Butterscotch Pudding
This Butterscotch Pudding is a silky, spoonable dessert that shows off the deep flavor of real butterscotch. Caramelized brown sugar and butter are slowly cooked with cream, then turned into a rich, custardy pudding with egg yolks for a perfectly smooth texture.
Servings: 6
Calories: 518kcal
Ingredients
Butterscotch pudding
- 220 g Brown sugar
- 55 g Unsalted butter 82% fat at room temperature, use it to make the butterscotch
- 230 g Heavy cream 36% fat
- ½ teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla
- 480 g Whole milk 3% fat
- 4 Egg yolks room temperature
- 45 g Corn starch
- 55 g Unsalted butter 82% fat, use it at room temperature to add to the pudding as the last step
Instructions
Start with the butterscotch
- To make the butterscotch, melt the butter and brown sugar together in a saucepan over medium heat. Stir constantly to keep the butter from separating, and slowly cook it for about 3 minutes until it becomes bubbly, glossy, and slightly caramelized and thickened. Slow is key here, do not boil it.
- Meanwhile, heat the cream in a separate pan until it just begins to simmer. Once the butterscotch reaches the desired texture, slowly and steadily pour in the hot cream while stirring. Cook for about 2-3 minutes, stirring constantly, do not boil.
- Stir in the salt and vanilla, and let it rest while preparing the pudding base.
Turn that into pudding
- In a large bowl, whisk together the egg yolks with a hand whisk for 1–2 minutes until slightly fluffy. Whisk in the cornstarch until smooth.
- Heat the milk in a saucepan over medium heat. Once the milk is hot, pour in the previously made butterscotch and mix until combined. Continue heating the two together until a gentle simmer, then remove from the heat. If you want to leave some butterscotch for later as decoration, make sure to reserve 2-3 tablespoons.
- Slowly pour the warm milk-butterscotch mixture into the egg mixture while whisking continuously to temper the yolks. The mixture will start to thicken slightly.
- Return the mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thickened — about 1 minute after it starts to boil. If it becomes lumpy, keep whisking until smooth and glossy.
- For an extra smooth texture, consider straining this butterscotch pudding.
- Lastly, add the softened butter, mixing with a rubber spatula until fully incorporated and creamy.
- Divide the butterscotch pudding into 6 bowls and cover the entire surface with plastic wrap to avoid skin forming on top.
- Refrigerate until set, about 2-3 hours.
- Store the butterscotch pudding covered in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. Before serving, top it with freshly whipped Chantilly cream, the leftover butterscotch sauce and shaved chocolate.
Notes
INGREDIENT NOTES:
- Measure your ingredients with a digital scale for accuracy.
- Do not skip the salt; it will balance the flavors.
- Use full-fat milk and cream, high-fat butter, and great-quality vanilla extract to make this recipe.
- Consider adding your favorite spices to the recipe, e.g., cinnamon, or a splash of bourbon, rum, or scotch.
- The recipe contains a few precise steps that need to be done in the right order. Although it is "just a pudding" do not try to cut corners and skip or combine steps.
- When making the butterscotch, cook the mixture until the brown sugar caramelizes, but keep an eye on the color and scent so it doesn't burn.
- Control the heat carefully while making the butterscotch; medium heat gives you more control, prevents burning, and still allows the sugar to caramelize evenly.
- Warm the cream before adding it to the caramelized sugar to prevent the mixture from seizing and splattering.
- When tempering the egg yolk, you effectively raise the egg yolk’s temperature without scrambling. Do not skip this step and try to cook everything in one go.
- Use a small/medium-sized saucepan with good heat distribution to avoid burning the milk when making the pudding.
Nutrition
Calories: 518kcal | Carbohydrates: 48g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 34g | Saturated Fat: 21g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 1g | Cholesterol: 222mg | Sodium: 253mg | Potassium: 224mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 41g | Vitamin A: 1324IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 174mg | Iron: 1mg
