SoNo Baking Company's Butterscotch Pudding

by Celia Sin-Tien Cheng
March 31, 2010

The SoNo Baking Company Cookbook
The Best Sweet and Savory Recipes for Every Occasion
by John Barricelli
(Clarkson Potter, 2010)
$35

I have a soft spot in my heart for food nostalgia. Our palates are greatly shaped by what we grew up on. So it’s no surprise that I enjoyed the following excerpt from John Barricelli’s new cookbook, The SoNo Baking Company Cookbook, introducing his butterscotch pudding recipe. Oh, I also have a soft spot for butterscotch pudding — it’s just the best!

I like to think of this pudding as a lighter version of crème brûlée. It can even be “brûléed” by sprinkling it with sugar and torching the top. But then you wouldn’t get to enjoy my very favorite part of the pudding—the skin! Growing up, my brothers and I used to fight over it, all trying to elbow our way to the bowl with our spoons. My brother Peter once said, “If I were rich, I’d hire someone just to make pudding skin for me because I love it so much!” Serve topped with whipped cream. — John Barricelli

Butterscotch Pudding
Serves 6

4 large egg yolks, at room temperature
¼ cup cornstarch
3 ¼ cups half-and-half
¼ teaspoon coarse salt
1 cup firmly packed dark brown sugar
1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise and scraped, or 1 tablespoon pure vanilla extract
½ cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, cut into tablespoons

1. In a medium heatproof bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, cornstarch, ¼ cup of the half-and-half, and the salt; set aside.
2. In a saucepan, combine the remaining 3 cups half-and-half, ¼ cup of the dark brown sugar, and the vanilla bean and seeds, if using. Bring to a simmer.
3. Meanwhile, in a second saucepan, combine the remaining ¾ cup brown sugar and the butter. Cook over medium-low heat, stirring often, until the butter melts and the mixture is smooth and bubbly and smells a little nutty, about 2 minutes. Pour into the saucepan with the hot half-and-half and whisk until smooth.
4. Whisking constantly, pour the hot mixture into the egg mixture, gradually at first to temper it and then more quickly. Place a strainer over the saucepan and strain the custard mixture back into the saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking constantly. Boil for 10 seconds, whisking. (Make sure the custard boils for10 seconds in the center of the pan, not just around the sides.) The mixture should thicken to a pudding-like consistency. Discard the vanilla bean, if using.
5. Fit a standing mixer with the paddle attachment and pour the pudding mixture into the bowl. Beat on medium speed for 2 to 3 minutes to cool slightly. Add the vanilla extract, if using. Transfer to a bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and refrigerate until chilled, 3 to 4 hours.