Dear Eric: My son mans the Langara Point Lighthouse on Haida Gwaii. Due to the isolated location and monthly supply delivery he gets, he needs to shop in bulk, getting a six- to 12-month supply of items he can keep until his next trip down to Victoria. Then he fills huge, food-safe buckets with grains, powders, juice mixes, etc.
He learned to cook at a very young age and makes almost everything from scratch. One thing he has never found a way to make is butterscotch pudding mix. The kind you add milk to and bring to a boil on the stove, stirring constantly to avoid burning. Like me, he uses powdered milk for cooking.
Can you help with a recipe for this? And how about a chocolate pudding, too?
Judy Westhaver
Dear Judy: When you asked for butterscotch pudding mix, my thoughts turned to those small boxes of pudding mix my mom used when I was a kid. All she did was blend the dry mix in the box with milk to make a pudding.
It would take a food scientist to re-create those mixes with their food colourings, preservatives and artificial flavours.
A good homemade butterscotch pudding involves ingredients such as butter and eggs.
A simple definition of butterscotch is a food flavoured with butter and brown sugar. To make butterscotch pudding, the food being flavoured is a custard-like mixture, which contains eggs or egg yolks, depending on the recipe.
Judy was looking for a dry butterscotch pudding mix you simply add milk to, but that’s not completely achievable because of the eggs and butter also required, along with flavourings, which in my recipe include vanilla extract and a hint of molasses.
However, Judy’s son could mix up the dry ingredients required for the recipe in advance and have those at the ready when needed. They include skim milk powder, brown sugar, flour and salt.
When it comes time to make the pudding, he will mix them with water and bring them to a simmer in a pot. He will then add some of that hot skim milk powder mixture to a bowl that contains beaten eggs, molasses, vanilla and a little more water. Adding some of the hot mixture to the eggs tempers them, ensuring they don’t turn into scrambled eggs when he then whisks them into the pot with the remaining hot skim milk powder mixture and finishes the pudding.
I like a thicker pudding, and that’s what my recipe yields, but if Judy’s son does not, I’ve given the option to create one that’s thinner in texture. I’ve also provided an option on how to make chocolate pudding.
The recipe yields four servings. If that’s too many, the unneeded portions of pudding could be frozen for another time. The day you need it, simply set the portion of pudding in the refrigerator and it will thaw in a few hours.
Butterscotch Pudding
This rich and thick butterscotch pudding will sweeten your mood on a stormy West Coast night. The small amount of molasses added to it enhances its colour and gives it a slight, burnt sugar taste. Keep a close eye on the pudding when cooking and use a heavy-bottomed pot that will evenly distribute the heat. If you leave the stove area for a moment, that’s likely when the pudding will scorch on the bottom.
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Cooking time: About 10 minutes
Makes: 4 (3/4-cup) servings
1/2 cup skim milk powder
3/4 cup packed golden brown sugar
1/3 cup all-purpose flour
1/4 tsp salt
2 large eggs
1 1/2 tsp cooking molasses
2 tsp pure vanilla extract
2 1/4 cups cold water (divided)
1/8 cup cold butter, cut into small cubes
Place the skim milk powder, brown sugar, flour and salt in a bowl and whisk to combine.
Place the eggs, molasses, vanilla and 1/2 cup of the water in a medium bowl and whisk until smooth.
Place the remaining water in a medium, heavy-bottomed pot. Add the skim milk powder mixture and whisk to combine. Set the pot over medium heat and bring to simmer, stirring regularly. Simmer two minutes, and then remove from the heat.
Very slowly whisk 1/2 cup of the hot skim milk mixture into the egg mixture to temper it. Now very slowly whisk this mixture into the hot skim milk mixture remaining in the pot.
Set the pot back over medium heat, bring to simmer and whisk and cook until the mixture is thick and the taste of flour has gone, about three minutes. Remove from the heat and whisk in the butter until melted and well incorporated.
Carefully pour the mixture into four (3/4 cup) decorative glasses or ramekins and cool to room temperature. Wrap and refrigerate puddings until chilled and set, at least four hours, or overnight.
Option 1: If you find this pudding too thick for your taste, increase the water to 2 1/2 cups and the skim milk powder to 3/4 cup.
Option 2: To make chocolate pudding, omit the molasses and replace the brown sugar with 3/4 cup granulated sugar.
When adding the butter to the thickened pudding mixture, also add 1/2-cup semi-sweet chocolate chips. Mix and stir until the chocolate is melted and then transfer the pudding to glasses or ramekins as described in the recipe.
Eric Akis is the author of the hardcover book Everyone Can Cook Everything. His columns appear in the Life section Wednesday and Sunday.
