Bourbon-Butterscotch Pudding

Name: Bourbon-Butterscotch Pudding
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 0.25 cup unsalted butter; 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise; 0.75 cup light brown sugar; 2.5 cup heavy cream; 1 cup whole milk; 1 tbsp bourbon or Scotch; 0.5 tsp kosher salt; 6 large egg yolks; 0.25 cup cornstarch; 3 tbsp sugar; 1 Crème fraîche and crushed gingersnap cookies; 1 Eight 6-ounce ramekins or bowls

From the kitchen of Carly

Dark brown butter meets bourbon in this silky pudding that tastes like caramel's sophisticated older sibling. Rich vanilla and butterscotch notes linger on your tongue, while a whisper of salt keeps things perfectly balanced. Dessert at its most elegant and effortless.

Bourbon and brown butter build a deep, toasted backbone here, while cornstarch and egg yolks create a pudding that's silky without the curdled-custard gamble. The vanilla bean and a hit of bourbon add complexity that makes four ramekins disappear faster than you'd expect. No tempering anxiety required, just constant whisking and a blender to smooth out any lumps.

Prep: n/a
Cook: n/a
Total: n/a
Servings: 4
Difficulty: medium

Ingredients

4 servings

1/4 cupunsalted butter
1vanilla bean, split lengthwise
3/4 cuplight brown sugar
2 1/2 cupheavy cream
1 cupwhole milk
1 tbspbourbon or Scotch
1/2 tspkosher salt
6 largeegg yolks
1/4 cupcornstarch
3 tbspsugar
1Crème fraîche and crushed gingersnap cookies
1Eight 6-ounce ramekins or bowls

Instructions

In a medium saucepan over medium heat, melt the butter. Scrape the seeds from the vanilla bean directly into the pan and drop the pod in too. Swirl the pan occasionally and let the butter cook until it turns golden brown and smells nutty, about 3 minutes. Stir in the brown sugar and cook until it begins to dissolve, about 2 minutes more. Pour in the cream, milk, bourbon, and salt, bring everything to a simmer, then pull the pan off the heat.
Whisk the egg yolks, cornstarch, and sugar together in a large bowl until the mixture is completely smooth. Slowly pour the hot cream mixture into the bowl, whisking constantly so the yolks temper without scrambling. Wipe out the saucepan, then strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve back into it. Set the pan over medium heat and stir often until the custard bubbles occasionally and starts to thicken, 5 to 6 minutes.
Transfer the custard to a blender and run it on low speed briefly until silky smooth. Arrange eight 6-ounce ramekins or bowls on a rimmed baking sheet and divide the custard evenly among them. Refrigerate until fully set, at least 3 hours. The puddings can be made up to 3 days ahead; just cover and keep them chilled.
Spoon a dollop of creme fraiche over each pudding and scatter crushed gingersnaps on top, if using.

Tips from the kitchen

Brown the butter until it smells genuinely nutty, not just melted, your flavor anchor lives there.
Whisk the cream into the egg mixture gradually while it's still hot, never the other way around, or you'll scramble the yolks.
After cooking on the stovetop, blending the custard on low speed catches any cooked egg bits and delivers a completely smooth result every time.
Chill for a full three hours minimum, these puddings need time to set properly and actually benefit from a day or two of rest in the fridge.

Variations

Skip the bourbon entirely and add a splash of dark rum instead for a deeper molasses note.
Swap the vanilla bean for a teaspoon of instant espresso powder stirred into the warm cream, leaning into bitter-sweet territory.
Top with salted caramel and crushed pretzels instead of gingersnaps for a salty-sweet contrast that plays off the butterscotch.
Double the brown sugar and reduce the cream to 2 cups for an even more intense, almost fudgy pudding.

Make ahead and storage

Covered in the fridge, they hold for three days without any loss of flavor or texture. They don't freeze well, so stick to the fridge window.