Butterscotch Pudding

Name: Butterscotch Pudding
Total time: PT0D0H0M
Yield: serves 8
Ingredients: 2 tbsp. milk; 1 tbsp. powdered gelatin; 10 oz. high-quality butterscotch chips, such as Guittard; 2 tbsp. bourbon; 4 cups heavy cream; 3 tbsp. light brown sugar; 1 tbsp. sugar; 1 tsp. kosher salt; 1 ⁄ 2 vanilla bean, seeds scraped and reserved; 2 ⁄ 3 cup sugar; 6 tbsp. unsalted butter, cubed; 3 tbsp. light corn syrup; 2 1 ⁄ 2 cups heavy cream; 1 tsp. kosher salt; Flaked sea salt, to taste

Serves
serves 8

LANDON NORDEMAN

Every so often, an old classic gains new traction at an influential restaurant, spreads to menus all over, and eventually trickles down to the home cook. Such appears to be the fate of butterscotch pudding. In 2007, chef Nancy Silverton put an Italian spin on the dessert, calling it a "budino" and topping it with caramel sauce and fleur de sel. The sweet-salty revelation inspired all sorts of tributes—including this one from chef Jeff Mahin of Stella Barra Pizza Bar in Santa Monica, which he sets with gelatin instead of eggs for a lighter feel. Call it what you will, it is still, at its core, everything we've always loved about butterscotch pudding.

Ingredients

For the Pudding

2 tbsp. milk
1 tbsp. powdered gelatin
10 oz. high-quality butterscotch chips, such as Guittard
2 tbsp. bourbon
4 cups heavy cream
3 tbsp. light brown sugar
1 tbsp. sugar
1 tsp. kosher salt
¹⁄₂ vanilla bean, seeds scraped and reserved

For the Caramel Sauce

²⁄₃ cup sugar
6 tbsp. unsalted butter, cubed
3 tbsp. light corn syrup
2 ¹⁄₂ cups heavy cream
1 tsp. kosher salt
Flaked sea salt, to taste

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Instructions

Step 1

Make the pudding: Combine milk, gelatin, and 1 tbsp. water in a bowl; let sit to soften gelatin, about 5 minutes. Place butterscotch and bourbon in a blender; set aside. Boil cream, both sugars, salt, and vanilla seeds in a 2-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, add gelatin mixture, and stir until gelatin dissolves. Pour into blender, let sit for 5 minutes, and purée until smooth. Divide among eight 6-oz. serving glasses. Chill until set, about 4 hours.

Step 2

Make the caramel sauce: Heat sugar, butter, and corn syrup in a 4-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat; cook, without stirring, until mixture turns dark amber. Meanwhile, boil cream and kosher salt in a 2-qt. saucepan. Pour into caramel; cook, stirring, until smooth. Let cool; divide sauce among set pudding cups. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt before serving.

Make the pudding: Combine milk, gelatin, and 1 tbsp. water in a bowl; let sit to soften gelatin, about 5 minutes. Place butterscotch and bourbon in a blender; set aside. Boil cream, both sugars, salt, and vanilla seeds in a 2-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat until sugar dissolves. Remove from heat, add gelatin mixture, and stir until gelatin dissolves. Pour into blender, let sit for 5 minutes, and purée until smooth. Divide among eight 6-oz. serving glasses. Chill until set, about 4 hours.
Make the caramel sauce: Heat sugar, butter, and corn syrup in a 4-qt. saucepan over medium-high heat; cook, without stirring, until mixture turns dark amber. Meanwhile, boil cream and kosher salt in a 2-qt. saucepan. Pour into caramel; cook, stirring, until smooth. Let cool; divide sauce among set pudding cups. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt before serving.

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