Ginas Butterscotch Pudding Pots And Cashew Brittle Recipes

GINA'S BUTTERSCOTCH SUNDAE

Steps:

• Scoop ice cream into sundae glasses. Top with warm Butterscotch Sauce, chopped toffee, whipped cream, and a cherry.
• In a small heavy bottomed saucepan, add the brown sugar, corn syrup, and butter and cook over medium low heat, stirring, until sugar dissolves. Add bourbon and vanilla extract, stirring well.

OLD-FASHIONED BUTTERSCOTCH PUDDING

Steps:

• Put egg yolks, cornstarch and salt into a large heatproof bowl, and whisk until the mixture is smooth and there are no lumps.
• In a medium pot over medium heat, combine brown sugar and butter, whisking, until the brown sugar melts, 1 to 2 minutes. Let cook, whisking constantly, until the mixture starts to smell like hot caramel and darkens slightly, about 1 minute longer. (Don't walk away, or the mixture may burn.)
• Immediately pour the milk and cream into the pot. (It will bubble fiercely and seize up.) Continue to cook, whisking constantly, until the clumps melt, 2 to 4 minutes.
• Slowly whisk about 1/2 cup of the hot cream mixture into the bowl with the egg yolks, whisking yolks until smooth, then whisk in the remaining hot cream mixture. Pour the egg-cream mixture back into the saucepan and place it over medium heat.
• Cook pudding, whisking constantly especially around the bottom and edges of the pot, until it comes to a full boil. (Don't worry about the eggs curdling. You're going to strain the mixture later.) Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, stirring the mixture constantly, until it thickens enough to mound thickly on the spoon, 4 to 7 minutes. If at any point the pudding looks curdled, whisk to help smooth it out.
• Strain mixture through a fine sieve into a heatproof container or bowl, then stir in the Scotch or bourbon, if using, and vanilla. To prevent a skin from forming, press plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pudding. (If you like the skin, don't cover pudding until it cools.) Chill for at least 2 hours and up to 2 days.
• When serving, spoon pudding into dishes. Top with dollops of whipped cream, sour cream or crème fraîche, and any of the optional garnishes.

CASHEW BRITTLE

Steps:

• Grease a baking sheet with 1 teaspoon butter., In a microwave-safe bowl, mix sugar and corn syrup; microwave, uncovered, on high for 3 minutes. Stir to dissolve sugar; microwave 2 minutes longer. Stir in cashews and remaining butter; microwave on high for 40 seconds. Stir; continue microwaving in 20-second intervals until mixture turns a light amber color, about 1-2 minutes. (Mixture will be very hot.) Quickly stir in baking soda and vanilla until light and foamy., Immediately pour onto prepared pan, spreading with a metal spatula; cool slightly. Refrigerate until set, 15-20 minutes., Break brittle into pieces. Store between layers of waxed paper in an airtight container.

BUTTERSCOTCH PUDDING

Steps:

• In a large saucepan, combine the milk and cream and bring to a simmer over medium heat. Immediately turn off the heat and set aside. In a large, heavy skillet, melt the butter over medium-high heat. Stir in the brown sugar, raise the heat to medium-high, and cook 5 to 7 minutes, stirring constantly, to caramelize the mixture. You'll smell a characteristic nutty-caramel odor when the butter browns, signaling that the mixture is ready.
• Whisking constantly, gradually add the butter/brown sugar mixture to the hot milk/cream mixture. If the mixture isn't smooth, blend for 20 seconds with a hand blender or pour through a fine sieve. Put the egg yolks in a medium bowl. Whisk in about 1/2 cup of the hot milk mixture. Whisk in the cornstarch and salt until dissolved. Whisk the cornstarch mixture back into the hot milk mixture in the saucepan. Whisking constantly, cook over medium-high heat until thick and just boiling. When the mixture thickens, the whisk will leave trail marks on the bottom of the pot and the mixture will have a few large bubbles boiling up to the top. Turn off the heat and whisk in the vanilla extract. Pour into 6 to 8 custard cups, ramekins, or mugs and chill, uncovered, at least 2 hours or overnight. Serve chilled.

GINA'S BUTTERSCOTCH PUDDING POTS AND CASHEW BRITTLE

Steps:

• Whisk the first four ingredients together in a large bowl.
• Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar, and cook, stirring, until the sugar has melted into the butter.
• Whisk in the half-and-half mixture, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, and simmer, whisking constantly, until the pudding thickens, about 4 to 5 minutes. Strain the pudding into a large measuring cup, and then divide evenly into eight 4-ounce ramekins. Let cool, then chill in the refrigerator to set for at least 2 hours.
• Serve with Gina's favorite cashew brittle (recipe follows).
• CASHEW BRITTLE
• Line a nonstick sheet pan with parchment or a silicone mat, and set aside.
• Heat the corn syrup, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat. Cook until the temperature reaches 310 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Once the mixture reaches 310 degrees F, remove from the stove; quickly add the baking soda, cashews, and butter, and keep stirring constantly. The mixture will stay opaque.
• Carefully pour the hot mixture onto the mat-or parchment-covered sheet pan, and spread across the pan with wooden spoon. Cool for 1 1/2 hours. Break into 2-inch pieces.
• NOTE
• A silicone mat works best to avoid a sticky clean-up; do not use waxed paper, which will melt and stick under the heat of the candy.