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I love scouting everywhere I go: tiny, eclectic (junk) shops, consignment and antique stores, fabric stores, yard sales and flea markets. I'm always on the lookout for interesting backgrounds, dishes, utensils, cutting boards, fabrics, table linens... you name it. All kinds of things that will make the photos of our food here at The Café more fun, interesting and, of course, delicious looking.
And you might find it a bit crazy, but sometimes a unique new prop will actually inspire me to create a new recipe. Really? Yes indeed, that's how my culinary-crazed brain tends to operate.
Case in point; these fun little apple-shaped glass bowls. The minute I saw them, at a yard sale this past summer, I knew I just had to have them. I was thrilled when I inquired and the yard sale proprietor informed me that I could have all three of them for two dollars. Wooooooo hoooooooo! I toddled home feeling like a little pig in mud. I could hardly wait for Fall to arrive to pull out these little beauties and apple recipes began swirling in my mind.
I had a bit of time to think about this one, since Fall was just a hopeful thought back in the sweltering dog days of our sweltering Carolina summer. When I saw a wonderful looking butterscotch pudding recipe by David Lebovitz I decided to try it and create a Caramelized Apple topping (you know, the apple-shaped dishes?) to adorn it.
Oh, my! If you've never had anything besides boxed butterscotch pudding or the type you normally find in a cafeteria line, you are in for a HUMUNGA BUNGA surprise! This pudding is amazing, with deep, rich butterscotch flavor and a smooth-as-silk creamy texture. It would be delightful on its own, but add a layer of golden caramel-y diced apples and you've got a dessert that everyone will love.
My son and daughter-in-law stopped by just as we were finishing up these photos. I offered them a sample. I think, at first, they took a bowl to be polite. I understood, since butterscotch pudding doesn't sound super exciting to me either - but their eyes got big as they took the first bite. "Wow, this is good!" "Really, really good!".
Try it! And take a tiny snitch as you're dolloping it into bowls. Your eyes will get big too and you'll be saying "wow!" Oh darn, you don't have cute little apple-shaped dishes!
Really....... they're just for "prop junkies" like me. 🙂
P.S. The Café is residing "on the other side of the Pond", in the UK for ten days where we've been visiting our daughter and her family in London. Scott and I snuck away for three days and visited Cornwall, located in the lower Southwestern tip of England. It's a long peninsula surrounded by the Celtic Sea, the English Channel and the Atlantic Ocean, offering spectacular scenery. We had a wonderful time meandering tiny country lanes and hiking along the South West Coast Path, England's longest walking trail (630 miles) with high cliffs jutting dramatically out into the pounding surf and golden-hued, sandy beaches with crystal clear waves gently lapping the shore. The trail views were spectacular!
We also enjoyed shopping in quaint little villages (of course, I found a few more fun new props), getting to know the locals and eating typical Cornish food like meat pies, pasties and freshly caught fish. We stared in amazement at velvet-green hillsides dotted with fluffy white sheep as we strolled on public footpaths that took us through farmer's fields (complete with cows and goats), past crystal clear bubbling brooks and along narrow lanes lined with bramble-covered stone walls.
Check back tomorrow for some fun pictures from our trip to Cornwall.
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Old Fashioned Butterscotch Pudding w/ Caramelized Apple Topping
Ingredients
- 4 tablespoons butter, 60g
- 1 cup packed dark brown, (180g)
- ¾ teaspoon sea salt
- 3 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 ½ cups half and half
- 2 large eggs
- 2 teaspoons rum, optional
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Caramelized Apples
Instructions
- Melt the butter in a medium-sized saucepan. Add the dark brown sugar and salt, then stir until the sugar is well-moistened. Remove from heat.
- In a small bowl, whisk together the cornstarch with about ¼ cup (60ml) of the half and half until smooth and lump-free. Then whisk in the eggs.
- Combine the remaining half and half with the cornstarch mixture and pour into the melted brown sugar, whisking continually.
- Return the pan to the heat and bring the mixture to a foil whisking frequently. Once it begins to bubble, reduce the heat to a low simmer and continue to cook for one minute, whisking non-stop, until the pudding thickens. It will be similar to the consistency of hot fudge sauce.
- Remove from heat and stir in the rum (if using) and vanilla.
- Pour into 4-6 serving glasses or custard cups or dessert bowls and chill thoroughly, at least four hours, before serving. I like to bring the pudding back to room temperature before serving with a topping of Caramelized Apples and a dollop of freshly whipped cream.
Shop Our Café Loves
We’ve gathered our favorite kitchen tools, tableware, and entertaining treasures in one place, the Café Loves store. It’s a wonderful spot to find something special for yourself or the cooks and hosts you love!
Can't find a recipe for your carmelized apple topping. Searched all over your website. Link is gone.
Thanks, Candy, I fixed the link in the post!
Here is the apple post: https://thecafesucrefarine.com/caramelized-apples/
Adorable bowls! The pudding...delicious. Enjoy your visit and any additional touring you get to do!
Love those little apple bowls! Will try the pudding, too. Butterscotch pudding is one of my husband's favorites!
Loving this.. This is the perfect fall dessert
look delicious I love puddings desserts!
I just got rid of a cute blue stripped fish shaped dish ... I should have sent it your way. Next time.
Fondly,
Glenda
From one prop junkie to another, you scored big time!! You get triple bonus points for whipping up this delicious dessert.
Oh me, oh my!! Love everything about this luscious and scrumptious dessert! These bowls are absolutely perfect! Can't wait to give it a try!
Have fun on your trip:)
Autumn Hugs,
jemma
Fabulous fall flavors and those apple bowls are too cute!
Pudding is my weakness, I could just eat spoonfuls nonstop of this magical treat! This looks delicious!
i love all your props that you use in your photos...and that apple dish is such a terrific bargain!
Love those props, that's for sure!!! You had quite a find and bargain with this sweet apple dishes and you've used them very creatively, I think! You don't have to convince me to dive right into these puddings and the apple topping, yum:) Enjoy your trip, can't wait to see the photos 😉
Oh, butterscotch pudding is yummy 🙂 Your photos are always so well put together and beautiful! I'm curious about the Lotus cookies in the background. Are they butterscotch also or some sort of a spice cookie?
The bowls are just divine, and I bet this tastes wonderful! I hope you will be showing some of the pictures of these London sights you describe!
Oh yes this looks quite irresistible! Looking forward to seeing your pics.
Cute apple bowl 🙂
The pudding looks sensational with caramelized apples.
Chris, this looks delicious. I happen to love butterscotch so you made me happy. I think I am catching the prop junkie thing.
Your trip sounds so wonderful to shop, site-see, and family, sounds perfect to me.
I suffer from the same props-illness:)))
Amazing pudding, pretty bowls!
Kisses!
Looks delicious, Chris! I just happen to have some adorable Polish pottery apples that would be perfect for this! (Food bloggers aren't the only ones who collect random dishes! LOL). Thank you for sharing.
I have had this butterscotch pudding but have never made it as yet Chris. Butterscotch is a childhood favourite!!
Trip sounds soo nice..and I too like your little aplle dishes..I once found a clear apple bowl w/ 4 smaller bowls..for apple mint salad:)
Very cute Chris.
Looks really delicious! And the glass bowls are pretty!
Sounds like a fun trip... Ah props... you should the the amout of napkins I have around here, it's almost a shame:) I already tried this pudding and it is really good!!! And with the caramelized apples, I'm sure it's even better!
Your new bowls are adorable and the pudding sounds great! Sounds like you're having a nice trip-enjoy:@)