butterscotch custard with salted caramel sauce

Whoa!  Hold onto your sweet tooth ’cause this dessert will have you asking for more!  It has been ages, well I mean years since I last made a custard.  On occasion, I have made custards but truthfully, I favour more of a fresh fruit kind of dessert.  Having said that, my sweet tooth does show up once in a while and when it does, look out!  And how better to tame this craving with butterscotch pudding topped with caramel sauce? 

As a kid, I LOVED butterscotch pudding!  In those days the pudding came out of a packet and was labeled instant…just add milk.  When I look back at all the convenience foods I ate, I’m surprised I don’t glow in the dark!

Is a pudding the same as a custard?  They look similar, are thick, creamy, and sweet. Custards are milk or cream-based, typically firmer and creamier than puddings. Custards usually have to be baked with a water bath. The main difference between the two desserts lies in the use of eggs. Puddings are thickened by starch usually cornstarch or flour, while custard uses eggs as a thickener.

serves 6

butterscotch custard –

3 tablespoons butter
1 cup brown sugar
1/4 cup cornstarch
1 cup heavy cream
2 cups of milk
3 egg yolks
2 teaspoons vanilla extract

salted caramel –

1 cup of sugar
1/2 cup butter
1/2 cup heavy cream
1/4 teaspoons sea salt

To make Butterscotch Custard –

Over medium heat in a heavy-bottomed saucepan, melt butter  Add brown sugar and keep stirring until the brown sugar and butter are completely melted. Stir in cornstarch. Add heavy cream and whole milk. Bring to a slow rolling boil and let thicken. Continue to cook and stir until the mixture coats the back of a spoon.

While the milk mixture is cooking, place egg yolks in a small bowl. Temper egg yolks by spooning a small amount of hot milk into the bowl. Use a whisk and keep stirring. Pour the mixture back into the pot. Bring it back to a boil for 1 minute. Add vanilla extract. Refrigerate until completely cooled.

To make salted caramel –

Melt butter and sugar in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Stir with wooden spoon. Keep stirring and cooking until it turns an amber color. Watch it carefully. Stir in heavy cream and sea salt. Boil for 1 minute and let set up.

Remove custard from fridge, spoon into containers and top with salted caramel.

The Culinary Chase’s Note: If you want to expedite the cooling process, put in an ice bath.  Be sure to allow the custard to cool completely otherwise if you don’t, like I did, the caramel will start to ooze into the custard.  Not a bad thing but visually not so nice. Enjoy!