Food can make us happy and remind us of fun times, like playing at the beach. Today, we’re going to learn how to make Beach Pudding Cups. This yummy treat looks like the beach and is inspired by Cookie Monster and Gonger. It’s a fun way to remember sunny beach days, even if it’s rainy outside!
Baby Bear wanted a special snack that reminded him of the ocean. So, Cookie Monster and Gonger decided to make pudding cups that look like the beach, with “sand” and “ocean” parts. This shows how cooking can be creative and fun, turning simple ingredients into something cool and exciting!
To make Beach Pudding Cups, you’ll need these ingredients:
– **For the Vanilla Pudding:**
– 1 teaspoon sugar
– 1/3 cup corn starch
– 2 egg yolks
– A pinch of salt
– 1 vanilla bean (or vanilla extract)
– 3 cups low-fat milk
– Blue food coloring
– **For the “Sand”:**
– Vanilla cookies (you can use store-bought or homemade)
– **For Decoration:**
– An orange (to make a starfish shape)
– Optional: gummy sharks or other ocean-themed candies
Before making the pudding, Cookie Monster and Gonger needed vanilla beans. They visited a vanilla farm and learned that vanilla beans come from special flowers called orchids. The beans are picked when they’re green and dried until they turn brown. This shows how important it is to know where our food comes from and how much work goes into making it.
– Mix 1 teaspoon of sugar and 1/3 cup of corn starch in a saucepan.
– Add 2 egg yolks and a pinch of salt, and whisk until smooth.
– Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean and add them (or use vanilla extract).
– Slowly whisk in 3 cups of low-fat milk.
– Cook over medium heat, stirring until it thickens.
– Strain the pudding into a bowl to remove lumps.
– Cover and refrigerate until cool.
– Once the pudding is cool, add a few drops of blue food coloring to make it look like the ocean. Stir well.
– Crush the vanilla cookies into tiny crumbs to look like sand. You can do this by putting the cookies in a bag and rolling over them with a rolling pin.
– Spoon the blue pudding into clear cups, filling them about three-quarters full.
– Sprinkle the cookie crumbs on top to look like beach sand.
– Use the orange to make a starfish shape and place it on top. Add gummy sharks or other candies for extra fun.
Beach Pudding Cups are not just tasty; they’re a fun way to be creative in the kitchen. They’re perfect for days when you want to bring a little sunshine inside. Making these treats is a great way to spend time with family and friends, creating happy memories while enjoying a delicious dessert that looks like the beach. So, gather your ingredients and have fun making your own Beach Pudding Cups!
Explore the Vanilla Journey: Just like Cookie Monster and Gonger visited a vanilla farm, you can explore where other ingredients come from. Pick an ingredient from your kitchen, like sugar or milk, and with the help of an adult, research where it comes from and how it is made. Draw a picture of the journey your ingredient takes from its source to your kitchen.
Create Your Own Beach Scene: Use different colored paper, crayons, or markers to create a beach scene on a piece of paper. Think about what you would see at the beach, like the ocean, sand, and maybe some sea creatures. Once your scene is complete, compare it to your Beach Pudding Cup. How are they similar? How are they different?
Observe and Describe: Next time you go to the beach or see a picture of one, pay close attention to the colors and textures you see. Write down or draw what you notice about the sand, water, and sky. Then, think about how you could use food to recreate those colors and textures, just like you did with the Beach Pudding Cups.
