Butterscotch Custard with Creme Fraiche
Prep Time: 20 mins | Cook Time: 15 mins | Course: Dessert | Serves: 8
Lovely comforting butterscotch pudding is thickened and enriched with butterscotch chips added at the end of the cooking time. The cooled pudding is ladled into glasses and topped with whipped creme fraiche and a sprinkling of fleur de sel (or extra aesthetic points if you find Hawaiian black sea salt). Butterscotch is sweet so I've left the whipped topping unsweetened for contrast, if you prefer it sweeter, add a bit of sugar to taste to the whipped cream before adding the creme fraiche. Inspired by Market Restaurant in St. Helena, and James McNair with his book Custards, Mousses & Puddings.
3 cups milk
1 cup heavy cream
½ cup butter
2 cups brown sugar
Salt, a pinch
4 egg yolks (or 2 eggs)
¼ cup cornstarch
11 oz butterscotch morsels
1 cup heavy cream
½ cup creme fraiche or sour cream
½ tsp vanilla
Fleur de sel or Hawaiian black sea salt, a sprinkling
Combine milk and cream in a glass measurer or other microwave-safe bowl. Microwave for 3 minutes. Melt brown sugar and butter together over medium-low heat in a medium-size saucepan until beautifully browned caramelization begins (shown below). Meanwhile, whisk yolks or eggs, and cornstarch together in a quart measurer and add hot milk in 1 ladleful at a time to temper the eggs. Pour the milk and egg mixture into the brown sugar and whisk quickly until it thickens. The sugar may separate at first but will come back together nicely as it cooks and thickens. Using a wooden spoon, stir until the custard is nice and thick and coats the back of the wooden spoon. The custard is done when you draw a line through it on the back of the spoon and the line doesn’t disappear. Stir in the butterscotch morsels and allow the custard to cool. Whip the cream to soft peaks, add in the creme fraiche or sour cream, and vanilla. Whip to medium peaks. Ladle custard into stemmed glasses or bowls as desired. Spoon a generous egg-shaped spoonful of cream on top of the pudding along with a light sprinkling of sea salt.
