Butterscotch Pudding (with Toffee Crumbles)
Silky, creamy butterscotch pudding made with a lush caramelized brown sugar base, thickened with egg yolks and a splash of Scotch. Topped with fresh whipped cream and crunchy toffee crumbles for the ultimate comfort dessert.
Servings: 6
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp salted butter
- ¾ cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 2 cups milk
- ⅓ cup cornstarch
- ¼ tsp salt
- 2 large egg yolks
- 1 tbsp Scotch or whiskey
- 2 tsp vanilla extract
For topping:
- ¾ cup cold heavy cream
- 3 tbsp granulated sugar
- ½ tsp vanilla extract
- 1 chocolate-covered toffee bar such as Heath or Crunchie, crushed
Instructions
- Melt butter in a saucepan, then add brown sugar and stir until all brown sugar is wet-looking. Stop stirring, and let the mixture bubble and caramelize until it becomes liquid (rather than like thick wet sand) and it smells nutty and caramelly. This should take about 5-7 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in 1 cup of heavy cream. Set aside.
- In a large saucepan off of heat, whisk together milk, cornstarch and salt. Place over medium-high heat and cook, stirring constantly, until mixture comes to a boil. Reduce heat to low and whisk in butterscotch.
- In a glass measuring cup, beat yolks with a fork. In a very slow, steady stream, pour about 1 cup of hot pudding mixture into the yolks, whisking constantly. Whisk yolk mixture back into remaining pudding and stir over medium-low heat until it thickens and a few sputtering bubbles appear at the surface, about 5 minutes.
- Transfer pudding to a large bowl (pressing it through a fine-meshed sieve if it looks curdled at all). Stir in scotch and 2 tsp vanilla extract. Cover with plastic wrap, pressing the wrap directly onto the surface of the pudding, and refrigerate until chilled, at least 3 hours or up to 24 hours in advance.
- Just before serving, beat cream on high speed of an electric mixer until soft peaks form. Beat in sugar and vanilla extract.
- Top individual servings of pudding with whipped cream, sprinkle with toffee crumbles and serve.
Notes
Recipe Notes:
- Dark Brown Sugar: Don't substitute with light brown sugar if you can help it. The extra molasses in dark brown sugar gives that deep, rich butterscotch flavor.
- Butterscotch Stage: You'll know it's ready when it looks molten (not thick and sandy) and smells nutty and toasty. If you burn it, just toss it and start over. It's only butter and sugar!
- Tempering Eggs: Pour the hot pudding into the yolks very slowly while whisking constantly. Rushing this step will give you sweet scrambled eggs.
- Curdling Fix: If your pudding looks lumpy or slightly curdled, just push it through a fine-mesh sieve. Problem solved.
- Don't Scrape the Pot: The bits on the bottom and sides are most likely to curdle. Just pour the pudding out and leave that thin layer behind.
- Scotch: A splash of Scotch or whiskey adds depth, but you can skip it for an alcohol-free version. Add a bit more vanilla instead.
- Plastic Wrap: Press it directly onto the surface of the pudding to prevent a rubbery skin from forming.
- Toffee Topping: Heath, Skor, or Crunchie bars all work great. Crush them just before serving so they stay crunchy.
- Make Ahead: The pudding can be made up to 24 hours in advance. Add whipped cream and toffee just before serving.
- Leftovers: Store covered in the fridge for up to 4 days. Not recommended for freezing as the texture becomes grainy.
Nutrition
Calories: 520kcal | Carbohydrates: 46g | Protein: 6g | Fat: 35g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 9g | Trans Fat: 0.2g | Cholesterol: 169mg | Sodium: 204mg | Potassium: 239mg | Fiber: 0.1g | Sugar: 39g | Vitamin A: 1430IU | Vitamin C: 0.4mg | Calcium: 181mg | Iron: 0.5mg