The Best Butterscotch Pudding Is Homemade. This unfussy, old-fashioned recipe is easy to stir together on top of the stove, and hard to mess up. The flavor of butterscotch pudding comes from dark brown sugar that’s been caramelized in butter and rounded out with vanilla. I also like to spike the mixture with a little bourbon for depth, but you could also tip in Scotch for a savory smokiness, and as a nod to the name.With or without the booze, a bowl of homemade butterscotch pudding is about as soothing as dessert gets, a sweet, creamy comfort to any pandemic-weary soul.
Notes
Make sure to bring the pudding to a full, vigorous boil to activate the cornstarch. Otherwise, it may not set. If you’ve ever ended up with thin, runny pudding, undercooking may have been the issue.
Useful comments:
- Be forewarned, the sugar turns to rock hard clumps when you add the milk and cream. Don’t give up (although I almost did)! — just keep whisking (or stir if that is easier) and it will eventually melt back down. Turned out great in the end, but for a minute there I thought it was ruined!
- Butterscotch pudding is one of my favorite desserts but this was my first time making it myself -- and it was delicious. One tip: When I added the cream/milk, the caramel seized epically. I thought it was ruined. But I kept stirring and stirring and stirring, for about 8 minutes, and finally it began to relax and melt. So don't give up if this happens to you! Your patience will be rewarded!
- For the lazy cook - follow the directions BUT when you add the milk / cream mixture, remove the caramel from the heat. Slowly whisk in abt 1/2 of the cream. It will bubble and seize - don't fret as you have the secret weapon - the lazy cook. Keeping the pan off the heat add the rest of the milk, put a lid on the pot and walk away. Abt 20 min later most of the sugar has happily dissolved 🙂 then whisk in the egg mixture. Bring back to heat and proceed. No sieve needed. Delicious laziness.
Ingredients
- 4 large egg yolks
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- ½ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 165 grams dark brown sugar - ¾ packed cup
- 1 tablespoon unsalted butter
- 2 cups whole milk - 480 milliliters
- 1 cup heavy cream - 240 milliliters
- 1 tablespoon bourbon - or Scotch whisky (optional)
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- whipped cream, sour cream or crème fraîche, for serving
- Chopped candied ginger, sliced almonds, Demerara sugar, shaved chocolate, cocoa nibs or flaky sea salt (or a combination), for garnish (optional)
Instructions
- Put egg yolks, cornstarch and salt into a large heatproof bowl, and whisk until the mixture is smooth and there are no lumps.
- In a medium pot over medium heat, combine brown sugar and butter, whisking, until the brown sugar melts, 1 to 2 minutes.
- Let cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture starts to smell like hot caramel and darkens slightly, about 1 minute longer. (Don’t walk away, or the mixture may burn.)
- Immediately pour the milk and cream into the pot. (It will bubble fiercely and seize up.)
- Continue to cook, whisking constantly, until the clumps melt, 2 to 4 minutes.
- Slowly whisk about ½ cup of the hot cream mixture into the bowl with the egg yolks, whisking yolks until smooth, then whisk in the remaining hot cream mixture.
- Pour the egg-cream mixture back into the saucepan and place it over medium heat.
- Cook pudding, whisking constantly especially around the bottom and edges of the pot, until it comes to a full boil. (Don’t worry about the eggs curdling. You’re going to strain the mixture later.)
- Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring the mixture constantly, until it thickens enough to mound thickly on the spoon, 4 to 7 minutes. If at any point the pudding looks curdled, whisk to help smooth it out.
- Strain mixture through a fine sieve into a heatproof container or bowl, then stir in the Scotch or bourbon, if using, and vanilla.
- To prevent a skin from forming, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pudding. (If you like the skin, don’t cover pudding until it cools.)
- Chill for at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.
- When serving, spoon pudding into dishes. Top with dollops of whipped cream, sour cream or crème fraîche, and any of the optional garnishes.