TWD - Real Butterscotch Pudding Et Al

The TWD pick this week is Real Butterscotch Pudding and was chosen by Donna of Spatulas, Corkscrews and Suitcases. I think I mentioned when we made the chocolate pudding that in NZ pudding is not really a common thing – other than instant pudding that comes in a packet and was something we used to have when we were kids. I really enjoyed the home made chocolate pudding and was keen to try the butterscotch version.

When I think of butterscotch I think of something caramel flavoured – it never occurred to me to include real scotch (whiskey) as part of the butterscotch flavour. This recipe had the addition of scotch, but I didn’t include it as I didn’t have any on hand, and I was only making this recipe for the TWD event, so didn’t go and especially buy it. I did add more vanilla though which was delicious! I actually just made 1/3 of the recipe and it was the perfect amount for the mini part of my food processor. 1/3 of the mixture made two little ramekins – which is just as well, because I think if I had made the whole recipe we would have eaten the whole lot – this was so yummy! My only criticism is that I could ever so slightly taste a cornflour taste – but that is probably my fault for not cooking the pudding more at the end – it seemed to thicken quite quickly. The only other thing I did differently was that I used all milk and no cream, and the pudding was still yummy and creamy.

Check out what the other TWDers thought here.

This will be my last post before Christmas – we are down to Christchurch first thing in the morning for Christmas with my family. I am then on holiday until January 12, but I will try and post my TWD recipes during the holiday break – this will depend on my access to a computer over the break. Even though it is a TWD day, I thought I would share some of theother “wee treats” which I have been baking for Christmas gifts.



Firstly are these chocolate peanut butter blossoms (the recipe is on the Hersheys site) which are peanut butter and chocolate flavoured cookies with a hersheys kiss pressed into them immediately after baking. A yummy little treat.




And then there is these salted caramels. I have wanted to make these for ages, but it took a while to track down the fleur de sel (special French salt with a delicate flavour). I managed to get it at La Cigale and had to use it given that it was $22 for a smallish bag (that is about US$14). I made the recipe that was in Dish magazine last year and followed it to the letter, resulting in caramel that wouldn’t set. So I re-boiled the whole lot until it reached about 140c (just over soft crack stage) and I got these perfect caramels – they are a bit like a hard caramel, hard to start with but then soften deliciously in your mouth.

And very lastly, thank you so much for reading my blog this year – I hope you have enjoyed it and I also hope that you have a wonderful Christmas and happy holidays!!!

Salted Caramels (adapted from Dish magazine)

1 c cream
60g butter
1 ½ tsp fleur de sel
1 ½ c sugar
¼ c water
¼ c liquid glucose

· Bring cream, butter and salt to the boil and set aside
· Stir sugar, water and glucose in a heavy based pot over a low heat until sugar is dissolved. Brush down sugar crystals with a damp pastry brush and then boil until pale golden
· Stir in the cream mixture, being very careful as it will spit
Boil, stirring occasionally until the temperature is 140c, then pour into a lined 20cm square tin. When set cut into pieces with a large sharp knife.