Butterscotch is what I always imagined ambrosia would taste like. The smooth, rich combination of sweet butter, crumbly brown sugar, and thick cream – not to mention vanilla and salt – is truly the nectar of the Gods. I love it better than fudge or caramel.
Last week I was wracking my brain trying to figure out a southern-themed dessert that we could bring to our friends’ shrimp ‘n grits night. Pecan pie is great, but it’s a lot of work. Then it hit me: instead of doing a whole pie, what if I zhuzhed up some custardy bread pudding with pecans and a sweet, buttery sauce that would mimic the pie filling… butterscotch pecan bread pudding!
Before you become alarmed by the idea of homemade butterscotch, let me share with you exactly how easy it is to make: it contains 5 ingredients and literally takes 5 minutes on the stove. Trust me, you will never taste anything better in your life – and won’t ever bother with butterscotch chips again.
This bread pudding recipe, lightly adapted from a more complicated Bon Appetit dish, is so simple and quick, I almost didn’t want to share it! But sometimes less is more. It’s truly great and our friends loved it.
Ingredients:
Butterscotch Sauce:
1 stick of butter
1 cup packed brown sugar
1 cup of heavy cream
1 TSP salt
1 TB vanilla extract
Bread Pudding:
1 loaf of crusty white bread, slice into cubes
1/2 stick of butter, melted
3/4 cups packed brown sugar
5 eggs
4 cups whole milk
1 TB vanilla extract
1 TSP salt
1 bag of chopped pecans (between 10 and 16 oz)
Directions:
First, prepare the butterscotch sauce to give it time to cool. Melt the butter over medium heat, then add the sugar, cream, and salt. Whisk to combine and bring to a gentle boil. Let it sit for five minutes, stirring occasionally so that crystals don’t form and the sauce will be smooth when chilled. Take it off the heat and add the vanilla. Set aside to cool.
Preheat the oven to 325 degrees Fahrenheit. Throw the bread slices and melted butter in a mixing bowl and set aside. Whisk the eggs and brown sugar together in a different bowl until light and well-combined. Add the milk and salt, and continue to whisk. Pour the liquid over the bread pieces and toss in the chopped pecans. Spread the mixture into a baking dish and set in the oven.
Check the pudding at 1 hour. The top should be brown and crusty. If the toothpick comes out clean, remove the dish from the oven. If the pudding is still wet, check the oven every 5 minutes until it’s set. Let it cool for about 15 minutes and serve with the butterscotch sauce!
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