Homemade Butterscotch Pudding
Butterscotch pudding is indulgent comfort food that's simple, yet sophisticated, with rich butterscotch flavor and a silky smooth texture. Only needing a few minutes of hands-on work, you can make this easy pudding recipe and banish the box mix!
Servings: 8 servings
Calories: 302kcal
Special Equipment
- 2-quart heavy saucepan
Ingredients
- 2 (34 grams) large egg yolks, at room temperature, see Recipe Notes
- ¼ cup (28 grams) cornstarch
- 2 cups (480 grams) milk
- 1 cup (240 grams) heavy cream
- 1 cup (213 grams) dark brown sugar, packed
- ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons (28 grams) unsalted butter
- 1 teaspoon (1 teaspoon) vanilla extract
- whipped cream, lightly sweetened
Instructions
- In a medium bowl, combine 2 large egg yolks and ¼ cup cornstarch. Whisk until the mixture is smooth and the cornstarch has dissolved (you might need to add a tablespoon or 2 of water to get the mixture to smooth out). Set aside.
- In a large saucepan, whisk together 2 cups milk, 1 cup heavy cream, 1 cup dark brown sugar, and ⅛ teaspoon kosher salt. Heat on medium-high heat, stirring occasionally, until small bubbles form and it starts to steam. This takes about 6 to 7 minutes, and the temperature will be about 130 °F on a digital thermometer.
- Gently heat the egg mixture by slowly adding ½ cup of the warmed milk mixture to the egg mixture while continuously whisking. Add another ½ cup of the milk mixture and whisk again. This process is called tempering the eggs, and its purpose is to heat the eggs slowly, preventing them from curdling while the pudding cooks.
- Pour the warmed egg mixture back into the saucepan with the remaining milk mixture. Bring the mixture to a simmer over medium heat (don't let it boil). Cook, stirring constantly, until the pudding has thickened and is bubbling, about 4 to 6 minutes (about 195 °F). The whisk will start leaving a trail when the pudding has thickened.
- Remove the pan from the heat and stir in 2 tablespoons unsalted butter and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract. Strain the pudding through a fine mesh strainer into a clean bowl. If the pudding boiled during cooking, straining it out will help remove any curdled bits of egg.
- Pour about ½ cup (113 grams) of the warm pudding into 8 6-ounce ramekins.
- Refrigerate until the pudding is completely chilled, about 2 to 3 hours. If desired, place plastic wrap directly onto the pudding after it has cooled off - this will prevent a skin from forming.
- To serve, top each pudding with a dollop of lightly sweetened whipped cream. Serve and enjoy!
- Storage instructions: Butterscotch pudding will keep in the refrigerator, covered with plastic wrap, for 3 to 5 days.
- Yield notes: This recipe makes about 4 cups of butterscotch pudding, or about 6 to 8 individual servings.
Recipe Notes
An egg separator can help separate the yolks from the whites, and you can use the whites to make other recipes, like macarons, granola, or marshmallow creme.
For an additional garnish, consider drizzling some Salted Caramel Sauce on top of the whipped cream. Just prepare a Basic Caramel Sauce and add 1 teaspoon of salt after you remove the caramel from the heat. Allow to cool, then store in a pint canning jar in the refrigerator. Reheat gently (on LOW in the microwave for 30 seconds or in a pan of simmering water) before using.
This recipe also makes a great no-bake Butterscotch Pudding Pie filling. Just pour into a 9-inch pie pan lined with a graham cracker crust. Chill for at least 4 hours. Note, Butterscotch Pudding Pie should not be confused with Butterscotch Pie, which is something entirely different but just as yummy!
Nutrition
Serving: 1serving | Calories: 302kcal | Carbohydrates: 34g | Protein: 4g | Fat: 17g | Saturated Fat: 10g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 5g | Trans Fat: 0.1g | Cholesterol: 121mg | Sodium: 79mg | Potassium: 165mg | Fiber: 0.03g | Sugar: 31g | Vitamin A: 721IU | Vitamin C: 0.2mg | Calcium: 127mg | Iron: 0.4mg
Scan the QR code to find the online recipe or visit us at www.scotchandscones.com