Burnt Caramel Pudding
This recipe relies on just a few high-quality ingredients: heavy cream, salt, vanilla bean, egg yolk, and sugar.
Kitchen acrobatics.
Merrill scrapes vanilla seeds from the pod -- it's really important to use a fresh, aromatic bean here.
Infusing the cream. Careful not to let it boil over -- as soon as you see bubbles forming around the edges, turn off the heat.
Midge calls for a small amount of caramel (the recipe makes just 4 servings). Our pot may have been a little bigger than we needed.
We knew it was ready when the sugar turned a deep amber, and the pot started to smoke a little.
You need to work quickly at this stage: Amanda pours the vanilla infused cream slowly into the caramel, which stops the sugar from cooking any further.
To thicken the pudding, you start by whisking together egg yolks and sugar.
Whisk until it looks like this!
It helps to have another set of hands at this stage. Merrill slowly poured a little bit of the hot milk into the eggs, while Amanda whisked. (This tempers the yolks and keeps them from scrambling...
Once all the milk and egg are combined and smooth, it's time to strain. All puddings using egg should be strained through a fine mesh sieve to remove any clumps of cooked egg.
Midge has you pour the custard into ramekins for individual portions.
No vanilla seed left behind!
A method we found intriguing and really effective: instead of pouring boiling water around the ramekins, Midge has you start with cool water. This cooks the pudding slowly but very gently...
It took our puddings an hour and 15 minutes to set up in the oven. They were still a little jiggly when we took them out, but they firmed up perfectly as they cooled.
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A&M say: Puddings thickened with cornstarch make great comfort food, but Midge's luxurious caramel custard, which uses egg yolks as its only setting agent, elevates pudding to dinner party fare. As with any egg-enriched custard, the key is careful tempering, and do take the caramel as far as your nerves will allow -- you'll be rewarded with a rich pudding that has just the right balance of bitter and sweet. Our favorite technique of all? Midge has you start the water bath with cool water, rather than hot; this cooks the pudding slowly but very gently, giving it the most incredibly silken, glossy structure. -A&M
Midge says: So far, one of the best parts about living in Boston is my proximity to Toscanini’s burnt caramel ice cream. I’m not even that into ice cream but this flavor, with its slight bitter edge to cut the richness, is crack-like. I attempted to capture it in a pudding, and after incinerating a lot of sugar, I think I finally got it. - Midge
Serves 4
- 2 cups heavy cream
- 1/2 vanilla bean
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3 large egg yolks, room temperature
- Fine sea salt
- Heat the oven to 300 degrees F.
- Pour the cream into a small saucepan. Split vanilla bean and scrape the seeds into the cream; toss the scraped pod in there too. Turn the heat to low to gently warm the cream.
- Reserve 2 tablespoons of the sugar; pour remaining sugar and 1 1/2 tablespoons water into heavy-bottomed saucepan and set over medium heat, stirring until sugar dissolves. Then crank the heat to high and let the liquid bubble away -- don’t stir; just swirl the pan occasionally -- until it turns dark amber. This takes about 4 minutes, but watch closely because it happens fast.
- Moving quickly, fish the vanilla pod out of the cream and save for another use. Slowly stir the warm cream into the caramel over medium heat. Once it comes to a boil (it will fast), turn off the heat and let the mixture cool for about 10 minutes.
- Meanwhile, whisk the egg yolks with the remaining sugar and a pinch of salt in a medium bowl. Whisk a little of the cream/caramel mixture into the egg yolks. Gradually add the rest, until it's all incorporated.
- Strain the mixture into a pitcher or large measuring cup and pour into four ramekins. Place the ramekins in a shallow pan half filled with cold water. If you like your caramel a bit salty like me, sprinkle a few extra grains of sea salt on top of each one. Cook at 300 degrees for about an hour to an hour and 15 minutes. Chill for at least 3 hours, but it's best if you can chill it overnight. Serve with whipped heavy cream.
- Your Best Pudding Contest Winner!






12 months ago ubs2007
Wow! Rich, creamy and silky. Perfect recipe! Also, first time a recipe was so well written that i didn't burn the caramel. Thank you so much for sharing!
10 months ago Midge
Thank you! I'm so glad it worked the first go round!
about 1 year ago dnkil
I made this for Valentine's Day and it was a hit. Creamy, delicious and ver very rich. This one is a keeper!
about 1 year ago dnkil
I made this for Valentine's Day and it was a hit. Creamy, delicious and ver very rich. This one is a keeper!
about 1 year ago Midge
I'm honored you tried it! Thanks so much for reporting back.
over 1 year ago Woodside
Just the right amount of rich, and ultra-smooth and creamy. Simple, and definitely guest-worthy.
over 1 year ago Midge
Thanks Woodside!
over 1 year ago igor
I am living in italy and was delighted to run across this recipe. Cant wait to try it - It has made me a touch home sick for Cambridge - and Toscanini's Ice Cream. But, in the meantime I am going to forward this to Gus at Toscanini's and let him know how much he impacts and inspires people. Thanks Midge, for such a great recipe.
And thanks Amanda and Merrill for this web site. Every time i use it, it teaches me something and makes me a better cook, and so aware of how food and all it's joys crosses any culture, or man made border. One of the few untouchable freedoms for all in this world!!
over 1 year ago Midge
Thanks so much for your comments. I no longer live in Boston and I too am homesick for Toscanini's. Couldn't agree with you more about Food52!
over 1 year ago perfectchaos
Thank you Midge for this fun offering; I white knuckled during the sugar browning, only swirling the pan now and then, but you are absolutely correct with the four minutes time frame. All was so easy, and the custard has an amazing depth of flavor finish!
Thanks again!
perfectchaos
over 1 year ago Midge
The sugar-browning part is a little nerve-wracking, but worth it. I'm so glad it worked for you.
over 1 year ago Lindseytriestocook
This was delicious. Really, really delicious. Thank you for posting.
over 1 year ago Midge
Thanks, Lindsey. So happy you thought so.
over 1 year ago bejugo
Hi Midge, it was a nice coincidence meeting a fellow MU grad a few months ago when you visited Portland. When I visited my family in Wisconsin last week I made your Burnt Caramel Pudding. Everybody, from 4 years old up to 75, was delighted with how delicious this pudding was. Thanks for the great recipe.
over 1 year ago Midge
Thanks so much bejugo! I'm so happy you gave it a try and that it was a hit. Great meeting you too and say hi to Wisconsin for me. Don't think I'll make it there this summer, sadly.
over 1 year ago nogaga
I just discvered this recipe, and it looks just wonderful! I live pretty far from Toscanini's these days, but their burnt caramel ice cream still temps me.
over 1 year ago Midge
Thanks nogaga! Wish I could send you some Toscanini's.
almost 2 years ago Pamela's Kitchen
I just pulled this out of the oven and it smells amazing :)
over 1 year ago Midge
I'm so happy you tried them.
almost 2 years ago yella
Wow! made these for a dinner party last week and they were absolutely scrumptious! mmmmmmm. they definitely reminded me of toscaninis ice cream. bitter/sweet when i think about the good ol' days in cambridge....
almost 2 years ago Midge
Thanks so much. I'm thrilled you liked the recipe!
almost 2 years ago goldenblind221
Just popped these little beauties in the oven. The entire cooking process smelled amazing. I am impressed!
almost 2 years ago Midge
So glad you tried it!
almost 2 years ago Arathi
Congrats Midge! I am definitely going to try this soon.
almost 2 years ago Midge
Thanks so much Arathi. Look forward to seeing more of your recipes.
almost 2 years ago arielleclementine
congratulations on your win! this is a beautiful recipe!
almost 2 years ago Table9
Congrats!!!! You deserve it!
almost 2 years ago TasteFood
Congratulations Midge!
almost 2 years ago Oui, Chef
Ha....I knew it, you ROCK Midge! Congrats! - S
almost 2 years ago fiveandspice
Emily is a trusted source on Scandinavian Cuisine.
Yay Midge!!!!! So excited for you!
almost 2 years ago Midge
Wow! I'm super thrilled. Thank you all so very much!
almost 2 years ago lapadia
Like I wrote 5 days ago - WTG!!! Congratulations to you!
almost 2 years ago drbabs
Barbara is a trusted source on General Cooking.
Congratulations!