Butterscotch Pudding

Let's talk butterscotch. Can anything top it? Sugar, caramel, butter, scotch.........nope. That's just about as good as it gets. Technically, that picture is of butterbourbon, as a bottle of Knob Creek is what is sitting on my counter. We can debate the pros and cons and differences of American bourbon and Scotch scotch, but I find that with that much sugar, and so little alcohol, the difference between butterbourbon and butterscotch is not a big enough difference. Butterwhiskey however, no. Bourbon is as low as I'd go on that ladder.

After a few of the houses I saw today though, I'll take any rung on that whiskey-scotch ladder. I have been house hunting, as my tweeps know, and some of the houses I saw today were in my price range....and lacking roofs. *Sigh* I toured an "artsy" home that had lampshades stuck to the ceiling, paint cans forming pyramids lining the hall, eight bikes in no apparent order, and more broken antique chairs than I knew what to do with (or how to steal and refurbish). It all added up to the perfect set for a psycho killer clown playhouse film. Other houses I saw had similar problems: hallways you can't pass through unless you're under 180 pounds, floor you can't walk on if you're over 150 pounds, and the ever charming smells of moth balls, dampness, and of course, mustiness.  It was an interesting day. I got more brave about houses and dove right into some of them, lucky I didn't fall right into some of them. That was the occasional concern. I took a more observant friend along with me who has an eye for shoddy flooring like the nose on a bloodhound. He's also very good at pointing out slanted rooms, bad electrical wiring, poking at the ceiling to find the water drip, and other such things that tend not to cross my mind as I plan how to decorate the house. Yep, I'm great at that sort of thing. Details? No. I only noticed one of the eight bikes and no, I didn't notice the missing roof either. But hey, those decorating and design options I have down.

Suffice it to say, it was an interesting day. I did find a few gems to look at further, but, at the end of this, I want my cup of butterscotch, and maybe to pour some scotch on my hands as a disinfectant.

Cheers! 

Butterscotch Pudding

3/4 cup sugar
1/4 cup water
1/4 cup heavy cream
1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
1/3 cup cornstarch
1 teaspoon kosher salt
3 cups whole milk
4 large egg yolks
2 tablespoons Scotch/Bourbon
1/4 cup unsalted butter, in pieces
1 teaspoon vanilla extract

Stir sugar and water in heavy medium saucepan over low heat until sugar dissolves. Increase heat. Boil without stirring until syrup turns deep amber color. Brush down sides of pan with wet pastry brush to remove sugar crystals. Occasionally swirl the pan. Remove from heat. 

Add cream, being careful of the rapid bubbling that will occur. Stir until smooth and set aside.

Mix brown sugar, cornstarch, and salt in heavy medium saucepan. Gradually whisk in milk. Stir over medium-low heat until mixture thickens and boils, about 8 minutes. Remove from heat. Whisk in caramel sauce.

Whisk egg yolks in large bowl to blend. Gradually whisk a bit of the warm caramel pudding into the egg yolks to temper. Gradually whisk yolk mixture back into the pudding. Bring to simmer over medium heat. 

Add in butter, scotch, and vanilla.

Divide pudding among 8 containers. Chill until cold, at least 6 hours and up to 1 day.
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Butterscotch Chocolate Cookies

Soft melt in your mouth dark chocolate butterscotch chip cookies are a happy diversion from all the holiday stress. 

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Now really, how stressed can I be? Well.............not very because I am in LONDON! YAY! I am very very happily on an 8 day British vacation. I realize there is something amiss about an American going to Britain over the holiday in which we are thankful for our lives in the "New World" but........meh. I had the vacation time and the free flight miles. What'cha gonna do? 

Tonight I'm actually taking the night bus to Edinburgh. I may be in Britain but that's no excuse to miss out on having a Thanksgiving Day meal with family. My cousin Lexi, her husband and baby are living there, and though we will not be having a traditional turkey supper (as everyone at the table is a vegetarian, except myself) we will be going out to eat at a lovely restaurant called David Bann. I'll just have to find another way to get some stuffing and pie on this trip. *Sigh* Eat extra big slices for me! I won't complain though, after all, a slice of pie or London? Well.....that might depend on the pie! 

I hope all my American friends have a lovely holiday! And for everyone else, have a lovely Thursday! Since you won't get a day off like the Americans may I suggest treating yourself to some chocolate butterscotch cookies at the very least! 

Cheers!

 Butterscotch Chocolate Cookies

3/4 cup all-purpose flour

3/4 cup unsweetened cocoa powder

1/2 teaspoon baking soda

1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

1 1/2 sticks (3/4 cup) unsalted butter, softened

1 cup sugar

2 large eggs

1 teaspoon vanilla

1 cup butterscotch chips

Preheat oven to 375°F.

Beat together butter and sugar with an electric mixer until pale and fluffy, then beat in eggs and vanilla until combined.

Whisk together dry ingredients in a medium bowl.

Add flour mixture to butter mixture and mix just until combined. Stir in butterscotch chips. I prefer to reserve a few butterscotch chips to press into the tops of the dough once it is on the baking sheets.

Drop level tablespoons of dough about 2 inches apart onto parchment paper or baking mat lined baking sheets and bake about 10 minutes. Transfer cookies to a rack to cool.

Butterbeer Ice Cream Sandwiches

For the big debut of the latest Harry Potter I made an ice cream sandwich inspired by butterbeer, which is said to taste like butterscotch and short bread cookies!

One line reminder to vote for my entry in the California Raisin Let's re-Do Lunch Competition! Vote Daily!

Anybody else a little tired this morning? I AM DEAD! Because of COURSE I went to see the Harry Potter Premier last night! Yes, I am just barely in the age group that grew up with Harry Potter. The first movie came out my senior year of high school....and two college degrees later.....we're on the seventh movie! Crazy!

Okay, so my youth is totally showing. But you can't deny it. Harry Potter is HUGE! Which means there has got to be at least one Harry Potter fan that you're friends with and they'll love your for making them a bit of butterbeer or butterbeer ice cream sandwiches!

Not only did I make butterbeer this week, but when I read that butterbeer is supposed to taste like shortbread cookies and butterscotch....well, it was an easy call to make: butterscotch  shortbread cookies ice cream sandwiches! and yes, I ate them for breakfast this morning before running off to an 8:30 staff meeting. I really have a problem with eating ice cream sandwiches for breakfast when I'm running late!

Butterbeer Ice Cream Sandwiches

(butterscotch shortbread cookie sandwiches)

1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar

1 tablespoons butter

1/2 tablespoons vanilla

2 1/4 cups cream, divided

1 cup milk

3 egg yolks

In a small sauce pan over medium heat, stir brown sugar, butter, and vanilla until butter is melted, sugar dissolved, and the mixture is bubbling. Stir in 1/4 cup of cream and continue to stir until mixed thoroughly. Remove butterscotch mixture from heat and allow to cool. 

In a stand mixer combine the egg yolks and butterscotch mixture.  Beat for one minute, then mix in the milk and cream gradually.

Transfer the mixture to an ice cream maker. Allow the ice cream to churn until finished and freeze according to the manufacturer’s instructions.

Shortbread Cookies

2 cups unsalted butter, unsalted
3/4 cup powdered sugar
1 tsp. vanilla
2 1/2 cups all purpose flour

Heat the oven to 350 degrees. Mix butter powdered sugar, and vanilla  in a large bowl. If the dough is too crumbly add another 2 tablespoons of butter.

Roll dough out to half an inch thick and cut into small shapes using cookie cutters, or into squares using a knife. Place the cookies one inch apart on a parchment lined baking sheet.

Bake for 14-15 minutes or until set, and the bottoms are a light golden brown. Immediately remove to a wire rack to cool completely. 

To Assemble the Ice Cream Sandwiches:

Place a scoop full of ice cream on an upside down cookie. Using a second cookie press down on top of the scoop of ice cream to form a sandwich. 

Place in the freezer to freeze until fully hardened. I pressed butterscotch chips into the sides of mine. Their optional but add a delightful touch of whimsy. 

Enjoy!