"If you can start with truly natural dairy — definitely not ultrapasteurized and ideally bought from a farm or a farmers’ market— you are really ahead of the game. Real vanilla beans also make a palpable difference. I have stopped making vanilla pudding with vanilla extract. Although the flavor of extract is perfectly acceptable, when the dominant flavor is vanilla, you can really taste the difference if you start with a good bean. Featured in: The Minimalist; Patience Turns Milk Into A Foolproof Treat For Dessert...."