Maple Butterscotch Pudding with Caramelized Bananas! This is my healthier take on a childhood favorite butterscotch pudding. This homemade pudding is naturally sweetened with maple syrup and has a touch of white miso paste for a sweet, salty balance. The combination creates the most satisfying caramel pudding; you can still feel good eating. Top the creamy pudding dessert with a tangy whipped cream and warm cinnamon-spiced caramelized bananas. Enjoy!

Box Mix Butterscotch Pudding

Nostalgic Recipe Series part 4. Maple butterscotch pudding with caramelized bananas. This is my healthy-ish take on a childhood favorite butterscotch pudding. Every time we visited my grandma in Wisconsin, she would make my brother and me the good ole boxed pudding. Butterscotch was for my brother and vanilla for me. Sometimes, we would even get chocolate, too, but not often. One of my favorite parts about visiting my grandma was the food, not because it was made from scratch but because it was always “unhealthy stuff” my mom wouldn’t allow at our house. Maybe the opposite experience of most families who visit their grandparents, but boxed pudding, canned manwich sloppy joes, and ritz crackers were what I looked forward to most. My brother and I felt like we cheated the system to processed food heaven. She would pile the pudding into little 1/2-pint deli containers she had saved from the local IGA deli. Stacked neatly by flavor in her 90s white refrigerator, these containers for pudding were the first things we looked for when we walked in.

I’m not sure where my brother’s fondness for butterscotch came from, but it’s all he would ever talk about. That caramel, cheddar cheese, and ranch. How much more midwestern does that get? The classic tooth-sweetening intense artificial butterscotch flavor. It was the absolute best, at least to a kid. So, for this nostalgic recipe series, I created my own homemade version of that boxed butterscotch pudding, with a few other additions.

Reimagining an classic pudding dessert

Think of a classic pudding dessert reminiscent of an old-fashioned butterscotch boxed pudding mix and southern banana pudding. I don’t prefer overly sweet, sugary desserts, so maple syrup is perfect for this. The natural sweetness paired with the warm cinnamon-spiced bananas and the tangy sour cream whipped cream is just so good. It doesn’t hit you in the face with sugar but is balanced with nutty caramel flavors, a tinge of saltiness from the miso, and warm cinnamon notes. I also feel like this pudding recipe would be perfect to serve guests for a Christmas dinner party. Each person gets their own cute dessert glass layered with pudding, cream, and bananas. A simple, rustic not overly complicated dessert everyone will enjoy. You could even add something crunchy, like crushed-up graham crackers or vanilla wafers if you’d like. Making homemade pudding is easier than you’d think, so let’s get into it.

Custard vs. Pudding vs. Panna Cotta, What’s the difference?

Pudding: uses starch and eggs for thickening. 

Custard: uses only eggs as a thickening agent and is firmer in texture than pudding. Custard can also retain its shape more than pudding. Desserts that are custards include crème brûlée, pot de crème, and flan.

Panna Cotta: is a similar sweetened cream dessert but is thickened with gelatin and no eggs. 

Pudding Ingredients

1. Maple Syrup

2. Unsalted Butter

3. White Miso Paste

4. Whole Milk

5. Egg Yolks and one whole egg

6. Cornstarch

7. Vanilla Extract

How to make homemade pudding step by step.

Make the whipped cream and caramelized bananas.

DESSERT

Maple Butterscotch Pudding

with Caramelized Bananas

Total time: 3.5 hours yield: 6 servings

EQUIPMENT

• Whisk

• Electric mixer

• Dessert glasses or cups

INGREDIENTS

Pudding

• ¾ cup maple syrup

• 5 tablespoons unsalted butter divided

• 1 teaspoon white miso paste

• 2 ½ cup whole milk

• 3 egg yolks

• 1 full egg

• ¼ cup cornstarch

• 1 teaspoon vanilla

Whipped Cream

• 1 cup heavy cream 

• ¼ cup sour cream

Caramelized Bananas

• ½ teaspoon ground cinnamon

• 2 tablespoons maple syrup

• 1 tablespoon unsalted butter

• 3 ripe bananas, sliced ¼ inch thick

INSTRUCTIONS

Pudding

1. Start by placing maple syrup, two tablespoons of butter, and miso in a medium-sized saucepan over medium-low heat. Whisk until all the ingredients are incorporated, the butter is melted, and the miso has dissolved. It should take about 2-3 minutes. Once bubbling and slightly caramelized, pull off the heat.

2. Whisk together the egg yolks and one whole egg with the cornstarch in a medium-sized bowl until thoroughly combined, smooth, and with no powder left.

3. Place the saucepan with the maple syrup mixture over medium-low heat, slowly whisk in the whole milk, and place over medium heat until barely beginning to come to a simmer.

Blanche and Temper the eggs

1. When the maple and milk mixture comes to a low simmer, slowly whisk in ½ of the milk mixture into the eggs and cornstarch to prevent scrambling. 

2. Then, immediately add the tempered egg mixture to the pan with the other half of the milk mixture. Whisk constantly, and cook the pudding over medium-low heat for 3-4 minutes until thickened. Remove the whisk briefly; you should see the pudding bubbling and boiling. Remove from the heat immediately. 

3. Pour the pudding into a large glass bowl. Refrain from scraping the bottom of the pan; there might be overcooked parts of the pudding, you want to ensure the texture is smooth. Then whisk in the butter and vanilla extract until smooth silky, and everything is incorporated.

4. Place the pudding into the fridge with plastic wrap directly onto the surface of the pudding for 3 hours until set and no longer warm.

Caramelized Bananas

Closer to serving time, make the whipped cream and bananas. Add the sliced bananas into a medium-sized saute pan with butter, maple syrup, and cinnamon. Saute over medium heat until slightly caramelized, golden brown, and softened. Take off the heat and set aside.

Whipped Cream

Add the heavy cream and sour cream to the bowl of a stand mixer. Whip using the whisk attachment until soft peaks. 

Assemble

To assemble, fill individual dessert glasses about 3/4 full with the pudding. Layer a thin layer of whipped cream over the pudding, and pile some caramelized bananas on top of each glass. Enjoy! 

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