Vanilla Pudding Strawberry Parfaits

2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup cane sugar
3 tablespoons corn starch
big pinch sea salt
1 egg yolk
1 tablespoon butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract
1 1/2 cups strawberries, sliced (or substitute fresh cherries)
4 graham crackers
2 glass pint jars

1. Whisk together the sugar, corn starch, and salt in a medium saucepan. Add 1/2 cup milk and whisk until smooth. Whisk in the egg yolk and the remaining milk.
2. Place over medium-low heat and cook, stirring frequently with a wooden spoon or flat whisk, for about 15 minutes, until thickened. Stir in the butter and vanilla. Remove from heat and let cool completely.
3. Mash the strawberries partially with a potato masher to make them juicy and liquidy.
4. Break up the graham crackers over a large cutting board, and chop the them into small pieces with a chef’s knife. You could whiz them in a food processor but you still want small chunks, not all crumbs.
5. When the pudding is cool, spoon some into each jar. (A canning funnel is helpful here if you have one.) Add a layer of strawberries, followed by a layer of graham cracker pieces. Add the remaining strawberries and the remaining pudding. As you add the layers, you can gently tap the jar on the counter to settle the layers and make more room. Makes 2 parfaits.