Happy National Butterscotch Pudding Day! Celebrate with Butterscotch Pudding Ice Pops

Babble.com

When I'm looking for comfort food, I turn to pudding. But not just any pudding. I want butterscotch pudding. One of my favorite childhood treats was Bird's Eye Butterscotch "Flavor" Pudding. Seriously, I loved this artificially-flavored, laden-with-chemicals "pudding".

So when I began seriously baking as an adult, recreating that pudding was high on my list. Ironically, using "real" pudding ingredients - you know, eggs, milk, cream - did not (at first) yield those perfect results I was aiming for.

Bits of yolk. Lumps. And worst of all? Skin.

But I persevered. I researched. I tweaked. And after many trials - and errors - I had that "aha" moment. That moment that transported me back several decades to my childhood kitchen.

The texture, the flavor - even the color - were spot on.

Today is National Butterscotch Pudding Day - the perfect time to take these step-by-step instructions and make your own perfect butterscotch pudding. With no "quotation marks".

And definitely no skin.

Related: 24 sinfully sweet dessert recipes in a jar

Ingredients:

2 c. heavy cream (divided)
6 T. unsalted butter
1 ½ c. dark brown sugar
2 ¼ c. whole milk
4 egg yolks, room temperature
¼ c. cornstarch
¾ t. kosher salt

Directions:

1. Place egg yolks in a large metal bowl; whisk lightly and set aside.
2. Place 1 ¼ c. cream in a small saucepan, and butter in a medium saucepan.
3. Heat cream over medium-low heat till warm. Meanwhile, melt the butter over medium-low heat.
4. Add the brown sugar and cook - stirring occasionally - till mixture is covered with bubbles, about 5 minutes.
5. Slowly add warmed cream, stirring constantly, and cook for 1 minute. Remove from heat.
6. Clean out the saucepan you used for the cream - fill halfway with water and bring to a simmer. Meanwhile, add milk to the yolks, whisking constantly.
7. Whisk in the cornstarch and salt and continue whisking till blended. Slowly add the butterscotch mixture, whisking constantly.
8. Set the bowl over the simmering water. Cook for 10 minutes, whisking frequently. Cover the bowl with aluminum foil and cook for another 10 minutes, whisking occasionally.
9. Take the bowl off the heat; cool for 5 minutes, whisking occasionally.
10. Pour the pudding into six 8-ounce ramekins. Immediately cover with plastic wrap, making sure that the wrap touches the surface of the pudding. Chill for several hours, till cold.
11. Beat remaining ¾ c. heavy cream till soft peaks form. Serve puddings with whipped cream and a little cinnamon or grated nutmeg.
12. (Optional) If making pudding pops, pour pudding into popsicle molds, add sticks and freeze.

- By Sheri Silver

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