Butterscotch Pudding

I think of myself more as a chocolate gal, but sometimes butterscotch just hits the spot. I had a bowl of this luscious stuff recently at a restaurant and when I mentioned to the server how good it was, he offered up the recipe! Score!

Now I'll be able to make it at home whenever I want. It really is so much better than anything you would get from a mix. Perfectly smooth, fantastically creamy, rich and not terribly sweet either.

The best part is that you probably have all the ingredients on hand. Well, maybe that's not such a good thing.....

Anyway, start by making the caramel.

Melting the butter and dark brown sugar. Such a delicious beginning!

Then you add in the cream, milk and egg/cornstarch mixture and stir, stir, stir until the mixture thickens and the real butterscotch colour is revealed.

And the finished product! Okay, so it might not win awards for presentation or looks (I admit it closely resembles baby poo), but you could easily tart it up with some chocolate shavings, some berries or bananas, or even a splasy of whiskey or rum as it cooks.

I like it best served cold, but you could easily serve warm -- after you've removed the pudding skin. The very best part of course!

Butterscotch Pudding
4-6 servings

Adapted from Ripe For Dessert by David Lebovitz

4 tablespoons (60g) butter, salted or unsalted
1 cup (200g) packed dark brown or cassonade sugar
3/4 teaspoon coarse sea salt
3 tablespoons cornstarch
2½ (625ml) cups whole milk
2 large eggs
1 teaspoon vanilla extract


1. Melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan. Add the dark brown sugar and salt, then stir until the sugar is well-moistened. Remove from heat.

2. In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch with about 1/4 cup (60ml) of the milk until smooth (there should be no visible pills of cornstarch), then whisk in the eggs.

3. Gradually pour the remaining milk into the melted brown sugar, whisking constantly, then whisk in the cornstarch mixture as well.

4. Return the pan to the heat and bring the mixture to a boil, whisking frequently. Once it begins to bubble, reduce the heat to a low simmer and continue to cook for one minute, whisking non-stop, until the pudding thickens to the consistency of hot fudge sauce.

5. Remove from heat and stir in the vanilla. If slightly-curdled looking, blend as indicated above.

6. Pour into 4-6 serving glasses or custard cups and chill thoroughly, at least four hours, before serving.