Hot Buttered Rum Pudding

 

The year is 2000. You’re inside a dark bar that calls itself a “speakeasy,” despite having an address on Google Maps. A mustachio’d person wearing suspenders asks if you’d like to try the “Hot Buttered Rum.” He laughs. Of course, this isn’t your typical Hot Buttered Rum, he says. There is—he glances sideways, then back to meet your gaze—a twist!

Have I ever had a Hot Buttered Rum? No. But I imagine something that tastes of butterscotch, laced with rum, made with brown sugar and toasted vanilla. That sounds good, right? So if you’ve had Hot Buttered Rum, consider this my twist. If you haven’t, well, consider this a great butterscotch pudding that has rum inside it.

YIELD — Makes 4 cups/serves 8–10

 

Ingredients

  • 6 tablespoons/3 ounces/85g unsalted butter

  • 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, or 1 teaspoon vanilla extract

  • 3 tablespoons/36g dark rum or bourbon

  • 1½ cups/360g heavy cream

  • 1½ cups/360g whole milk

  • Pinch of kosher salt

  • 5 large egg yolks

  • ¼ cup/38g cornstarch

  • ¼ cup/55g granulated sugar

  • ½ cup/105g light brown sugar

  • Whipped cream, crème fraîche, 50/50 (Tangy Whipped Cream, page 279) or mascarpone, for serving

Directions

1. In a small skillet or saucepan, melt the butter over medium-high heat until browned. If using the vanilla bean, scrape in the seeds and cook, swirling occasionally, until the butter smells like toasted nuts or popcorn. Add the rum and remove from the heat.

2. In a medium pot, heat the cream, milk, and salt over medium heat until it comes to a simmer. Remove from the heat.

3. In a heatproof medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks, cornstarch, and granulated sugar until light and pale. Gently whisk in some of the hot cream mixture until about half is incorporated. Transfer the warmed egg yolk mixture to the pot with the remaining dairy and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until the mixture starts to bubble and thicken, 15–18 minutes.

4. Whisk in the butter/rum mixture, followed by the brown sugar, until no lumps remain, all the butter is incorporated, and the sugar is dissolved.

5. Remove from the heat and divide among small bowls or place in one large bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate until totally set, at least 2 hours.

EAT WITH: Crumbled-up gingersnaps or Nilla wafers, mounds of whipped cream, an amaro on ice.

DO AHEAD: This pudding can stay in your fridge, covered tightly, for up to 5 days.

newsletter, sweets / baked things, sweet enoughAlison RomanComment