Butterscotch Blondie Pots

 

My family are vultures.  This warm treat was so popular that they disappeared before I could get a pic of  them garnished with Vanilla Bean ice cream.  Its so meltingly good!  Its butterscotch taken to a new level.

One of things I recently gave a try is vanilla bean paste.  Its been around a few years and is seen on a lot of baking shows.  It's a game changer.  Much more intense vanilla flavor than the traditional extract.

Butterscotch Blondie Pots

1 C all purpose flour

1/2 t baking powder

1/2 t baking soda

1/4 t salt

1 cup packed brown sugar

1/3 c melted and cooled butter

1 T vanilla bean paste (or extract)

2/3 c butterscotch chips

Preheat oven to 350f.  Take 6, 1 cup ramekins and spray with butter flavor nonstick spray.

Put flour, baking powder and baking soda in a sifter.  Sift into a bowl and set aside.

In stand mixer add brown sugar, salt and the cooled butter.  Beat on medium until light and fluffy.

Mix in vanilla bean paste until just incorporated.

With mixer on low gently fold in the flour a bit at a time until its all incorporated.  Fold in Butter scotch chips. 

Divide batter evenly into the ramekins.  Place on a baking sheet and bake 18-22 minutes until edges are starting to brown and the center is just set but still wiggly.  

When done place on a cooling rack and cool to room temp.  Garnish with a scoop of vanilla bean ice cream and enjoy!

NOTE left overs can be wrapped in plastic wrap until ready to use.  Simply remove the plastic wrap and zap in microwave oven 15-20 seconds to warm.  Serve as described above.

Butterscotch Bread Pudding...with butterscotch caramel sauce

This was one of those rare home runs with everyone. The bread pudding alone would probably been pretty terrific, but the addition of this caramel sauce, based on brown sugar so it picked up the butterscotch notes that took it from special to spectacular.

A trick I picked up over the years is that dry bread cubes soak up the custard for the bread pudding better than fresh cut cubes.  For that reason I cube the bread the night before and put it in the warm (170f) oven for an hour or so and then let it cool in there over night.

Butterscotch Bread Pudding

• 1 16 oz loaf French or Italian Bread, cubed
• 2 c cream
• 2 c milk
• 1/2 c melted butter
• 1 1/2 c packed dark brown sugar
• 3 eggs
• 2 t vanilla
• 1/4 t salt
• 1 c butterscotch chips.

Butter insides of a 13X9 baking dish.

Cube bread into roughly 1 inch cubes.  Place cubes on baking sheet in a warm, 170F oven for 1 hour.  Turn off heat and allow to sit overnight.

Combine cream,  milk, eggs, brown sugar, vanilla and salt.  Put dried bread cubes  and 1/2 c butterscotch chips in a large bowl. Pour custard mixture over the bread and toss to coat.  Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 1 - 3 hours to allow custard to soak into bread.  Toss occasionally.  

Preheat oven to 350F.  Pour bread pudding mixture into prepared pan. Sprinkle remaining 1/2 c butterscotch chips over top.  Bake 1 hour until puffed and golden brown and the and the edges are set.  Its OK if the center has a little jiggle.  Cool to set and serve at room temp.

Cut into squares and serve with warmed caramel sauce.

Caramel Sauce

• 6 T butter
• 3/4 c dark brown sugar
• 2 T dark corn syrup
• pinch salt
• 1/2 cup cream
• 1 t vanilla

Put butter, brown sugar and corn syrup in heavy bottom pan.  Over medium low heat gently stir with metal spoon or wire whisk until smooth.  Slowly bring to boil and boil 2 - 3 minutes until sugar is completely dissolved.  Slow add cream and stir constantly.  It will bubble vigorously.  Stir until smooth and cook 1-2 minutes longer until smooth and shiny.  Off heat stir in vanilla.  Pour into a serving container, or glass jar if making head.  If making ahead, zap in in the microwave for 1 minute to warm it a bit for serving.

Best darn Bread Pudding I ever made...

The recipe isn't mine.  Its in this months Bon Appetit magazine.  It is Pecan, Bourbon and Butterscotch Bread Pudding. Allow me to hurl a few superlatives...it is the absolute best tasting, richest bread pudding I have ever had in my ENTIRE life.

My version I omitted the nuts and added them to those that like nuts when I served as a garnish.  Pesky people that are so picky make me batty.  Next time around this will be a made with pecan version for a dinner party.

Butterscotch Pie

I have been a fan of butterscotch pudding, the cooked kind not that dreadful instant stuff, for as long as I can remember. Making your own from scratch is stupid easy and certainly worth the few minutes time it takes to cook the filling.

A couple of things to remember when making puddin' pies with meringue topping.  First and foremost make sure the eggs are at room temperature before you separate and try to whip the eggs.  They froth better if you have them warm as opposed to cold from the fridge.  Another thing to help them whip their best is invest a few bucks in a copper bowl.  The copper acts with the egg white to gain more volume.  Lastly, a bakers sugar also called caster sugar will dissolve easier in the egg white making a better final product.

Butterscotch Pie
9 inch baked pie shell - cooled to room temperature
Filling
1 1/2 c brown sugar
1/4 c flour
1 12 oz can condensed milk (not sweetened)*
1/8 t salt
3 egg yolks beaten
1 t vanilla
2T butter
Meringue
3 egg whites
1/4 t flour
6 T sugar


Bake 9" pie shell according to your recipe instructions for blind baking.  Cool


Mix sugar, flour, condensed milk, salt and egg yolks in a heavy sauce pan.  Whisk until dissolved.  Heat and whisk constantly over medium heat until it thickens and starts to bubble.  Remove from heat and whisk in vanilla and butter.  Add to your baked pie shell.


For the meringue add egg whites and cream of tartar to bowl.  Beat until soft peaks form.  Increase speed and beat in sugar 1 tablespoon at a time until stiff peaks form.  (About 4 minutes total).  Spread over the hot filling pushing to edges to seal.  Bake in 350F oven until browned.  Cool completely before serving.  Refrigerate left overs.

*sometimes sold as evaporated milk.