Old-Fashioned Butterscotch Pudding
Serves 6
Prep time 20 minutes
Inactive time 4+ hours
1 cup dark brown sugar
1/8-1/4 cup tepid water
2 pinches of sea salt
4 cups heavy whipping cream
1 cup whole milk
4 egg yolks*
1 whole egg*
2-3 tablespoons Heritage Distilling Rye Whiskey (finished in orange extract barrels, from their Dual Barrel Collection)
Cream Caramel Topping
1 1/2 cups white granulated sugar
1/8th cup water
4 tablespoons butter
1/2-3/4 cup heavy cream
Select 6 dessert glasses or cups to hold your cooked pudding. In a heavy-bottom saucepan, heat the brown sugar and water until it bubbles over medium to medium-high heat. This creates a quick caramel. Slowly whisk in a pinch of salt, heavy cream, and milk. Stir constantly over medium heat until the milk and cream begins to simmer, but do not boil.
In a separate bowl, whisk the 4 egg yolks along with one whole egg. Gently ladle 1 cup of the hot cream into the eggs while whisking vigorously. This is called tempering your eggs. Then, slowly stream the eggs back into the cream pot. Whisk 8-10 minutes until the pudding thickens. Turn off the heat and flavor with the whiskey and a pinch of sea salt. Let stand 10 minutes before filling the glasses. You can get up to 10 servings easily by choosing smaller serving vessels.
Ladle the pudding evenly between your glasses and refrigerate for 4+ hours. Cover each pudding with plastic wrap to prevent fridge smells from scenting the pudding. To serve, top with cream caramel and a pinch of salt.
To prepare the cream caramel, add the sugar and water to a small, heavy-bottom saucepan. Cook the sugar over medium heat until it begins to turn a deep amber color. Do not still the sugar as it cooks, or it may crystallize. Once the sugar turns amber in color, remove from heat and add butter. Whisk until the butter is incorporated. Add the heavy cream and stir until smooth. It will hiss and sputter a bit. Add a pinch of salt, then cool completely before topping the puddings.
*5 eggs in total
