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Butterscotch Pudding Is Shockingly Easy, Sinfully Scrumptious

partysugar — Fri, 05 Jun 2009 08:00:25 -0700

Last week I got a text from an old college friend. She would be in town one night only and wondered if I wanted to get together for dinner. Since I'm a huge fan of impromptu soirées, I invited her and two other gals for dinner. With six hours to the dinner party, I frantically began to create a menu with appetizers, entree, and dessert. I wanted a dessert that was rapid, unexpected, and downright delicious. A dessert like Gourmet's fast butterscotch pudding.

From start to finish it takes less than 20 minutes to make. At first I was worried about it not setting quickly enough, but after chilling for three hours, it was thick, rich, and creamy. The girls were pleasantly surprised when I pulled the puddings from the fridge and totally satisfied after eating them.

The pure essence of butterscotch is apparent in each bite, and the pillowy whipped cream is a luscious accompaniment. The only thing I didn't like about this recipe was that it made exactly four portions and I was hungry for more! To delight your friends with this uncomplicated and nostalgic dessert, read more.

Butterscotch Pudding
From Gourmet

Ingredients

1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
2 tablespoons plus 2 tsp cornstarch
1 1/2 cups whole milk
1/2 cup heavy cream
2 tablespoons unsalted butter, cut into bits
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
lightly sweetened whipped cream, for serving

Directions

Whisk together brown sugar, cornstarch, and 1/4 tsp salt in a heavy medium saucepan, then whisk in milk and cream.
Bring to a boil over medium heat, whisking frequently, then boil, whisking, 1 minute.
Remove from heat and whisk in butter and vanilla. Pour into a bowl, then cover surface with buttered wax paper and chill until cold, at least 1 1/2 hours.

Serves 4.

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Yummy Links: From Leah Cohen to Korean Barbecue

partysugar — Tue, 31 Mar 2009 07:50:47 -0700

Making ravioli with Top Chef's Leah Cohen. - Decider New York
Learn the difference between pudding and custard. - Chow
Go green with Cuisinart's new Green Gourmet cookware. - Al Dente
One expert's advice on hosting the perfect Seder. - The Epi-Log
Padma Lakshmi appeared in this weekend's Parade magazine. - Eat Me Daily
Use a whisk to break up brown sugar. - The Kitchn
Find out what your favorite contestants from The Next Food Network Star are up to now. - The FN Dish
Take a trip to Korea in your kitchen by making this easy barbecue beef bulgogi. - Serious Eats

Jasmine Rice Pudding Two Ways - Beginner and Expert

YumSugar — Wed, 11 Mar 2009 03:30:25 -0700

One of my favorite desserts to make at home is rice pudding, because I can easily watch it on the stovetop while I'm prepping other items for dinner. Since most of us have rice, honey, and milk on hand, it's possibly the tastiest way to clean your pantry. Although many rice puddings call for arborio or other short-grained Italian varieties, try the longer-grain jasmine for less starchiness. Jasmine rice will not only maintain its texture, but it also has a wonderful aroma. To ensure the pudding is smooth rather than sticky, rinse the rice thoroughly before cooking it. See a basic jasmine rice pudding recipe as well as one that's more complex in flavor when you read more.

Beginner Jasmine Rice Pudding
From Saveur

Ingredients

6 cups whole milk, at room temperature
1/2 cup clover honey, plus more as needed
Pinch of kosher salt
1 cup jasmine rice, rinsed well
2 oz. dried apples, chopped into 1/2-inch pieces
1/2 cup golden raisins
2 tbsp. butter, plus more as needed

Directions

Put the milk, honey, and salt into a medium saucepan over medium-high heat and bring to a simmer; do not let it boil. Stir in the rinsed rice, reduce the heat to maintain a gentle simmer, and cook, stirring occasionally, until rice is very soft and milk is nearly absorbed, 30-40 minutes.
Add the apples and raisins and continue to simmer until the apples are softened and pudding is very thick, 5-10 minutes more. Just before serving, stir in the butter. Serve plain or drizzled with additional honey or butter, if you like.

Makes 6 servings.

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Expert Jasmine Rice Pudding
From Bon Appétit

Ingredients

1/2 cup raisins
3 tablespoons Malibu rum or other coconut-flavored rum
1 1/2 cups nonfat milk
1 1/4 cups canned unsweetened coconut milk
3/4 cup whole milk
1 cinnamon stick
1/2 teaspoon salt
1/2 vanilla bean, halved lengthwise
1 1/4 cups jasmine rice
6 tablespoons plus 1/4 cup sugar
1 cup chilled whipping cream
2 1/2 teaspoons grated lime peel
6 passion fruits, halved, juice and seeds scooped into bowl
Special equipment: 8 3/4-cup ramekins or custard cups

Directions

Combine raisins and rum in small bowl. Let stand at room temperature while preparing pudding.
Combine nonfat milk and next 4 ingredients in heavy medium saucepan. Scrape in seeds from vanilla bean; add bean. Bring to simmer; remove from heat. Allow to steep uncovered 1 hour. Strain coconut broth.
Rinse rice in medium bowl of cold water. Drain. Repeat 2 more times. Cook 1 cup coconut broth and rice in heavy medium saucepan over medium-high heat until almost all liquid is absorbed, stirring constantly, about 3 minutes. Add remaining coconut broth; cook over low heat until rice is tender, stirring frequently, about 13 minutes. Remove from heat. Stir in 6 tablespoons sugar (mixture will be thick). Transfer to large bowl; cool.
Whip cream in medium bowl until cream holds peaks. Fold half of whipped cream into cooled rice. Drain raisins. Stir raisins and lime peel into rice. Fold in remaining whipped cream. Divide mixture among eight 3/4-cup ramekins or custard cups.
Preheat broiler. Sprinkle 1/2 tablespoon sugar over each pudding. Place puddings on rimmed baking sheet. Broil until sugar caramelizes, watching closely to prevent burning, about 3 minutes. Spoon passion fruit over puddings.

Serves 8.

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Come Party With Me: Girls Winter Weekend - Dessert

partysugar — Wed, 04 Feb 2009 12:30:48 -0800

No girls weekend is complete without an indulgent chocolate dessert. Since snow is in the forecast for the Sierra Nevada, a dessert that's served warm is ideal. Chocolate bread pudding is comforting and delicious. The simple ingredients can be found at the local mountain store and the preparation is less complicated than a layer cake. Assemble the pudding before dinner because it needs time to rest before baking. Place in the oven when dinner is finished, so it can cook while you do the dishes. If you can't find creme fraiche, substitute heavy whipped cream or a small scoop of ice cream. To look at this rich, luxurious recipe, read more.

Chocolate Bread Pudding
From Martha Stewart

Ingredients

2 cups heavy cream
2 cups milk
1 whole vanilla bean, split in half lengthwise, seeds scraped
3 cinnamon sticks (optional)
1 loaf brioche (about 1 pound, or you may substitute white bread)
12 ounces roughly chopped Valrhona or other bittersweet chocolate, plus 1/2 ounce or 1/4 cup shavings for garnish
8 large egg yolks
3/4 cup sugar
1 package (8 ounces) creme fraiche

Directions

Heat the oven to 325 degrees.
Place the cream, milk, vanilla seeds and pod, and cinnamon sticks, if using, in a medium saucepan, and bring to a boil. Remove from heat, cover with plastic wrap, and let sit for 30 minutes to infuse flavors.
Cut the brioche into 1/4-inch-thick slices. Cut slices into quarters, setting aside the rounded top pieces. Fill a 9-by-12-inch gratin dish or a deep oval roasting dish with the quartered pieces.
Return the milk mixture to a boil, remove from heat, and discard vanilla pod and cinnamon sticks.
Add chocolate, and whisk until smooth. Combine egg yolks and sugar in a large bowl, and whisk to combine. Pour chocolate mixture very slowly into egg-yolk mixture, whisking constantly, until fully combined.
Slowly pour half the chocolate custard over bread, making sure all the bread is soaked. Arrange the reserved bread on top in a decorative pattern, and press firmly so bottom layer of bread absorbs chocolate mixture.
Spoon remaining custard over bread until completely covered and all cracks are filled. Place a piece of plastic wrap over the dish; press down to soak bread thoroughly.
Remove plastic, wipe edges of the dish with a damp towel, and allow to sit for 30 minutes.
Place gratin dish in a larger pan; fill outer pan with hot water halfway up the sides of the gratin dish. Bake until set, about 35 minutes. Cool on a rack for 15 minutes.
Whisk the creme fraiche until soft peaks form. Serve pudding warm, garnished with creme fraiche and chocolate shavings.

Serves 8-10.

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Reader Recipe: Pouding Chomeur

YumSugar — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 15:00:36 -0800

From butternut squash mac and cheese to persimmon and pomegranate salad, lately I can't get enough of everything Fall. Desserts, in particular, are comforting in a way that no other dish can be, and FinnLover's pudding, with its Autumn spices, apples, and brown sugar syrup, embodies exactly that. To make this basic dessert and Québécois favorite, read more.

Submitted by TeamSugar member FinnLover

Apple and Cinnamon "Pouding Chomeur"
Adapted from "Delices Traditionnels du Quebec", Les Editions La Bonne Recette

"Pouding chômeur", which is French for the unemployed's pudding, is a traditional dessert from Quebec. It is normally a very basic recipe but since I had some apples on hand, I adapted a traditional recipe by adding apples and cinnamon. It resulted in a cake that was a bit more moist and sticky than the traditional one, but so much more flavorful. The cinnamon was a nice addition too.

Ingredients

* 2 tbsp butter
* 1 egg
* 1/4 cup sugar
* 3/4 cup flour
* 1 tsp baking powder
* 1/2 tsp ground cinnamon
* 1/4 cup milk
* 1 or 2 apples, cored and peeled, finely chopped

* 3/4 cup brown sugar
* 3/4 cup water

Directions

* Preheat your oven to 375 F (190 C) *

1. In a large bowl, mix the butter and the sugar together.

2. Add the egg and mix until you get a smooth texture.

3. In another bowl, mix the flour, the baking powder and the cinnamon together.

4. Add half of the flour mixture to the egg mixture and mix well. Then add the milk and mix well. Add the rest of the flour and mix well. Add the apples to the mixture.

5. Pour the batter into a small baking dish.

6. In a small saucepan, bring to a boil the water and the brown sugar.

7. As soon as it boils, pour the syrup all over the cake.

8. Bake for about 25 minutes or until a fork inserted in the middle of the cake comes out clean.

It might look like a big mess, but it was a yummy mess.

Really good on its own.

But I was feeling naughty and decided to top it with some raisins and some heavy cream. Chopped nuts would have been good too. And vanilla ice cream is even better!

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Rice Pudding: A Perfect Dessert For Your Summer Fruits

YumSugar — Wed, 13 Aug 2008 07:45:02 -0700

During a recent endeavor to make peach rice pudding popsicles, I loved the rice pudding so much (a good amount of it wound up in my stomach instead of the freezer!) that I decided it was time to make a batch.

Enter this rice pudding recipe, which highlights all the freshest Summer fruits. It's comfort food to the max, with a glutinous bite and creamy, vanilla undertones. Make sure you keep the saucepan at arm's length and stir the rice continuously. I got distracted watching the Olympics, and my saucepan overflowed on me! To get this simple recipe, read more.

Warm Rice Pudding With Summer Fruits
Adapted from Michael Chiarello's Casual Cooking

Ingredients

1 quart milk
1/3 cup granulated sugar
Salt
2 1 1/2-inch strips of lemon zest
1/2 a vanilla bean, split lengthwise to expose seeds
1/2 cup water
3/4 cup Arborio rice
3 egg yolks
1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
4 cups mixed Summer fruits, such as strawberries, blackberries, blueberries, peaches, apricots, or figs, in any combination, sliced as needed
Superfine sugar (optional)

Directions

Combine the milk, granulated sugar, a pinch of salt, lemon zest, vanilla bean, and water in a wide saucepan. Bring to a simmer over moderate heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar.
Add the rice and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the grains are tender and the milk is slightly thickened, about 20 minutes.
In a bowl, beat the yolks with the lemon juice until well-blended. Whisk in about 1 cup of the hot rice to warm the egg mixture, then pour the mixture into the rice.
Cook briefly, stirring constantly, until the pudding visibly thickens, about 1 minute. Remove from heat and remove and discard the lemon zest and vanilla bean. Let the rice pudding cool until it is just warm; it will thicken as it cools.
If the fruits need a little sweetening, add superfine sugar to taste. Divide the fruits among 6 or 8 plates or shallow glasses. Spoon the warm rice pudding over the top. To serve as a parfait, alternate layers of fruit and warm pudding.

Serves 6 to 8.

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Come Party With Me: Moroccan Dinner - Dessert

partysugar — Wed, 28 May 2008 15:00:17 -0700

Couscous is a staple common to North African cuisine. Instead of serving it as a savory part of my dinner menu, I decided to use it to make a sweet dessert. Most people have had rice or bread pudding, but the majority of my guests have yet to experience couscous pudding.

This variation is made with fluffy whipped cream, sautéed bananas, and fresh pineapple. This type of dessert is ideal for a dinner party because it can be made well in advance. To take a look at the recipe, read more.

Pineapple and Banana Couscous Pudding
From Bon Appétit magazine

Ingredients

3/4 cup water
1/2 cup plain couscous
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1/2 large banana, chopped (about 1/2 cup)
1 tablespoon (packed) golden brown sugar
1 1/2 cups plus 2 tablespoons chilled whipping cream
5 tablespoons sweetened cream of coconut (such as Coco López)*
1 tablespoon triple sec
1/2 cup candied pineapple, minced
1 1/2 cups diced peeled fresh pineapple

Directions

Bring 3/4 cup water to boil in heavy medium saucepan over high heat.
Stir in couscous. Remove from heat. Cover and let stand until water is absorbed, about 15 minutes. Fluff with fork.
Melt butter in small nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add banana and sugar and sauté until banana is soft, about 1 minute. Cool.
Using electric mixer, beat cream in large bowl until soft peaks form. Fold in cream of coconut and triple sec.
Reserve 6 tablespoons whipped cream mixture for topping.
Fold candied pineapple, couscous, and banana into remaining whipped cream mixture in large bowl. Divide mixture among 6 parfait glasses or dessert bowls. Can be made 4 hours ahead. Cover whipped cream mixture and puddings separately and refrigerate.
Top each pudding with some of reserved whipped cream mixture. Sprinkle each with fresh pineapple and serve.

Serves 6.

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Yummy Link: Butterscotch Pudding

partysugar — Mon, 19 May 2008 10:15:44 -0700

Doesn't this butterscotch pudding look to die for? Made with butter, scotch, and grand mariner the recipe looks simply rewarding. I don't know about you but I am going to whip up a batch tonight! - Culinary Concoctions by Peabody

Yummy Link: Lemongrass Pudding

YumSugar — Tue, 29 Apr 2008 14:15:05 -0700

My mom recently gave me a bunch of lemongrass to plant in my garden. It's nowhere near ready to harvest, so I'll have to buy some to whip up a batch of this lemongrass pudding. - Vanilla Garlic

Yummy Link: Black and White Pudding

partysugar — Fri, 15 Feb 2008 04:58:11 -0800

When eating pudding, I have a terrible time deciding between creamy vanilla and rich chocolate. The solution to my dilemma? Black and white pudding with a thick layer each of chocolate and vanilla. - 64 Sq Ft Kitchen