We’ve had a few days of bitter cold and windy weather, and for some reason, it made me think of the butterscotch pudding my mom used to make in the winter. So, for Sunday favorites with Cindy and Mary Ann today, I’m sharing my mom’s easy butterscotch pudding recipe with a little twist that Brent came up with to make it even better! It is truly the best homemade butterscotch pudding.
If you love the sweet saltiness of butterscotch, then you will love this simple dessert. I never remembered my mom making it; I only saw it in little sauce dishes when we arrived home from school. Since it takes time in the refrigerator, I’m now realizing that she must have made it in the morning while we were at school.
What’s the difference between custard and pudding?
I’ve always loved the sweet, creamy texture of custards and pudding. So while I was making this pudding I started to wonder what the difference is between the two. And it’s actually quite simple. You probably already know this, but in case you don’t, both custards and puddings use eggs. But the main difference between the two is that puddings use starch for thickening and custards rely on eggs (almost always the yolks) for thickening. Also, the texture of a custard tends to be a bit firmer than a pudding.
What is the difference between caramel and butterscotch?
The difference between the two is that caramel is made with white granulated sugar and cooked at a higher temperature. Butterscotch, on the other hand, is made with brown sugar and cooked at a lower temperature.
The Ingredients You Will Need:
For the butterscotch pudding
- Egg yolks
- Heavy cream
- Whole milk
- Water
- Cornstarch
- Dark brown sugar
- Salt
- Vanilla extract
- Butter
For the salted caramel sauce
- Heavy cream
- Granulated sugar
- Butter
- Salt
For the whipped cream
- Heavy cream
- Confectioner’s sugar
- Vanilla extract
Instructions for making the best homemade butterscotch pudding
Make the butterscotch pudding
Make the butterscotch pudding and pour it into the serving glasses. Wrap with plastic, and put it in the refrigerator for four or more hours to cool.
Make the salted caramel sauce
Melt the sugar until it turns a deep amber color and then follow the instructions for adding the other ingredients.
Once the salted caramel sauce has cooled and you’re ready to serve the pudding, remove the puddings from the refrigerator and pour a layer of the caramel sauce over the top of the pudding.
Add whipped cream and heath bar crunch
Top the layer of caramel with a dollop of whipped cream, sprinkle on some heath bar crunch, place each container on a small saucer, and serve immediately!
Other Sunday Favorites this Week:
Our home was featured in Cottages & Bungalows
You may remember last summer, we won the Cottages & Bungalows Curb Appeal Contest. Our home is featured in an 8-page spread in the April/May issue! I have always loved and have found so much inspiration in shelter magazines, so seeing our home in a magazine is unreal! The Aprril/May issue just hit the newstands!
Sean Scherer’s new book, Vignettes
A Franklin, New York store has received much attention since its opening. The owner/artist is Sean Scherer, and the store is like his canvas, where he shares his collections and displays them in interesting vignettes.
His layers of vintage and modern pieces, arranged and displayed unexpectedly, become his vignettes. He also shares his carefully curated vignettes on Instagram, which is where I first discovered him. I love how he uses only seasonal fresh flowers and plants, like paperwhite in a huge copper pot for winter. It’s so much more authentic.
Recently, he posted a pared-down vignette that included some bare branches in a crock. It made me think of what the trees look like outside at this time of year. His new book, Vignettes, is coming out in April. You can pre-order here. This is his first book from Vendome Press: Sean Scherer’s Kabinett & Kammer: Creating Authentic Interiors.
A Handmade House Studio
My friend Karen is still busy at work in her studio, weaving beautiful colors and designs into her handmade textiles. Follow her on Instagram or visit her shop here. She has some new products just about to launch!
UASHMAMA
In my recent post on creating Easter baskets for teens or even adults, I shared the idea of using small trays and baskets from UASHMAMA. You can see the post here. Visit their online store here. I used the small caddy and the small Panino storage tray. What I love about using these washable bags, trays, baskets, and bags is how useful they are all over the house to store and corral everyday things beautifully. Use my code: MOST_LOVELY_THINGS at checkout for a 15% discount.
Let’s see what Mary Ann and Cindy found this week!
Classic Casual Home
Cindy Hattersley Design
PrintHow to Make the Best Homemade Butterscotch Pudding
My mom used to make the best homemade butterscotch pudding every winter, and since it’s been so cold here this week, I decided to make it. It’s the perfect creamy dessert for a cold winter night.
Ingredients
For the butterscotch pudding:
- 3 large egg yolks
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1 1/2 cup whole milk
- 3 tablespoons water
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3/4 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 3 tablespoons butter (room temperature)
For the salted caramel sauce:
- 1/2 cup heavy cream
- 1 cup granulated sugar
- 6 tablespoons butter
- 1 teaspoon salt
For the whipped cream:
- 1/2 cup cold heavy cream or whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon confectioner’s sugar
- 1/4 teaspoon vanilla extract
Instructions
For the butterscotch pudding:
- Mix the whole milk and heavy cream and set it aside. Whisk the egg yolks and cornstarch and also set aside.
- In a saucepan, mix the salt, dark brown sugar, and water, and place the pan over medium heat. Resist the temptation to stir it, just allow it to melt and bubble until it is dark brown in color.
- Very slowly pour the heavy cream and milk mixture into the saucepan and continue to cook until it begins to boil. Now, remove approximately 1/2 of the mixture from the saucepan and slowly whisk it into the egg yolks. Whisk constantly so that the eggs don’t scramble.
- Pour the egg mixture slowly into the saucepan and reduce the heat to low. The mixture will bubble a lot so don’t be alarmed by that. Cook the pudding for about 1 minute. The pudding should thicken at this point.
- Remove the saucepan from the heat, add the butter and constantly stir it until the butter has melted. Add the vanilla extract and set aside to cool.
- Once it’s cooled for a few minutes, pour the pudding into the serving glasses, cover the top of the pudding with plastic, and place containers in the refrigerator. The plastic keeps skim from forming on the top of the pudding.
- Refrigerate for at least 4 hours before serving.
For the salted caramel sauce:
- Pour the sugar into a medium saucepan and over medium heat stir the sugar constantly with a rubber spatula. First, the sugar will start to clump but after a few minutes, it melts. Once the sugar has completely dissolved, it will turn a dark amber color.
- Add the butter and stir until it is completely combined.
- Once the butter has melted, slowly pour in the heavy cream. You’ll be surprised at how quickly the mixture will bubble.
- Stir until the mixture is completely combined and then let it boil for just a minute. Add the salt.
- Remove from the heat and let the mixture cool and thicken.
- Pour the caramel sauce into a jar and set aside until ready to serve.
For the whipped cream:
- Place the bowl of a mixer and the whisk in the refrigerator for about 15 minutes.
- Pour the cold heavy cream, sugar, a vanilla in the bowl of a mixer.
- On medium-high speed, whisk the mixture until it begins to form stiff peaks. Don’t over-mix or the cream will begin to curdle. You’ll know it’s ready when you can tip the mixing bowl upside down and the whipped cream doesn’t run out.
Assembling the butterscotch puddings:
- Take the puddings out of the refrigerator and remove the plastic wrap.
- Pour a layer of the salted caramel sauce over the top of the pudding.
- Using a pastry filling bag, place a large dollop of whipped cream on top.
- Sprinkle heath bar crumble over the top of the whipped cream and around the edges.
- Serve immediately and enjoy!
That pudding is OVER the top with the caramel and Heath bar crunch. What a great dessert to serve at a dinner party…I could have used it last night.
I cannot wait for the magazine!! So exciting.
Our yard is looking pretty dismal as all the leaves on the trees keep falling until Spring arrives…and our grass is brown until them too. So its not exactly green all year round here.
isn’t that funny…I would have thought it would be green all the time in Florida! Next year, you’ll know what to expect and maybe you’ll enjoy the change of seasons, even in Florida as subtle as they are. I think you have to live a full year in a place to really understand the seasons. Maybe even more than a year!
Omg I don’t even like dessert but this one yum!! Congrats on the feature in C&B!! So exciting!!
Hi Annie,
I received my April/May C & B and immediately recognized your charming home. Congratulations!
Hugs from Mercer Island’ Diney