{{Short description|Powder used to create puddings and pie filling}} thumb|upright=1.1|Instant chocolate pudding mix, milk and a measuring cup thumb|Instant dessert pudding thumb|upright=1.1|A lemon pie prepared with lemon-flavored instant pudding mix (middle layer), whipped cream and a graham cracker crust

'''Instant pudding''' is an instant food product that is manufactured in a powder form and used to create puddings and pie filling. It is produced using sugar, flavoring agents and thickeners as primary ingredients. Instant pudding can be used in some baked goods.

==Manufacturing== Many flavors of instant pudding are produced.<ref name="Damerow 1994"/><ref name="Steen Newman 2013"/> Sugar, a flavoring agent, and thickeners are primary ingredients.<ref name="Kraft-official">{{cite web | url=http://www.kraftrecipes.com/products/jell-o-pudding-instant-chocolat-754.aspx | title=Jell-O Pudding-Instant Chocolate 3.9 Oz. Box | publisher=Kraftrecipes.com | access-date=21 April 2016}}</ref> Instant chocolate pudding mix is manufactured using cocoa.<ref name="Furia 1980"/> A key ingredient in instant pudding is gelatinized starch, a dried instant starch that readily absorbs liquids, which causes the pudding to gel when mixed with milk.<ref name="Vaclavik Christian 2007"/> Additional ingredients sometimes used as a thickener include gums that are soluble in cold water, such as carrageenans and alginates.<ref name="Furia 1980"/> Phosphate salts are sometimes used, which contribute to the gelling of the finished product.<ref name="Furia 1980"/> Some Jell-O brand instant puddings are vegan, such as those in vanilla, lemon, banana crème, and pistachio flavors.<ref name="Steen Newman 2013"/>

Many flavors of instant pudding are produced, with manufacturers including Kraft Foods and Jel Sert whose products are marketed under the Jell-O and Royal brand names.<ref name="Schultz 2013"/>

===Nutrition information=== One serving (one-quarter of a box) of dry Jell-O chocolate-flavored instant pudding contains 110 calories, 430&nbsp;mg sodium, 8 g carbohydrate, 18 g sugars, and 1 g of dietary fiber.<ref name="Kraft-official"/> It also contains 4% of the daily Recommended Dietary Allowance of iron.<ref name="Kraft-official"/> Instant pudding mixes are produced in non-fat and sugar-free varieties.<ref name="Pasternak Murphy 2009"/>

==Preparation== Instant pudding is typically prepared by combining the powdered mix with milk and mixing the ingredients.<ref name="CBS News 2011"/> Puddings may be cooled in a refrigerator before serving.<ref name="Food Network 2015"/>

==Uses== In addition to being eaten as-is and used as a pie filling, instant pudding can be used in baked goods such as cakes and cookies.<ref name="Byrn 2009"/><ref name="Ionia Sentinel 2016"/> Instant pudding added to cake mix can result in a denser and moister cake compared to cakes prepared without it.<ref name="Steen Newman 2013"/><ref name="Byrn 2009"/> The use of instant pudding can cause a cake to fall or shrink as it cools, more than a cake prepared without the pudding.<ref name="Byrn 2009"/> Use of a small amount of instant pudding lessens shrinkage compared to using a whole box.<ref name="Byrn 2009"/> Cookies prepared using instant pudding may be moister compared to those without it.<ref name="Ionia Sentinel 2016"/>

==See also== {{Portal|Food}} * Angel Delight – a brand of powdered instant dessert mix * Bird's Custard – a brand of powdered instant custard mix * List of puddings

== References == {{Reflist|30em|refs= <ref name="Damerow 1994">{{cite book | last=Damerow | first=G. | title=Ice Cream!: The Whole Scoop | publisher=Glenbridge Pub. | year=1994 | isbn=978-0-944435-29-8 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hM7rqc_4ROEC&pg=PA73 | page=73}}</ref> <ref name="Byrn 2009">{{cite book | last=Byrn | first=A. | title=The Cake Mix Doctor Returns!: With 160 All-New Recipes | publisher=Workman Publishing Company | year=2009 | isbn=978-0-7611-5948-3 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YQzEvuNSAj4C&pg=PA3 | page=3}}</ref> <ref name="Vaclavik Christian 2007">{{cite book | last=Vaclavik | first=V. | last2=Christian | first2=E.W. | title=Essentials of Food Science | publisher=Springer New York | series=Food Science Text Series | year=2007 | isbn=978-0-387-69940-0 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=iCCsvwZrguUC&pg=PA61 | page=61}}</ref> <ref name="Furia 1980">{{cite book | last=Furia | first=T.E. | title=CRC Handbook of Food Additives, Second Edition | publisher=Taylor & Francis | issue=v. 2 | year=1980 | isbn=978-0-8493-0543-6 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2w__X6I0_5wC&pg=PA154 | page=154}}</ref> <ref name="Pasternak Murphy 2009">{{cite book | last=Pasternak | first=H. | last2=Murphy | first2=M. | title=The 5-Factor Diet | publisher=BALLANTINE BOOKS | year=2009 | isbn=978-0-345-51349-6 | url=https://archive.org/details/5factorworlddiet00past | url-access=registration | page=[https://archive.org/details/5factorworlddiet00past/page/169 169]}}</ref> <ref name="Steen Newman 2013">{{cite book | last=Steen | first=C. | last2=Newman | first2=J.M. | title=Home-Cooked Vegan Comfort Food: More Than 200 Belly-Filling, Lip-Smacking Recipes | publisher=Fair Winds Press | year=2013 | isbn=978-1-59233-588-6 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YUyoAAAAQBAJ&pg=PA253 | page=253}}</ref> <ref name="Ionia Sentinel 2016">{{cite web | title=The Recipe Exchange: Chocolate chip pudding cookies stay moist; recipes sought for from-scratch brownies | website=Ionia Sentinel | date=April 15, 2016 | url=http://www.sentinel-standard.com/article/20160415/LIFESTYLE/160419146 | access-date=April 22, 2016}}</ref> <ref name="Schultz 2013">{{cite web | last=Schultz | first=E.J. | title=Kraft Launches Comeback Plan for Jell-O | website=AdAge | date=August 12, 2013 | url=http://adage.com/article/news/kraft-launches-campaign-revive-jell-o/243616/ | access-date=April 22, 2016}}</ref> <ref name="CBS News 2011">{{cite web | title=Food Issue: JELL-O pudding treats | website=CBS News | date=November 19, 2011 | url=http://www.cbsnews.com/news/food-issue-jell-o-pudding-treats/ | access-date=April 22, 2016}}</ref> <ref name="Food Network 2015">{{cite web | title=Chocolate Pudding | website=Food Network | author=Brown, Alton | date=May 20, 2015 | url=http://www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/alton-brown/chocolate-pudding-recipe.html | access-date=April 22, 2016}}</ref> }}

{{Instant foods}} {{Puddings}}

Category:Instant foods and drinks Category:Puddings Category:Food powders