"Rich butterscotch pudding fills these sweet shortbread cups, which are easy to serve at a sit-down dinner or a cocktail party–style gathering. A hint of Scotch whisky and shards of nutty, buttery toffee make them the most elegant hand-held sweets you'll ever serve." — Amanda Barnier, Food specialist
- Prep time 1 hour
- Total time 4 hours
Ingredients
Butterscotch Pudding:
Pastry:
Scotch Whipped Cream:
Toffee Shards:
Method
Pastry: In large bowl, beat butter with icing sugar until smooth; beat in vanilla and salt. Stir in flour just until combined; knead to form smooth dough.
Roll by scant 2 tbsp into 12 balls. Press 1 ball into bottom and up side of each well of lightly greased 12-count muffin pan. Refrigerate for 1 hour. Prick all over with fork. Bake in 375°F (190°C) oven until edges are golden, 10 to 12 minutes. Let cool in pan for 5 minutes; transfer to rack to cool completely. (Make-ahead: Layer between waxed paper in airtight container; store for up to 3 days.)
Butterscotch Pudding: While pastry is cooling, in large saucepan, whisk together brown sugar, flour, cornstarch and salt; whisk in milk until smooth. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until thick enough to mound on spoon, 6 to 8 minutes.
In small heatproof bowl, whisk egg yolks; whisk in one-quarter of the brown sugar mixture. Return to saucepan; whisk in butter and vanilla until butter is melted.
Strain through fine-mesh sieve into bowl; place plastic wrap directly on surface. Refrigerate until chilled, about 2 hours. (Make-ahead: Refrigerate in airtight container for up to 3 days.)
Toffee Shards: While pudding is chilling, in saucepan, bring sugar, butter, salt and 1 tbsp water to boil over medium heat, stirring with wooden spoon until sugar is dissolved. Boil, without stirring but brushing down side of pan with pastry brush dipped in cold water, until candy thermometer reads 280°F (138°C) or 1 tsp mixture dropped in cold water forms hard pliable threads, about 15 minutes. Stir in almonds.
Immediately pour onto parchment paper–lined rimmed baking sheet. Using offset palette knife, smooth top. Let cool completely on pan. Break toffee into shards. (Make-ahead: Layer between waxed paper in airtight container; store for up to 7 days.)
Scotch Whipped Cream: While toffee is cooling, in large bowl, beat together cream, icing sugar and whisky until stiff peaks form.
Assembly: Spoon about 3 tbsp of the pudding into each pastry cup. Top each with 1 tbsp of the whipped cream and toffee shard. (Make-ahead: Refrigerate in airtight container for up to 24 hours.)
12 mini pies.
Nutritional facts per mini pie: about
- Fibre 1 g
- Sodium 141 mg
- Sugars 21 g
- Protein 4 g
- Calories 370.0
- Total fat 24 g
- Potassium 101 mg
- Cholesterol 92 mg
- Saturated fat 14 g
- Total carbohydrate 36 g
%RDI
- Iron 8.0
- Folate 15.0
- Calcium 6.0
- Vitamin A 22.0
