The Best Butterscotch Pudding, Period.
You haven’t had the best butterscotch pudding until you’ve tried this recipe. Yes, it’s a bold statement. But it’s true. After our very first bite of it at a restaurant in Northern California, we couldn’t stop thinking about its luscious flavor, impossibly creamy consistency, and pure decadence. We also couldn’t stop eating it! So we begged the chef to share it. Sophisticated, elegant, truly world-class, this is grownup pudding worthy of special occasions or just because you deserve nothing but the best.
The Best Butterscotch Pudding, Period.
This butterscotch pudding recipe, adapted from a recipe created by chef Scott Warner of Bistro Don Giovanni in Napa and Tamalpie Pizza in Mill Valley, California, is no joke. One of the best we’ve had, period. It’s crazy rich, so a little goes a very long way. The secret is in the ingredients; top-shelf ingredients makes a top-shelf dessert. So, don’t substitute the muscovado sugar; its flavor elevates the whole dish. Serve this pudding in fluted glasses or ramekins, with or without garnishes like chocolate sauce (get a recipe below), whipped cream, and pumpkin-seed brittle (see recipe link in the notes section), and fall in love.
Servings 6
Calories 435 kcal
Ingredients
-
2
tablespoons
cold milk - 2-1/2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 3 egg yolks
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 cup plus 1 tablespoon firmly packed dark muscovado sugar
- Pinch of kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon good-quality scotch*
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter cut into chunks
Instructions
-
Combine the milk and cornstarch in a bowl and whisk until smooth. Add the egg yolks and whisk until smooth.
-
Heat the cream, sugar, salt, and vanilla in a saucepan over medium heat. Let the mixture rise to a boil, then lower the heat and simmer for about 10 minutes, whisking occasionally. Whisk in the egg mixture and cook, stirring constantly, about 2 minutes or until thick. Immediately stir in the scotch and remove the pudding from the heat.
-
Strain the pudding through a fine-mesh strainer into a blender, add the butter, and blend until smooth.
-
Pour the pudding into 6 glasses or ramekins, cover each with plastic wrap so that the wrap contacts the entire surface of the pudding, and refrigerate until completely cool.
Recipe Notes
Get the Pumpkin-Seed Brittle recipe here.
*According to the National Institutes of Health, distilled alcohol is gluten-free because the distilling process removes the gluten proteins.
Nutrition Facts
The Best Butterscotch Pudding, Period.
Amount Per Serving
Calories 435
Calories from Fat 324
% Daily Value*
Fat 36g55%
Saturated Fat 22g138%
Cholesterol 217mg72%
Sodium 43mg2%
Potassium 100mg3%
Carbohydrates 24g8%
Sugar 18g20%
Protein 3g6%
Vitamin A 1413IU28%
Vitamin C 1mg1%
Calcium 84mg8%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Homemade Gluten-Free Chocolate Sauce
Simple to make and even easier to love, this sauce is perfect for topping ice cream, pudding, or gluten-free cream puffs.
Servings 8
Calories 79 kcal
Ingredients
- 2 tablespoons plus 2 teaspoons sugar
- 1/8 cup unsweetened cocoa powder
- 1/8 cup plus 11⁄2 teaspoons corn syrup
- 2.4 ounces finely chopped bittersweet chocolate
Instructions
-
In a medium saucepan whisk together the sugar, cocoa powder, corn syrup, and 1⁄4 cup plus 1-1⁄2 teaspoons water. Bring the mixture to a boil, then immediately reduce the heat to low and simmer for 10 minutes. Remove the pan from the heat, add the bittersweet chocolate, and whisk to combine until melted.
Recipe Notes
Makes 1/2 cup
Nutrition Facts
Homemade Gluten-Free Chocolate Sauce
Amount Per Serving (1 tablespoon)
Calories 79
Calories from Fat 27
% Daily Value*
Fat 3g5%
Saturated Fat 2g13%
Cholesterol 1mg0%
Sodium 4mg0%
Potassium 69mg2%
Carbohydrates 12g4%
Fiber 1g4%
Sugar 10g11%
Protein 1g2%
Calcium 7mg1%
Iron 1mg6%
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.
Photo Maren Caruso
13 Comments on “The Best Butterscotch Pudding, Period.”
Delicious!
We were just at Bistro Don Giovanni (11/4/21) and had this dessert. It was fantastic! Was searching for a recipe that was close to make if for the family for Thanksgiving. So happy to have found this.
Hooray! It IS something, isn’t it?
I don’t see in the recipe when you add the butter. Guessing with the scotch since it says to cut into cubes. I figure if they wanted you to add it with the cream you wouldn’t need to cut it into cubes. Anyone know?
See step 3! And let me know how you like it!
I had this dessert at Giovanni restaurant years ago, it’s absolutely fantastic! Thank you for sharing this special recipe.
Couldn’t agree more!
The butterscotch pudding at Don Giovanni is the best dessert in Napa Valley. Loved making this recipe…delicious!!!
Yay! Couldn’t agree more!
The pudding was very nice. Especially your writing quality is very nice. Well written, one day I will make it and eat it. Everyone try it at home. i love white pudding
Thank you, Leon! Very kind of you to say.
I was excited to find this online. I stumbled upon this dessert by accident on a trip to Napa with my brother and a friend. Forget the wine or food, it was my most memorable experience in Napa. Thank you for hunting this recipe down for all of us. It’s an elevated classic and would be the highlight of any dinner party.
Wait until you try it! It’s sooooo good!!! I’m obsessed with it too!