When it comes to freshly-picked, home-grown strawberries, past eating them out-of-hand, as a strawberry dessert lover, I'm a purest at heart. Today's recipe is a perfect example. I'd rather bake a smaller-sized pie that's loaded with lots of strawberries, than add another ingredient to them (because I don't have enough strawberries) to fill a bigger pie dish. Note: I have nothing (zero) against the quintessential strawberry-rhubarb pie concoction (we grow rhubarb in our garden too), I just prefer to indulge in a slice of pie containing all of one or all of the other. Period.
My memories of fresh strawberry pie consist of two distinctly different versions. The first, which I along with almost every other kid in 1960's America loved, was super-simple and made with strawberry-flavored Jell-O (gelatin). This was the kind that was typically available in grocery stores during strawberry season (probably because the gelatin extended the pie's shelf life). The second, which was more scratch made, was thickened with a pantry product called Sure-Jell (powdered pectin). This was the kind made at home or found in bakeries during strawberry season. For lack of a better word, the second pie was less gelatinous than the first, but, both pies were good in their own right. That said, as a discerning adult, the latter is far superior to the first.
Today's pie is a 6 1/2" pie.
When I bake half-sized pies I bake them in pie dishes that measure 5" across the bottom, 6 1/2" across the top, and, are 1 3/4" deep. To make a full-sized, standard 9" pie, simply double my pie filling recipe.
Double my pie filling recipe to make a full-sized, standard 9" pie.
To make a half-sized pie pastry shell, you need pie pastry, and, to make 1, 6 1/2" round shell, you need two-thirds the amount you would use to make one, 9" single-crust pie. Use your favorite recipe or click here to get my recipe for ~ Making Pâte Brisée: Basic Pie or Quiche Pastry ~. That said, when I'm making a half-sized shell, the perfect size to feed four people, I feel no guilt in using a store-bought crust to save time. It bakes up golden and no ever complains.
Blind-bake or bake-blind, is the English term for baking a pastry shell before it is filled. There are two instances when you need to prebake your pie pastry: #1) A pastry shell that, once the filling is added, does not return to the oven for further baking, and, #2) A pastry shell that will get filled with a custard, cream, mousse or fully-cooked/ready-to-eat filling and will return to the oven for further baking. In this application, the degree to which you prebake the pastry (barely brown, lightly brown, golden brown) is determined by the length of time it will take the filled pie to finish baking, meaning: the longer it takes the pie filling to bake, the lighter in color the prebaked crust should be when it goes into the oven, so, always follow the recipe's instructions. For more specifics, read ~ How to: Blind-Bake a Pastry Shell (Baking Blind) ~. Today's pie pastry: has been baked in a 425° oven for 8-9 minutes and has been completely cooled on a wire rack.
My Seriously Simple & Sweet Strawberry Pie Filling:
1 6 1/2" pie pastry, homemade or store-bought, blind-baked & cooled completely
1 tablespoon lemon juice, fresh or high-quality Organic bottled lemon juice
1 tablespoon pure strawberry extract
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1 1/2 tablespoons water
~ Step 1. Choose 10 of the prettiest, medium-sized hulled strawberries (about 4 ounces). Slice them on half and decoratively arrange them on a 6" dessert plate, or a plate roughly the size of the top of the pie dish. Set them aside -- these are going to be the top of the pie. Slice (the remaining) 1 pound, 4 ounces of strawberries to a thickness of 1/4"(about4 cups sliced strawberries).
Place 2 cups of sliced berries in the work bowl of food processor fitted with steel blade (to make the glaze) and set remaining 2 cups sliced berries aside (to make the filling).
~Step 2. To make the glaze, to the 2 cups of sliced strawberries in the processor, add the sugar, powdered pectin, cornstarch, lemon juice, strawberry extract and vanilla extract. Using a series of 10 rapid on-off pulses followed by the motor running for 30 seconds, purée the strawberries. Transfer the mixture to a 1-quart saucier or saucepan. Over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, bring to a boil and continue to boil until glaze has thickened, about 1 full minute.
~Step 3. To make the pie filling, remove the glaze from the heat, transfer to a medium bowl and set aside to cool about 20 minutes, stirring occasionally. Remove 3 tablespoons of glaze from the bowl and place in a small bowl or ramekin. Add the remaining 2 cups of strawberries to the medium bowl of glaze. Using a large rubber spatula, thoroughly fold the strawberries into the glaze, to evenly coat the strawberries. Using a tablespoon, stir the 1 1/2 tablespoons water into the 3 tablespoons remaining glaze.
~ Step 4. Using a large spoon or spatula, spoon the pie filling into the prepared pie shell, leveling it so the strawberries remain flat. Decoratively arrange the reserved strawberry halves over the top. Using a pastry brush, paint the tops of the strawberry halves with the "watered down" glaze. Refrigerate the pie, uncovered, until the glaze it set, about 2 hours, or until serving time (4-6 hours). That said:
This simply scrumptious pie is best served the day it's made.
Special Equipment List: strawberry huller (optional); cutting board; chef's knife; food processor; 1-quart saucier or saucepan; large spoon; large rubber spatula; pastry brush
Cook's Note: There is a certain satisfaction in teaching people how to love food made from a misunderstood ingredient. Rhubarb, sometimes called "the pie vegetable" is one such ingredient. The green-stalked rhubarb we grow in our garden was transplanted from my dad's garden, which was transplanted from his dad's garden. For those of you who like your rhubarb pie unadulterated, and that includes not too much sugar: ~ Pucker-Up for a Straight-Up Rhubarb Streusel Pie ~. Give my very special recipe a try!
"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti
(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2017)
Chocolate pie. The kind our grandmothers made before they had too-many-to-mention options for high-quality, super-expensive brands of chocolate, cocoa powder and extracts imported from all over the world. Two generations ago, when a mom wanted to surprise her family with a chocolate pie for dessert, she simply opened her pantry door, and, without hesitation, reached for a can of Hershey's cocoa powder and/or a few squares of Baker's unsweetened chocolate. She cooked the pie filling on the stovetop, poured it into a baked pie shell, chilled the pie in the "icebox" and served it with freshly-whipped cream on top. Those were kinder, gentler times.
We've come a long way baby. There are so many chocolates, chocolate products and products that pair perfectly with chocolate, it's impossible not to make a better chocolate pie -- and I'm not suggesting my grandmother's chocolate pie recipe take a back seat to any one. Her pie was fantastic. In the 1940"s, she simply didn't have all the options that I have available to me.
What's the difference between pudding & pie filling?
In a pie shell: Pie filling needs to be thicker than pudding.
My grandmother made fantastic pudding. Her recipes for ~ Old-Fashioned Chocolate Pudding ~, ~ Old-Fashioned Very Vanilla Pudding ~ and ~ Old-Fashioned Butterscotch Pudding ~ were very similar to each other (except for the flavoring), which, made them remarkably easy to commit to memory. Technically speaking, her pudding recipes are based on the French method for making egg custard. That means they contain egg yolks, which result in a deeper shade of yellow and a creamier texture. For added richness, she also used a mixture of milk and cream (half and half).
The only time she changed one was when she wanted to make pie filling instead of pudding. For a pie, she added an extra egg yolk and an extra tablespoon of cornstarch. Why? In order to achieve that pretty-to-look-at cleanly-cut slice of pie, pie filling needs extra thickener. This, is the easiest way to define the difference between a pudding and a pudding-based pie filling.
1 cup heavy cream + 1 cup whole milk, or, 2 cups half and half
1 tablespoon each: pure chocolate and pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
3 tablespoons salted butter
3 large egg yolks
1 large egg
3/4 cup sugar
4 tablespoons cocoa powder, your favorite brand (Note: I'm using Droste, Dutch processed today.)
1 teaspoon espresso powder
4 tablespoons cornstarch (1/4 cup)
3 1/2-4 ounces 100% cacao unsweetened chocolate, your favorite brand, chopped or broken into bits and pieces (Note: I'm using a 4-ounce bar of Ghirardelli today.)
~Step 1. In a 2-cup measuring container, measure and stir together the cream and milk or half and half, both extracts and the salt. Set aside. In a small bowl, using a fork, vigorously whisk together the egg yolks and whole egg. Set aside. Cut the butter into small cubes and set aside.
~Step 2. Place the sugar, cocoa powder, expresso powder and cornstarch in a 3-quart saucier or saucepan. Using a wire whisk, thoroughly combine the three. Whisk in all of the flavored milk mixture, whisking constantly until the sugar is dissolved, about 1 minute. Turn heat on to medium. Whisking constantly, heat until steaming, 2-3 minutes. Do not simmer or boil. Turn the heat off, add the butter and whisk until butter is melted and thoroughly incorporated. Remove from heat.
~Step 3. Slowly and in a thin stream, while whisking the eggs constantly with a fork, add 3-4 tablespoons of the steaming liquid to the eggs. (Note: This is called "tempering" and it will raise their temperature slowly and just enough to keep them from scrambling upon contact with the steaming liquid.) In a slow, steady stream, whisk the tempered eggs into the milk mixture.
~Step 4. Return saucier to stovetop. Over medium heat, whisking constantly, bring mixture slowly to a simmer, 4-5 minutes. Simmer gently, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 1 minute. Turn the heat off, add the chocolate pieces and continue to stir until chocolate is melted and mixture is thoroughly combined. Transfer pie filling to a 1-quart measuring container, place a piece of plastic wrap directly over the surface of the pie filling, and allow to cool and settle a bit, 30-45 minutes. You will have 3 total cups of dense, rich and decadent chocolate pie filling.
Spoon filling into a baked 9" pie shell or 4, 4 1/2"-5" pie shells. Refrigerate pie(s), uncovered, 4-6 hours or overnight.
How to: Make a Better Old-Fashioned Chocolate Pie: Recipe yields 3 cups chocolate pie filling/1, 9" pie = 8-10 servings/ 4, 4 1/2"-5" pies = 4 (one pie per person)-8 (two servings per pie) two)-12 servings (four mini-slices per pie -- which are quite pretty on a dessert tray),
Cook's Note: ~ Let's Talk Chocolate: All about Baker's Chocolate ~. Baker's chocolate is an All-American product with a fascinating history. There's more. ~ The Baker's German's ('German') Chocolate Pie ~ isn't German either. It's a spinoff of the famous German Chocolate Cake recipe, which was the invention of a Dallas, Texas homemaker, Mrs. George Clay, back in 1957. Fun foodie facts!
"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti
(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2023)
What's the difference between pie filling and pudding? That was the first question I should have wanted to find an answer to when I wanted to make my first chocolate pie. Why? Because it wasn't exactly a success. I was about sixteen and wanted to surprise my mom with a chocolate pie for her birthday. I filled a store-bought pie shell with mom's recipe for chocolate pudding and put it in the refrigerator. Topped with whipped cream, it looked lovely, and it was indeed edible enough (very tasty actually), but, it was, as you'd imagine, a mess to serve.
What is the difference between a pudding & a pie filling?
There are exceptions to every rule and a lot of overlaps, but, here in the United States, "pudding" is the word used to describe a creamy, smooth milk-based dessert that is thickened by a starch, usually cornstarch. On the other hand, "custard" is a milk- or cream-based dessert thickened by eggs and/or egg yolks. "Cream puddings" use a custard base and are thickened by cornstarch.
My grandmother made fantastic pudding. Technically speaking, her pudding recipes are based on the French method for making egg custard. That means they contain egg yolks, which result in a deeper shade of yellow and a creamier texture. For added richness, she also used a mixture of milk and cream (half and half), instead of milk. All good news for a pudding lover like me.
Her recipes for pudding are very similar to each other (except for the flavoring), which, makes them remarkably easy to commit to memory. The only time she changed one was when she wanted to make pie filling instead of pudding. For a pie, she added an extra egg yolk and an extra tablespoon of cornstarch. Why? In order to achieve that pretty-to-look-at cleanly-cut slice of pie, pie filling needs extra thickener. This, in a pie shell, is the easiest way to define the difference between a pudding and a pudding- or custard-based pie filling.
To turn any of my pudding recipes into pie filling:
Add one extra egg yolk & one extra tablespoon cornstarch:
"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti
(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2023)
Exotically fragrant, vanilla is said to be the world's most popular flavor (and is the second most expensive next to saffron). One would be hard pressed to find an American kitchen pantry that doesn't contain at least one bottle of pure vanilla extract and/or a whole vanilla bean or two. Why? Something wonderful happens when any form of pure vanilla gets added to all sorts of sweet or savory dishes. My very vanilla pudding recipe is a spin-off of my grandmother's vanilla pudding recipe, and, it is the base recipe and starting point for all three of my favorite pudding recipes.
My grandmother made fantastic pudding, none of which took much longer to prepare than boxed quick-cooking options. Her recipes for vanilla, chocolate and butterscotch pudding were very similar to each other (except for the flavoring), which, made them remarkably easy to commit to memory. The only time she changed one was when she was making pie filling instead of pudding. For a pie, she added an extra egg yolk and an extra tablespoon of cornstarch, which, in a nutshell, is the easiest way to define the difference between a pudding and a pie filling. That said, whether she was making vanilla, chocolate or butterscotch pudding or pie filling, she added vanilla extract to each one, in addition to any other extract or flavoring du jour. Read on:
Something wonderful happens when exotically fragrant vanilla gets added to all sorts of sweet or savory dishes.
Vanilla is easy to love -- its scent is enchanting, its taste is exotic. It can be used in an array of sweet and savory culinary applications, but, it is indisputably the number one flavoring in desserts. For my taste, most published recipes don't add enough vanilla. I typically double the recommended amount -- yes, I double it and I have never once been disappointed. Back in her day, my grandmother only had access to vanilla beans or vanilla extract. Happily, since then, two other products have entered our vanilla world and all home cooks should know about them.
A bit about vanilla bean paste and vanilla powder: Everyone who bakes stores high-quality pure vanilla extract (not imitation flavoring) in their pantry along with a few vanilla bean pods too. They're available everywhere, with extract being more economical than whole pods. You'll find two other vanilla products in my pantry too: vanilla bean paste & vanilla powder.
Vanilla bean paste is a sweet, syrupy mixture full of vanilla beans that have been scraped out of the pods. Like vanilla extract, it's full of natural vanilla flavor, plus, it's got all the pretty speckled beans in it too. I think of it as a convenient cross between the extract and the pod, and, I like to add it to pudding because the seeds distribute themselves evenly throughout the mixture. 1 tablespoon paste = 1 tablespoon extract = 1 bean pod.
Vanilla powder is a free-flowing sugar which may be used in place of pure extract in any recipe. It stirs into beverages, and, gets sprinkled onto desserts. I particularly like it for making pudding and cake frosting because it doesn't affect the color like extract does. 1 tablespoon powder = 1 tablespoon extract.
My very vanilla pudding recipe is a spinoff of my grandmother's recipe & is the base recipe for all of my pudding recipes.
My Old-Fashioned Very Vanilla Pudding recipe should technically be called Old-Fashioned Very French Vanilla Pudding. For that matter, so are my other pudding recipes (~ How to: Make Old-Fashioned Chocolate Pudding ~, and ~ How to: Make Old-Fashioned Butterscotch Pudding ~). Why? While there is little difference between different high-quality vanilla products used to flavor pudding (or ice cream and other desserts for that matter), French vanilla pudding is based on the French method of making egg custard. This means it contains egg yolks, which results in a deeper shade of yellow and a creamier texture. That's good news for pudding lovers like me.
1 cup heavy cream + 1 cup whole milk, or, 2 cups half and half
2 tablespoons: pure pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste, your choice
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
3 tablespoons salted butter
2 large egg yolks
1 large egg
3/4 cup sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon vanilla powder
~Step 1. In a 2-cup measuring container, measure and stir together the cream and milk or half and half, extract or paste, and, the salt. Set aside. In a small bowl, using a fork, vigorously whisk together the egg yolks and whole egg. Set aside. Cut the butter into small cubes and set aside.
~Step 2. Measure and place the sugar, cornstarch and vanilla powder in a 3-quart saucier or saucepan. Using a wire whisk, thoroughly combine the three. Whisk in all of the flavored milk mixture, whisking constantly until the sugar is dissolved, about 1 minute. Turn heat on to medium. Whisking constantly, heat until steaming 2-3 minutes. Do not simmer or boil. Turn the heat off, add the butter and whisk until butter is melted and thoroughly incorporated. Remove from heat.
~ Step 3. Slowly and in a thin stream, while whisking the eggs constantly with a fork, add 3-4 tablespoons of the steaming liquid to the eggs. (Note: This is called "tempering" and it will raise their temperature slowly and just enough to keep them from scrambling upon contact with the steaming hot milk mixture.) In a slow, steady stream, whisk the tempered eggs into the milk mixture. Return saucier to stovetop.
~ Step 4. Over medium heat, whisking constantly, bring mixture slowly to a simmer, 4-5 minutes. Simmer gently, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and transfer to a 1-quart measuring container.* Place a piece of plastic wrap on the surface of the pudding and cool about two hours. Stir and portion into custard cups, cover and chill for several hours (or overnight), or, use as directed in recipe.
*Note: A lot of pudding recipes instruct to pass the pudding through a fine mesh strainer (into the measuring container) at this point, to achieve an extra-silky-smooth consistency. This is the type of unnecessary nonsense that causes people to not make pudding. #1. Pudding is too thick to pass through a fine strainer or any strainer. Try it. It'll make you want to jump off a bridge.
Portion 3/4 cup pudding into each of 4, 1-cup custard cups:
Freshly-whipped cream & butter toffee bits on mine please:
How to: Make Old-Fashioned Very Vanilla Pudding: Recipe yields 3 cups pudding/4 servings.
Cook's Note: About the only thing I like better than chocolate, vanilla or butterscotch pudding is all of them layered on top of each other with graham crackers separating each flavor. This dessert, ~ Chocolate, Vanilla and Butterscotch 'Icebox' Cake ~ was one of my mother's specialties. I would sit motionless on the counterstool, eyes transfixed on the process, patiently waiting for my lick of the spoon as each pudding got cooked. Once assembled, she'd put the 'icebox' cake in the refrigerator for what seemed like an eternity, but, it had to chill to set up properly -- well worth the wait. Eat more pudding.
"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti
(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2023)
When I was raising three boys in the '70's and '80's, chocolate was, hands down, their favorite pudding flavor. Just like today, grocery store shelves were full of convenient pudding options (boxes and boxes of instant and quick-cooking pudding, and, ready-to-eat lunch-box-size pudding cups). While I was often tempted to succumb to their wishes and buy those boxes, I resisted. I grew up eating homemade, creamy, dreamy, rich real-deal pudding -- my memories prevented it. As for the pudding cups, I admit, I allowed them, on occasion, as a school lunchbox treat.
Don't succumb to boxes of instant or quick-cooking pudding. Creamy, dreamy, rich & real-deal pudding is easy to make.
My grandmother made fantastic pudding, none of which took much longer to prepare than boxed quick-cooking options. Her recipes for chocolate, vanilla and butterscotch pudding were very similar to each other (except for the flavoring), which, made them remarkably easy to commit to memory. The only time she changed one was when she was making pie filling instead of pudding. For a pie, she added an extra egg yolk and an extra tablespoon of cornstarch, which, in a nutshell, is the easiest way to define the difference between a pudding and a pie filling.
1 cup heavy cream + 1 cup whole milk, or, 2 cups half and half
1 tablespoon each: pure chocolate and pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
3 tablespoons salted butter
2 large egg yolks
1 large egg
3/4 cup sugar
6 tablespoons unsweetened cocoa powder
3 tablespoons cornstarch
~Step 1. In a 2-cup measuring container, measure and stir together the cream and milk or half and half, both extracts and the salt. Set aside. In a small bowl, using a fork, vigorously whisk together the egg yolks and whole egg. Set aside. Cut the butter into small cubes and set aside.
~Step 2. Measure and place the sugar, cocoa powder and cornstarch in a 3-quart saucier or saucepan. Using a wire whisk, thoroughly combine the three. Whisk in all of the flavored milk mixture, whisking constantly until the sugar is dissolved, about 1 minute. Turn heat on to medium. Whisking constantly, heat until steaming 2-3 minutes. Do not simmer or boil. Turn the heat off, add the butter and whisk until butter is melted and thoroughly incorporated. Remove from heat.
~ Step 3. Slowly and in a thin stream, while whisking the eggs constantly with a fork, add 3-4 tablespoons of the steaming liquid to the eggs. (Note: This is called "tempering" and it will raise their temperature slowly and just enough to keep them from scrambling upon contact with the steaming hot milk mixture.) In a slow, steady stream, whisk the tempered eggs into the milk mixture. Return saucier to stovetop.
~ Step 4. Over medium heat, whisking constantly, bring mixture slowly to a simmer, 4-5 minutes. Simmer gently, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and transfer to a 1-quart measuring container.* Place a piece of plastic wrap on the surface of the pudding and cool about two hours. Stir and portion into custard cups, cover and chill for several hours (or overnight), or, use as directed in recipe.
*Note: A lot of pudding recipes instruct to pass the pudding through a fine mesh strainer (into the measuring container) at this point, to achieve an extra-silky-smooth consistency. This is the type of unnecessary nonsense that causes people to not make pudding. #1. Pudding is too thick to pass through a fine strainer or any strainer. Try it. It'll make you want to jump off a bridge.
Portion 3/4 cup pudding into each of 4, 1-cup custard cups:
Freshly-whipped cream and diced bananas on mine please:
How to: Make Old-Fashioned Chocolate Pudding: Recipe yields 3 cups pudding/4 servings.
Cook's Note: About the only thing I like better than chocolate, vanilla or butterscotch pudding is all of them layered on top of each other with graham crackers separating each flavor. This dessert, ~ Chocolate, Vanilla and Butterscotch 'Icebox' Cake ~ was one of my mother's specialties. I would sit motionless on the counterstool, eyes transfixed on the process, patiently waiting for my lick of the spoon as each pudding got cooked. Once assembled, she'd put the 'icebox' cake in the refrigerator for what seemed like an eternity, but, it had to chill to set up properly -- well worth the wait. Eat more pudding.
"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti
(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2023)
My three favorite flavors of pudding are butterscotch, chocolate and vanilla (in that order). They're all creamy and dreamy, but something wonderful happens when brown sugar and butter team up to make real-deal butterscotch. Homemade pudding (from scratch, not a box), was something my grandmother made often -- just for me. I'm in my early 60's, that was back in the latter 50's, and: there is no letting go of homemade pudding memories. Whether it was butterscotch, chocolate or vanilla, she'd always leave me an ample sample, in the bottom of her enamelware saucepan and on the wooden spoon, because: I adored it warm and freshly made. Homemade pudding is one of life's simple pleasures and making butterscotch pudding is one of my favorite pleasures.
Something wonderful happens when brown sugar & butter team up:
Originally, butterscotch was a hard candy made from brown sugar, butter and water, in which the sugar got boiled to the soft crack stage. Since hard candy was hard to cut or break into pretty, even-sized pieces, the butterscotch got "scotched" or "scored", to make cleaner cuts after it hardened. Nowadays, butterscotch is the word used to describe the flavor of brown sugar and butter cooked together with other ingredients (like corn syrup, cream and vanilla or butter rum flavorings, as well as cornstarch or flour and eggs/egg yolks) to make sauce, pudding, pie filling and cookies. Butterscotch is also available in the form of baking chips and liquid flavoring too.
1 cup heavy cream + 1 cup whole milk, or, 2 cups half and half
1 tablespoon each: pure butterscotch and pure vanilla extract
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
3 tablespoons salted butter
2 large egg yolks
1 large egg
3/4 cup firmly-packed dark brown sugar
3 tablespoons cornstarch
~Step 1. In a 2-cup measuring container, measure and stir together the cream and milk or half and half, both extracts and the salt. Set aside. In a small bowl, using a fork, vigorously whisk together the egg yolks and whole egg. Set aside. Cut the butter into small cubes and set aside.
~Step 2. Measure and place the brown sugar and cornstarch in a 3-quart saucier or saucepan. Using a wire whisk, thoroughly combine the two. Whisk in all of the flavored milk mixture, whisking constantly until the sugar is dissolved, about 1 minute. Turn heat on to medium. Whisking constantly, heat until steaming 2-3 minutes. Do not simmer or boil. Turn the heat off, add the butter and whisk until butter is melted and thoroughly incorporated. Remove from heat.
~ Step 3. Slowly and in a thin stream, while whisking the eggs constantly with a fork, add 3-4 tablespoons of the steaming liquid to the eggs. (Note: This is called "tempering" and it will raise their temperature slowly and just enough to keep them from scrambling upon contact with the steaming hot milk mixture.) In a slow, steady stream, whisk the tempered eggs into the milk mixture. Return saucier to stovetop.
~ Step 4. Over medium heat, whisking constantly, bring mixture slowly to a simmer, 4-5 minutes. Simmer gently, whisking constantly, until thickened, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and transfer to a 1-quart measuring container.* Place a piece of plastic wrap over the surface of the pudding and cool about two hours. Stir and portion into custard cups, cover and chill for several hours (or overnight), or, use as directed in recipe.
*Note: A lot of pudding recipes instruct to pass the pudding through a fine mesh strainer (into the measuring container) at this point, to achieve an extra-silky-smooth consistency. This is the type of unnecessary nonsense that causes people to not make pudding. #1. Pudding is too thick to pass through a fine strainer or any strainer. Try it. It'll make you want to jump off a bridge.
Portion 3/4 cup pudding into each of 4, 1-cup custard cups:
Freshly-whipped cream & chopped pecans on mine please:
How to: Make Homemade Butterscotch Pudding: Recipe yields 3 cups pudding/4 servings.
Cook's Note: About the only thing I like better than chocolate, vanilla or butterscotch pudding is all of them layered on top of each other with graham crackers separating each flavor. This dessert, ~ Chocolate, Vanilla and Butterscotch 'Icebox' Cake ~ was one of my mother's specialties. I would sit motionless on the counterstool, eyes transfixed on the process, patiently waiting for my lick of the spoon as each pudding got cooked. Once assembled, she'd put the 'icebox' cake in the refrigerator for what seemed like an eternity, but, it had to chill to set up properly -- well worth the wait. Eat more pudding.
"We are all in this food world together." ~ Melanie Preschutti
(Recipe, Commentary and Photos courtesy of Melanie's Kitchen/Copyright 2023)
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