, ensure you don't give any extra spins of the spatula or spoon, or you'll lose that texture you not-so-patiently waited to form. Now, if you're going to top off your pudding before you serve it, you're welcome to use a whisk to mix whipping cream – but in this instance your arm may thank you if you switch to your electric mixer.