May 2020 - Cooking with Rum

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      Butterscotch Pudding with Cinnamon-Rum Meringue

Ingredients for Pudding:

  • ½ stick butter
  • ¾ c. light brown sugar, packed
  • 3 Tbsp. molasses
  • 2 ¼ c. whole milk, divided
  • 1 C. heavy cream
  • ½ vanilla bean, split lengthwise and scrapped
  • 3 large egg yolks
  • 3 Tbsp. cornstarch
  • 1 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • ¼ tsp. salt

Ingredients for Meringue

  • ½ C. light brown sugar, packed
  • 2 Tbsp. aged rum
  • 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
  • 3 large egg whites
  • ¼ tsp. cream of tartar

Directions to make the Pudding:

In a saucepan over medium heat, combine butter, brown sugar and molasses.  Simmer, stirring occasional until sugar dissolves, approximately 5 minutes.In a separate sauce pan combine 1 ¾ cup of milk and cream.  Bring to a slow simmer over low heat.  Add vanilla bean. Simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally. Do not bring to a boil. Remove vanilla bean from cream.  Gradually add the milk mixture to the sugar mixture, whisking until combined.  Remove from heat.

In a small bowl, whisk egg yolks.  Add remaining milk, cornstarch, vanilla and salt.  Gradually add ½ cup of warm milk/sugar mixture to the yolk mixture, whisking constantly to temper.  Add yolk mixture to remaining hot mixture in sauce pan, whisking constantly.  Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently, until mixture thickens, about the consistency of eggnog.  Remove custard from heat and pour into a one quart glass baking dish.  Cover pudding with plastic wrap, pressing it gently onto the top of the pudding.  Chill for at least 4 hours.

Directions to make Meringue:

In a medium size sauce pan, combine brown sugar, rum and cinnamon.  Simmer over medium-low heat, stirring constantly for about 7 minutes until syrup thickens to consistency of warm honey.  Using an electric mixer set on medium-high speed, beat egg whites and cream of tartar until stiff peaks form, about 3 minutes.  Gradually add warm syrup and beat until mixture is thick and has a high sheen, 2-3 minutes.

To Assemble:

Preheat boiler, take chilled pudding and spoon meringue on top in dollops, forming peaks with back of spoon. Set pudding under hot boiler and watch carefully until meringue peaks turn slightly brown.  Serve immediately.topping is a golden brown.  Serves 6.

                            Chicken Breasts with Rum

Ingredients:

  • 6 chicken breasts, boneless
  • salt & pepper
  • ½ C. aged rum
  • ¼ C. butter
  • 1 C. heavy cream
  • minced chives

Directions:

Salt and pepper chicken breasts.  Melt butter in a pan and sauté chicken until lightly browned.  Heat the rum and pour over chicken and light it.  When the flame dies, add cream, cover and simmer for 15 minutes.  Remove the chicken to a heated serving platter and pour remaining liquid from pan over chicken.  Garnish with minced chives.  Serves 6.