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For a perfectly delectable dessert, look no further than butterscotch pudding. It’s a great combination of a creamy, light texture with a sweet, nutty flavor. For such a delicious recipe, its ingredients aren’t too complicated. Many of us already have these ingredients in their pantry, which makes this a perfect recipe to enjoy on a whim.

While many recipes rely on the dark brown sugar, we found that caramelizing the sugar first added the perfect nutty flavor we were looking for. Just a little sea salt also helped make the dish even sweeter. A hint of vanilla extract gave the pudding a great added complexity that finished off the dessert nicely. Keep reading below for our favorite butterscotch pudding recipe…

Butterscotch Pudding Recipe

(makes 4 servings)

Ingredients

  • 3 cups heavy cream
  • 1 1/2 cups milk
  • 3/4 cups plus 1 tablespoon dark brown sugar
  • 3/4 teaspoon sea salt
  • 4 large egg yolks
  • 1 large egg
  • 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon cornstarch
  • 4 1/2 tablespoons unsalted butter
  • 2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Directions

  1. In a small pot, bring the cream and milk to a simmer. Remove from the heat and cover to keep warm. In a medium pot, bring brown sugar, 1/3 cup water, and salt to a boil. Cook, stirring occasionally until the mixture reaches 240F on a candy thermometer (about 10 minutes).
  2. Immediately whisk the cream mixture into the brown sugar. Bring to a boil, whisking constantly, and cook until smooth. In a small bowl, whisk together egg yolks, egg, and cornstarch. Pour a ladle of the hot cream mixture into the egg mixture, whisking constantly to prevent the eggs from curdling. Pour the egg mixture into the pot with the cream, whisking constantly. Cook for another 2-4 minutes until thickened.
  3. Strain the mixture into a large glass bowl and whisk in the butter until smooth. Divide among serving dishes and chill for at least 4 hours until the custard sets. To prevent skin forming, press plastic wrap directly against the surface of the pudding.
  4. Enjoy!

Recipe adapted fromMartha Stewart

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