Butterscotch pudding

I remember with great fondness those nights in my youth when we had, sometimes for special occasions and other times for no reason at all, special desserts after dinner.  I'm sure there were lots of different nights and nearly as many different desserts (cheesecake and apple pie have to top that list) but the particular ambrosia that visits my memories with odd regularlity is pudding, made by my mom and served in little glass dessert cups.  It's a memory that conjures up feelings of cozy warmth and familial love, so today I recreated that slice of my childhood by making scratch butterscotch pudding for an after dinner treat.  It wasn't exactly the return to youth I'd hoped for, partly because I didn't have dessert glasses and had to resort to coffee cups, and also because my husband and son are so used to my stinginess when it comes to sugar that they treated this sudden onslaught with a slightly suspicious eye (Calvin is not familiar with bribery yet, but Jon is no stranger).

Speaking of sugar, I felt like the final product was a little too sweet, and next time I might see if I can do with less sugar.  Otherwise it was a successful endeavor, the only tedious part being the constant stirring.

Butterscotch pudding

Ingredients:
  ● 1/2 cup dark brown sugar, packed
  ● 2 tbsp cornstarch
  ● 2 tsp cornstarch
  ● 1/8 tsp salt
  ● 2 cups fat-free milk
  ● 2 egg yolks, lightly beaten
  ● 1 tbsp butter
  ● 1 1/2 tsp vanilla extract

Directions:
1. In a small saucepan, combine the brown sugar, cornstarch and salt. Add milk and egg yolks; stir until smooth. Cook and stir over medium heat until mixture comes to a boil. Cook and stir 1-2 minutes longer or until thickened.
2. Remove from the heat; stir in butter and vanilla. Cool to room temperature, stirring several times. Pour into four individual dessert dishes. Cover and refrigerate for 1-2 hours or until chilled.