MICROWAVE MUG PUDDINGS

Microwave mug cakes were all the rage a while back—perhaps because no one realized how great microwave mug pudding is. No, the pudding isn’t “instant.” It must set up in the fridge. But it’s a small price to pay for the ease of homemade pudding in under 2 minutes of active time.

Test Kitchen Notes

• The mug must be truly microwave safe. Some pottery can burst. Check manufacturer websites to be sure. If you’ve made tea in your mug in the microwave, you’re probably good to go.

• Use only whole milk.

• The cornstarch must be completely dissolved, no little bits floating in the mix. A mini whisk will work better than a fork.

• Use a genuine pasteurized egg substitute, not pasteurized egg whites or separated egg whites from whole eggs. And not regular eggs, as they will curdle.

• Never take your eyes off that window in the microwave oven. Stop the microwave when the mixture boils to the rim of the mug, and stir it down before continuing.

• In each of these recipes, you microwave the pudding for a 30-second burst on high or until the mixture rises to the rim of the mug, then you soldier on with 10-second bursts. Unfortunately, the exact number of additional 10-second bursts can be tricky to determine. Various glazes on pottery retain more heat than others; the thickness of the walls of some pottery mugs insulates the pudding more effectively.

• These recipes make individual servings. You can double, triple, multiply them up as much as you want by using more and more microwave-safe mugs. However, microwave them one by one for the best set.