I love the flavor of malted milk powder in desserts. Whether it’s in candy (I’ll take Whoppers, but British Maltesers are even better!) or a milkshake, the powder adds a complex nutty, caramelized flavor I just can’t get enough of. Even though it’s one of my favorite flavors, I wasn’t having it all that often — sadly, I’m not in the habit of making frequent homemade milkshakes. That was, until I realized I had free will and a box of instant chocolate pudding mix. The moment I took my first bite, I knew this was an easy treat I’d put on frequent rotation.
What Makes Adding Malt Powder to Pudding So Great
I first want to say that I definitely did not come up with this. There is something so delightfully retro about both malted milk and pudding — like I’m pulling up a seat at a mid-century diner for an afternoon treat. But as for why it’s so delicious, malted milk powder adds a depth of buttery, caramelized, nutty flavor that pudding alone simply lacks (sorry, pudding!). To put it simply, it adds oomph. And while I think chocolate malted is my favorite, you can add it to vanilla pudding or any other instant pudding flavor with equally delicious results.
What I find even more fantastic is that one shelf-stable ingredient can take a box of instant pudding from good to maybe-I’ll-serve-this-at-a-dinner-party levels of great. It takes no extra work! As a frequent dinner host who is never in the mood to make dessert, this is a huge win for me. You can dress the malted pudding up with toppings and whipped cream, served in cute little cups, but I think it’s equally wonderful on its own in all its deceptively complex glory.
How to Add Malt Powder to Pudding
It really couldn’t be simpler. Dump a packet of instant pudding powder in a bowl and whisk in 1/3 cup malted milk powder. Then follow the box instructions as directed! If you’re a little more industrious and want to make pudding from scratch, add the same amount of malted milk powder to the dry ingredients and proceed as usual. It’s that simple!
3 Tips for Adding Malt Powder to Pudding
- Add a little pinch of salt. If you, like me, don’t like desserts that are “too sweet,” add a little pinch of kosher salt to the instant pudding when you’re mixing for a slightly more balanced flavor. It won’t taste salty — just slightly less sweet.
- Use any flavor you like. You can add malted milk powder to any flavor of instant pudding you prefer.
- Add toppings. Crushed cookies, roasted nuts, fresh berries, and whipped cream are great ways to elevate and customize your pudding cup! My favorite combos are chocolate pudding with whipped cream and crushed pistachios, or vanilla with chopped strawberries.