Luxe Butterscotch Pudding
Total Time
20 minutes plus cooling times
Prep Time
20 minutes plus cooling times
Rating
0 out of 5 stars
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Ingredients
6 servings
- 2/3 cup (125 grams) dark brown sugar
- 2/3 teaspoon (or a heaped 1/2 teaspoon) kosher salt
- 1/4 cup (60 ml) water
- 1 cup (235 ml) heavy cream
- 1 cup (235 ml) milk (whole or lowfat work here)
- 2 tablespoons (15 grams) cornstarch
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 large egg
- 3 tablespoons (45 grams) unsalted butter
- 1 to 2 teaspoons (5 to 10 ml) vanilla extract
- 1 to 2 teaspoons rum (optional)
- 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (125 grams) granulated sugar (for salted caramel, optional)
- 2 tablespoons (30 ml) water (for salted caramel, optional)
- 2 tablespoons (30 grams) salted or unsalted butter (for salted caramel, optional)
- 1/2 cup (120 ml) heavy cream (for salted caramel, optional)
- Flaky sea salt, to taste (for salted caramel, optional)
- 1/2 cup heavy cream (for topping)
- Sugar, to taste, if desired (for topping)
- 2 tablespoons creme fraiche or sour cream (optional, for topping)
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Preparation
Step 1
Stir the brown sugar, water, and salt together in the bottom of a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan.
Step 2
Turn the heat on to medium-high and cook the mixture without stirring until it’s dark brown and smells caramelized, 8 to 10 minutes.
Step 3
Whisk in the cream (it’s going to hiss and bubble dramatically), then milk.
Step 4
Bring the mixture back to a boil, stirring all the way into the corners, and the butterscotch will liquefy again.
Step 5
In a medium bowl, whisk the egg, egg yolks, and cornstarch.
Step 6
Very slowly drizzle in 1 cup of the butterscotch mixture, whisking the whole time.
Step 7
Whisk this back into the mixture still in the saucepan.
Step 8
Return the saucepan to the stove over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it comes to a bloopy, slow simmer.
Step 9
Whisk it, simmering, for 1 to 2 minutes; it should thicken fast.
Step 10
Remove pot from heat, whisk in butter until it melts, then rum, if using, and vanilla.
Step 11
Pour pudding into 6 small cups and chill in fridge until fully cool and set, a few hours or overnight.
Step 12
For salted caramel: Combine the sugar and water in the bottom of a medium, heavy-bottomed saucepan.
Step 13
Cook without stirring until the sugar takes on an amber color, about 10 minutes.
Step 14
Remove pan from heat and carefully whisk butter, then cream, into the caramel.
Step 15
Let caramel cool a bit, then spoon some onto the top of each pudding.
Step 16
For serving: Beat cream and 1 teaspoon sugar, if desired, until it holds very soft peaks.
Step 17
Beat in creme fraiche or sour cream, if desired.
Step 18
Dollop some on each pudding dish and eat immediately.
Step 19
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Chef's notes
This pudding is more luxurious and intensely butterscotchy than the simple cornstarch-thickened version.
For a more classic butterscotch intensity, use up to 3/4 cup brown sugar.
The color comes from the brown sugar caramel:
the less sugar you use, the more pale the pudding will be.
The caramel sauce makes a scant cup, more than needed for this recipe.
