BUTTERSCOTCH PUDDING

Butterscotch is one of picky-picky husbands favorite flavors, so I have tried a LOT of butterscotch pudding recipes, looking for the best one.  This recipe, is definitely the best one so far!! It is, easy, rich, sweet and VERY butterscotch-y. We like this served as a pudding, but the consistency would make a great pie as well.

1½ cups packed brown sugar (I use dark)
4 tablespoons cornstarch
3 tablespoons flour
2 cups half & half
3 egg yolks (yolks only)
2 tablespoons butter
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

In a saucepan with a heavy bottom, mix the brown sugar, cornstarch, flour and 1 cup of the half and half (whisk until smooth).  Add the egg yolks and the other cup of half and half. Mix until very smooth.

Cook on medium heat (stirring constantly) until this mixture just starts to boil (it should be nice and thick by then). Remove from heat and stir in butter and vanilla.

Pour into dessert dishes and cover it with plastic wrap so a "pudding skin" doesn't form. Lay the plastic directly onto the hot pudding surface.

If you want to use this pudding in a parfait (like my photo) just cool it to room temperature and then layer it with stabilized whipped cream.  Chill thoroughly.

STABILIZED WHIPPED CREAM

I use this recipe constantly because it is quick and easy and the whipped cream will not deflate (if kept in the refrigerator) for several days.

4 teaspoons cold water
1 teaspoon unflavored powdered gelatin

Mix these two ingredients and let sit for about 5 minutes.

Mix 1 cup of heavy whipping cream and 1/4 cup of powdered sugar and 1 teaspoon vanilla extract and a pinch of salt.  Whip these together until soft peaks form.

Put the cold water/gelatin mixture into the microwave for just a few seconds (my microwave takes about 5 seconds?). Your objective is to re-liquefy the gelatin but NOT get it hot.  If you get it hot, let it cool down before adding to the whipping cream.

Once you get the whipping cream to a soft peak stage, SLOWLY drizzle in the liquefied gelatin while the mixer is running.  It will stabilize the whipping cream VERY quickly.