The 3-Ingredient Pudding My Mom Taught Me To Make

Growing up, I loved making ginger milk pudding (姜汁撞奶) with my Cantonese mother the way she had it in her youth in Hong Kong. I adore this dish so much that I even included a recipe for it in my first cookbook.

Ginger milk pudding is a not-too-sweet dessert originating from Guangdong, China that comes together like magic. Without any cornstarch, gelatin, or agar-agar, hot milk thickens through the magic of chemistry into a silky, panna cotta-like pudding within minutes. 

It’s a dessert my mother made for me whenever I had a sore throat or upset stomach, so I’ve always associated ginger milk pudding with comfort and nourishment. It is a warm hug in a bowl and perfect whenever you need a little pick-me-up. 

The ginger isn’t overpowering, but it packs a good punch and can wake up your senses as the silky pudding flows down your throat. My favorite way to enjoy ginger milk pudding is the moment it solidifies and is still warm. Slurping it all down in a Chinese soup spoon is the best feeling ever. 

Key Ingredients for Ginger Milk Pudding

I must warn you: This is a finicky dish, even though it’s only made with three ingredients. You must use whole milk, not 2% or skim milk. It can’t be lactose-free milk or plant-based milk, either. I’ve tested my recipe multiple times using different milks, and only whole milk is guaranteed to work. 

This is because the magic thickening of ginger milk pudding relies on the proteins in whole milk curdling and setting when they react with the fresh ginger’s natural enzymes. 

For the ginger, you’ll need freshly squeezed ginger juice, and there are a few ways to get it. My favorite method is to peel fresh ginger with a spoon, chop or grate it, then squeeze the juice using a garlic press. 

Tips for Making My Ginger Milk Pudding

• You will need to be exact when measuring and heating your milk. Use an instant-read or candy thermometer to heat the milk to 158 to 168°F. If the milk is not hot enough, it will not curdle. If it is too hot, the heat will destroy the enzymes. 
• Once you pour the hot milk into the ginger juice, you must be patient and trust the magic. Do not stir. Step back and let the ingredients do their thing. The milk will gently set into a silky, delicate pudding within minutes. The Cantonese trick to check if it’s ready? Carefully place a Chinese soup spoon on top—the spoon should float without sinking through.
• If the magic trick doesn’t work, then something went wrong. Your milk didn’t contain enough fat, your ginger juice didn’t contain enough enzymes, or you got the amounts or the temperature wrong. Try again!
• If you refrigerate the dish or leave it out for too long, it can uncurdle and revert to its milky, runny state. Enjoy it right away.

How To Make My 3-Ingredient Ginger Milk Pudding

To make one serving, you’ll need:

• 1 (2-inch) piece fresh ginger, peeled and chopped or grated 
• 200g (3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons) whole milk 
• 1 tablespoon sugar, or to taste

Using a garlic press, squeeze 1 tablespoon of ginger juice from the chopped or grated ginger. Alternatively, grate the ginger and squeeze the juice through a fine-mesh strainer, cheesecloth, or your hands. Transfer the juice to a heatproof serving bowl and set aside.

In a small saucepan, warm the milk over medium heat, adding about 1 tablespoon of sugar, or to taste. Heat the milk until it reaches 163 to 168°F. It will be steaming but not boiling. Remove from heat and stir briefly to fully dissolve the sugar.

Immediately pour the hot milk into the bowl, aiming directly at the ginger juice. Cover the bowl and let it sit, undisturbed, for 6 to 12 minutes.

Check if the pudding has set by giving it a gentle wobble. Then, lightly place a spoon on top. The spoon should float without sinking if the pudding is ready. Serve warm and enjoy. This dessert should be enjoyed immediately, as it may separate and become watery or runny as it sits. 

Easy Recipe Variations

• You can top the pudding with sliced fruit and sweeten it with maple syrup or honey, if you like.
• You can add a drop of food coloring or flavor extract to the milk to change the color and flavor of the pudding. I’ve made pandan and ube ginger milk pudding before using drops of pandan or ube extract.