REAL BUTTERSCOTCH PUDDING CREAM PIE - TUESDAYS WITH DORIE

                                                        

Tuesdays With Dorie
It's my turn! I can hardly believe it! When I joined Tuesdays With Dorie back in March, I was #76. Over the past nine months, I've moved up the list to #44! Bakers come and bakers go. Some made it, others had to let it go. It's been quite a commitment - baking every week - and since I started, I've finished almost 40 of Dorie Greenspan's recipes from her book, Baking:From My Home To Yours. I've missed a few, like ice cream recipes and a few recipes I didn't have the right pans for. All-in-all, it's been quite a ride!

My Turn! My Turn!
So, now it's my turn! I asked John what I should pick. After 50 recipes, we've made quite a dent in Dorie's recipes. It took some doing, and I was so torn over 3 different desserts. I picked out Bourbon Bread Pudding, and I told Laurie to put me down for that. But after some serious soul searching, I kept coming back to Real Butterscotch Pudding. (This recipe can be found on page 386 in Baking: From My Home To Yours.) The real reason I wanted to make Butterscotch Pudding was to make a Butterscotch Cream Pie! I loved Dorie's Chocolate Cream Pie, so I was determined to do a pie with Butterscotch this time!

                                                                      

 
Real Butterscotch Pudding with Real Scotch Whiskey
There was some concern over using real Scotch whisky in this recipe, but there's no reason you need to add it if you don't want to. I used Crown Royal whiskey for the Scotch and an extra Tablespoon of Buttershots liqueur. I gotta tell you, this was one of the tastiest puddings I ever made from scratch! 

Butterscotch Cream Pie
I might have made this Butterscotch Cream Pie with my own Flaky Pie Crust, but I really thought a Graham Cracker Crust (see below) would make this pie special. I don't have a big food processor and after all the horror stories people had with the Chocolate Pudding, I knew I was gonna make this pudding the traditional way - with a whisk and a hand-held mixer. Because I have a really large Pampered Chef pie dish, I had to double the pudding recipe. It worked fine and made plenty, enough to even have a few little dishes for a tasty sample!

So, I made the graham cracker crust, baked it for 20 minutes, let it cool and then filled it with warm butterscotch pudding. When the pie was totally chilled, I whipped up some fresh whipped cream and piped it onto the pie. That's it! That's all I did to make it a fancier dessert than plain old pudding, not that there's anything wrong with a dish of scrumptious pudding!

                                                         

Real Butterscotch Pudding Recipe 
Taken from Dorie Greenspan's book Baking: From My Home To Yours (page 386)
Dorie says, "Here's the real deal--butterscotch pudding made with real butter and real Scotch whisky. It is, as all good puddings must be, smooth, creamy and comforting, but it's also got a little kick, making it anything but a nursery sweet."

• 1/2 cup (packed) light brown sugar
• 3 Tablespoons water
• 1 3/4 cups whole milk
• 1/2 cup heavy cream
• 1/4 cup cornstarch
• 1/4 teaspoon salt
• 3 Tablespoons sugar
• 3 large egg yolks
• 3 Tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into 4 pieces, at room temperature
• 2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract
• 2 Tablespoons Scotch whiskey (preferably a strong single malt)

Graham Cracker Crust, Whipped Cream and Buttered Pecans (see below, or on page 470), for topping (optional)

                                                                      

Getting Ready:

1. Have six ramekins or pudding cups, each holding 4 to 6 ounces 1/2 to 3/4 cup), at hand.
2. Put the brown sugar and water in a medium heavy-bottomed saucepan, put the pan over medium heat and bring to a boil, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Stirring and lowering the heat if necessary, boil for 2 minutes. Add 1 and a 1/2 cups of the milk and the cream and bring to a boil--don't worry if, as it's heating, the mixture curdles.
3. While the milk is heating, put the cornstarch and the salt in a food processor and whir to blend. Turn them out onto a piece of wax paper, put the sugar and egg yolks in the processor and blend for 1 minute. Scrape down the sides of the bowl, add the remaining 1/4 cup of milk and pulse just to mix, then add the dry ingredients and pulse a few times to blend.
4. With the machine running, very slowly pour in the hot liquid, process for a few seconds, then pour everything back into the saucepan. Whisk without stopping over medium heat--making sure to get into the edges of the pan--until the pudding thickens and a couple of bubbles burble up to the surface and pop (about 2 minutes). You don't want the pudding to boil, but you do want it to thicken, so lower the heat, if necessary.
5. Scrape the pudding back into the processor (if there's a scorched spot, avoid it as you scrape) and pulse a couple of times. Add the butter, vanilla and scotch and pulse until everything is evenly blended.
6. Pour the pudding into the ramekins. If you don't want a skin to form, place a piece of plastic wrap against the surface of each pudding to create an airtight seal. Refrigerate the pudding for at least 4 hours.
7. Makes 6 servings.

Dorie says, "Serving one good buttery thing deserves another so I like topping the puddings with the buttered pecans. Even better is topping the puddings with whipped cream and topping the cream with the pecans."
Storing: Covered, and kept away from foods with strong odors, the puddings can be refrigerated for up to 2 days.

                                                               

 


Butter Pecans Recipe:
Great over puddings, or ice cream or even buttered biscuits, these pecans are quick to make and so good to have on hand. You can multiply the recipe to meet your needs.

• 1/2 cup pecan halves, whole or chopped
• 1 Tablespoon unsalted butter
• pinch of salt (optional)

Directions:

1. Line a plate with a double thickness of paper towels and keep it near the stove.
2. Put a small skillet over medium heat and toss in the pecans. Cook the pecans, stirring, for 1 minute, or until they are ever so slightly toasted. Add the butter and continue to cook, turning, until the pecans have absorbed almost all the butter, another 2 minutes or so.
3. Remove the pan from the heat, stir in the salt, if you're using it, and turn the pecans out onto the paper towels. Cover with another double layer of paper towels and pat the pecans gently to remove some of the excess butter. Cool to room temperature between the paper towels.
4. Makes 1/2 cup (enough to top 6 servings)
5. Storing: In a bowl at cool room temperature, the nuts will keep for about 3 days.

                                                              


My Graham Cracker Crust Recipe:

• 1 1/2 cups graham cracker crumbs
• 1/4 cup butter, melted
• 2 Tablespoons sugar

Directions:

1. Mix all ingredients in a medium bowl. Line pie pan, pressing evenly up against the sides.
   
2. Bake at 350 degrees for 15-20 minutes or until golden brown. Let cool completely before filling with Butterscotch Pudding.

My Fresh Whipped Cream Topping:

• 1 cup Whipping cream
• 1/4 cup powdered sugar (confectioners sugar)
• 1/2 tsp pure vanilla

Directions:

1. In large mixing bowl, beat cream until it sets up. There is no way to explain how long this will take. Every mixer is different. It should be light and fluffy and look like soft whipped cream. Do NOT let it get to the butter stage which can happen very quickly. If in doubt, under mix. You can always whip it a little more after the sugar is added.
2. Add powdered sugar and and vanilla and beat until fluffy and stiff. Do not over beat.
3. Put whipped cream into a pastry bag fitted with a large star tip and decorate the pie. Or pile the cream on high with a spatula.

Take a look at the TWD blogroll to see how all the other Butterscotch Puddings turned out!

                                                                        

Comments

[Sugar B]

Wow, you went all out with the butterscotch pudding! Cream pie! Whoo hoo! Mine is being refridgerated and I will post the results tomorrow morning. Thanks for choosing this recipe. :)

[food.baby]

Absolutely gorgeous and what a creative use of a pudding recipe! I'm skipping this week due to an overload of Christmas baking but it's on my list for next year. Great choice!

[Danielle]

Thank you for the pick I love Butterscotch anything!! I was going ot make mie into a pie as well but it didnt make it to that point ( I ate it all) again thanks for picking this yummy creation!

[Gretchen Noelle]

Donna this was fun to make since, as I posted, I had never thought of or tasted "real" butterscotch pudding. Mine did not set up quite enough, but that did not stop me from eating it and using the butter-scotch idea for other things. Thanks! Yum!

[Sarah]

As always, you have created another showstopper! Great pick and have a very Merry Christmas!

[LyB]

I used Crown Royal too! :) I so loved this pudding, Donna, thanks for a fab pick this week! Happy Holidays! :D

[Lauren]

Donna,

thank you so much for being my secret baker! I got your card over the weekend- the itunes gift card was so sweet of you and I am filling up my ipod for my trip to Spain (I leave tonight!!). Do you do all this cooking and baking from your sailboat kitchen?? amazing! I didn't get to the pudding this month, but it looks like a good choice- I'll have to try it when i get back

Lauren

[Katrina]

Wow, great photos and looks and sounds delicious. I skipped TWD this week, but after visiting some blogs, may just have to give this a try sometime.
Happy Holidays, great job on the pie, yummy!
I'm having a giveaway on my blog, check it out if you'd like!

[Leanne]

Awesome recipe. We really loved it.

[Nancy (n.o.e.)]

Donna, this is a great pick, and you did a bang-up job with it! My girls chose this one for us all to cook together now that they're both back for Christmas, so we're making it in the next few days and posting next week. I'm looking at posts and getting lots of tips! (I made cheesecake for this week's post.)
Nancy

[Spike]

Great idea! Thanks for this pick, I LOVED it!

[Carmen]

Great job! Yum, that pie looks amazing.

[Jessica]

Thank you so much for picking this - it was incredible! Your pie looks scrumptious. Now I know what to make next time I get a butterscotch pudding craving. Merry Christmas!

[Jaime]

wow, pass me a slice of that pie! i'm so sorry i didn't get to make your pick, donna, as i've rarely missed a week with TWD... but i've been coughing up a lung and wishing i weren't alive ;)

happy holidays :)

[Di]

Great pick this week, Donna! Everyone here loved it. =)

[Carol Peterman]

I wasn't expecting this pudding to be so delicious sophisticated. Great pick! Your pie looks fantastic and I think you made the perfect choice going with the graham crust over a standard pie crust. I think the graham flavor would really play off the butterscotch well.

[Kristin]

What a beautiful pie! Your cream topping is piped on so perfectly!! Thank you for a great pick this week, Donna. I've never made pudding before, thank you for expanding my repertoire!

[food librarian]

Crazy cute!!! Thanks for the great pick.
Happy Holidays to you and your family. - mary the food librarian

[Lynne]

Great pick this week. The pudding is wonderful-will definitely make it again.

[Jules]

Great choice! We loved it. Your pie looks wonderful!

[steph (whisk/spoon)]

butterscotch is the best thing ever--thanks for picking this recipe! and that's one tasty-looking pie!! happy holidays!

[Heather]

Donna, your pie looks fabulous! Wish I had time to make the pudding but things are a little crazy over here! And, I {heart} the pie plate by the way!!!

Merry, Merry Christmas!
Heather

[Cindy]

Nice pick for TWD. I know it must have been a hard choice with the Bread Pudding. Didn't your Mom have a good recipe for that? This looks SOOO good. I would like to try it, the scotch sounds interesting!

[Natashya]

I loved this one! Hubby did too, I might just make it again with the pie crust, it was an instant favourite.
Thank you so much for your wonderful choice.

[Melanie]

Butterscotch pudding has been an all time favorite of mine!!!

[Rhiani]

Thanks for hosting. Your butterscotch cream pie looks wonderful - I wish my pudding had set as well as yours!

[G]

Yours looks so beautiful and mine was such a failure:( Next time, I will have to redouble my efforts.

[kim]

wonderful idea to make a pie!! it looks gorgeous. i really loved this pudding, great pick :) happy new year!

[Dolores]

Thanks for hosting. This was the family's favorite part of Christmas Eve dinner.

[Alice]

Butterscotch over Bourbon? Tsk tsk. Not in this southern lass's kitchen! (But it looks good anyhow.)

[kamagra]

Thanks for this yummy recipes. Hope to see more soon.