Gina’s Butterscotch Pudding Pots and Cashew Brittle
PAT Gina would happily eat cashew brittle any time of day or night. She calls it “a crunch of heaven.” When I’m in the doghouse, this is usually what gets me back in my bed and off the sofa. So, fellows, if you are like me and never know the right gift to purchase for your wife or girlfriend, make this fantastic dessert (featuring a smooth and buttery pudding to dip the brittle into) and she will forget all about whatever mistake you may have made (or wrongheaded gift you may have bought). GINA This butterscotch-pudding recipe is very special to me. Growing up, I was always fidgety (especially in church). So my mom and my great-great-grandmother (Mama Callie) would always give me butterscotch candies to keep me still. To this day, I go all soft and quiet when I taste its buttery, rich, and smooth flavor. But the cashew brittle has a story to go with it, too. When I was pregnant with Shelbi, brittle was the only quick fix for my cravings. Pat would buy it by the pound; I’m sure people thought he was crazy, but at the time he didn’t know how to make it. We finally made it on the show as a tribute to that crazy time in our lives. Combining these two favorite flavors, with so much meaning and good memories behind them, is my version of sweet, salty, smooth, and crunchy heaven. This is as good as Christmas morning—new-shoes-and-a-handbag happy.
Recipe information
Yield
serves 8
Ingredients
BUTTERSCOTCH PUDDING POTS
CASHEW BRITTLE
Preparation
Step 1
Whisk the first four ingredients together in a large bowl.
Step 2
Melt the butter in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Stir in the brown sugar, and cook, stirring, until the sugar has melted into the butter.
Step 3
Whisk in the half-and-half mixture, and bring to a boil. Reduce the heat, and simmer, whisking constantly, until the pudding thickens, about 4 to 5 minutes. Strain the pudding into a large measuring cup, and then divide evenly into eight 4-ounce ramekins. Let cool, then chill in the refrigerator to set for at least 2 hours.
Step 4
Serve with Gina’s favorite cashew brittle (recipe follows).
CASHEW BRITTLE
Step 5
Line a nonstick sheet pan with parchment or a silicone mat, and set aside.
Step 6
Heat the corn syrup, sugar, and salt in a medium saucepan set over medium-high heat. Cook until the temperature reaches 310 degrees F on a candy thermometer. Once the mixture reaches 310 degrees F, remove from the stove; quickly add the baking soda, cashews, and butter, and keep stirring constantly. The mixture will stay opaque.
Step 7
Carefully pour the hot mixture onto the mat-or parchment-covered sheet pan, and spread across the pan with wooden spoon. Cool for 1 1/2 hours. Break into 2-inch pieces.
NOTE
Step 8
A silicone mat works best to avoid a sticky clean-up; do not use waxed paper, which will melt and stick under the heat of the candy.
