The Search for Butterscotch Pudding

M

marilynfl

Moderator
My bed-ridden 90-year old neighbor (on Hospice for 2 years, God Bless her) has been craving butterscotch pudding. And so even though I don't like butterscotch and have never--to my recollection--eaten butterscotch pudding (and WHY WOULD I in a world that contains chocolate pudding???) I am a pit bull when it comes to meeting a challenge head-on.

So far I've made 4 different versions and the only consistency is that they all have the word "butterscotch" in their title.

First off was the butterscotch bourbon pie filling from Magpie Bakery because well...I'm me and it sounded really interesting even if it wasn't exactly pudding. However, even though I've never actually eaten butterscotch pudding, I just knew this one wasn't right. Too cloyingly sweet and too dense.

Next came a recipe from Epicurious called "Old Fashioned Butterscotch Pudding". (Thanks, Maria!) I thought this one might be it because at least the adjectives pointed in the right direction.

Wrong again. In no way is this a pudding in the way that I know pudding. It's heavy cream, egg yolks, butter and sugar coddled in a bain marie. It's the love child conceived during an affair between French crème brulee and Mexican flan. It is delicious, utterly smooth and creamy. But a pudding that could trigger the memories of a 90-year old it is not.

Then I found two recipes and waffled between which one might do it: Smitten Kitchen or Pioneer Woman? Both simply called their recipe "Butterscotch Pudding" yet one had egg yolks and the other had none. One had butter and the other had none. Both used 3 cups of milk and 3 TBL of corn starch but SK used 1/2 C of brown sugar while PW used 1.5 C of brown sugar. THREE TIMES THE AMOUNT!

Since I'd already gone through 9 egg yolks, I opted for SK's with less sugar and no eggs. The result in a few words: Slightly thin & anemic-looking but more disturbing >> BORING.

At this point I realized that the mental benchmark flavor I was expecting to reach was a Werther's butterscotch candy in pudding form.

Oh, a hurricane hit midstream and I ran out of eggs, so the last test wasn't made until Sunday when Publix restocked their cold cases. I whipped up PW's version, but since the SK had turned out so thin, I halved the recipe, but increased the cornstarch by 1 TBL. While warm, the result was the best of the four in flavor and appearance, but after sitting overnight in the refrigerator, it was TOO thick. PW's adds egg yolks so I shouldn't have increased the cornstarch.

Haven't heard from the neighbor's daughter yet, but when I handed her the still warm PW batch Sunday evening, Dianne said: "You know. Mom's mother wasn't a very good cook so it's possible that what Mom remembers is just boxed butterscotch pudding."

Huh.

Anyone in the market for a pit bull with elevated cholesterol and sugar levels?

http://www.offthemenublog.com/recipes-new/butterscotch-bourbon-pie

 
Butterscotch Pudding

My husband loves butterscotch. I always use the recipe from Better Homes and Garden old edition( received in 1970)! I've never used lemon juice in mine. That sounds strange! The recipe I use is very simple, uncomplicated. I can post if you are interested. It uses flour for thickening. Some people prefer cornstarch. Good luck on your quest!

 
Absolutely! Thanks. I still haven't hit my benchmark so I'll keep trying. I was really

surprised that my old rubber-banded Joy of Cooking from the 50's didn't include butterscotch pudding.

 
Eureka Butterscotch Pudding

Here's one I've posted before and like:

Wow, was this ever good. I added just a little bit of salt since I used unsalted butter. Huge pudding recipe-I cut it in half. From the NYT website:

Note: We tested this recipe from Wolfgang Puck's restaurant, Eureka, late in the day, and although it said, "Cool before serving," it smelled so tantalizingly delicious that none of us could wait to taste it. And most of us agreed that it was one of the most wonderful things we had ever eaten. It was good cold the next day too--but not as good.

6 ounces butter

2 1/4 cups dark brown sugar, packed

2 1/2 cups half and half

10 tablespoons cornstarch

1/2 teaspoon salt

4 cups milk or half and half

6 egg yolks

1 tablespoon vanilla

Combine butter and brown sugar in saucepan over low heat. Simmer 5 minutes, stirring. Add half and half, stirring until smooth.

Combine cornstarch and salt in bowl. Slowly stir in 1 cup milk or half and half until cornstarch dissolves. Add to saucepan with remaining 3 cups milk or half and half. Bring to boil over low heat, stirring constantly to prevent burning. Boil gently 2 minutes, stirring constantly until thickened. Remove from heat. Slowly whisk in egg yolks, stirring until smooth. Add vanilla.

Return saucepan to heat and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Strain and pour into 12 custard cups. Serve warm or cold. Makes 12 servings.

 
Please let us know yr neighbor's take when U try out a box of no-cook butterscotch pudding on her!

 
Given her age, joy has a pie recipe, so does Paula D, bh&g has pudding rec...

I went through my jr league and my aunt's old community cookbooks w no luck, but given her mom's skill and the age we'd be looking at Joy or Paula Deen's pie filling might be right. Not sure they had box pudding that far back. Also, the better homes and gardens' red/white plaid was popular.

Let me know if you need me to type up any of those recipes.

My other thought is if she has dentures now she may never find the right taste, but like you, I'd be on the quest!

 
Having made multiple scratch chocolate pudding recipes, hubby rejects them all for Royal in the box!

 
Here you go!

Butterscotch Pie Filling/ Pudding

3/4 c. brown sugar
1/3 c. flour or 3T. cornstarch
1/4 t. salt
2 c. milk( I use whole milk)
2 sl. beaten egg yolks
3 T. butter
1 t. vanilla

1). In saucepan, combine sugar, flour, and salt; gradually stir in milk. Cook and stir over medium heat until bubbly. Cook for 2 minutes. Remove from heat.

2). Stir small amount hot mixture into yolks; immediately return to hot mixture; cook 2 minutes, stirring constantly. Remove from heat. Add butter and vanilla.( At this point, if making pie, add to pie crust., otherwise , place layer of wax paper over top of pudding to keep film from forming.)

 
I'd love to get about 24 boxes! Could you let me know what cost & shipping would be?

Is that from Wegmans website or can you get them in the store?

 
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