Vanilla Pudding Pops Recipe

Directions

1. 1
   Place 1 3/4 cups of the half-and-half, the sugar, and the salt in a medium saucepan over medium heat and stir until the sugar has completely dissolved, about 3 to 4 minutes.
2. 2
   Meanwhile, pour the remaining 1/4 cup half-and-half into a small bowl.
3. 3
   Sprinkle the gelatin evenly over the surface and let stand without disturbing until the gelatin softens, about 3 minutes (it will start to look wavy and wrinkled).
4. 4
   Place the egg yolks in a medium heatproof bowl and whisk until smooth, about 1 minute.
5. 5
   Remove the half-and-half mixture from the heat and slowly pour about half of it into the egg yolks, whisking constantly until incorporated.
6. 6
   Pour the half-and-half/egg mixture back into the pan and add the gelatin mixture and the butter.
7. 7
   Cook over low heat, whisking constantly, until the butter melts, the gelatin dissolves and no longer feels grainy, and an instant-read thermometer registers 160 degrees F, about 5 minutes.
8. 8
   (Do not let the mixture boil or go above 170 degrees F, or the gelatin will not set properly and the eggs may curdle.)
9. 9
   Remove the saucepan from heat and stir in the vanilla.
10. 10
    Set a fine-mesh strainer over a medium heatproof bowl and pour the mixture through the strainer.
11. 11
    Discard the solids.
12. 12
    Divide the mixture among the pop molds and freeze until frozen, about 3 hours.
13. 13
    Alternatively, to serve as pudding, divide the mixture among ramekins and refrigerate until set, about 3 hours.
14. 14
    (To avoid the skin that forms on the surface of pudding, cover each ramekin with plastic wrap and make sure its directly touching the pudding.)