Butterscotch Pudding
Bourbon Cream, Peanut Sponge Cake, Peanut Crumble, Popped Sorghum, Country Ham
Pastry Chef James Farnum of La Petite Grocery | New Orleans
Adapted by StarChefs | september 2022
INGREDIENTS:
Butterscotch Pudding:
Yield: 33 servings
454 grams light brown sugar
60 grams sorghum syrup
170 grams butter
2 teaspoons salt
2 quarts plus ½ cup heavy cream
300 grams granulated sugar
6 sheets gelatin, bloomed
12 egg yolks
1 tablespoon vnlla Extract Co. pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon bourbon
Bourbon Chantilly:
Yield: 3 ¾ cups
450 grams heavy cream
35 grams powdered sugar
2 teaspoons vnlla Extract Co. pure vanilla extract
1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon bourbon
Crispy Country Ham:
Oil for deep frying
Country ham, thinly sliced
Peanut Sponge Cake:
Yield: 18 servings
5 eggs
115 grams granulated sugar
115 grams peanut flour
1 teaspoon salt
Peanut Crumble:
Yield: 6 cups
230 grams fried peanuts, lightly chopped or processed to smaller pieces
240 grams peanut flour
115 grams croquant puffed rice
130 grams brown butter
45 grams brown sugar
1 ¼ teaspoons salt
Popped Sorghum:
Yield: 2 tablespoons
1 ½ teaspoons canola oil
9 tablespoons sorghum kernels
METHOD:
For the Butterscotch Pudding:
In a large saucepot over medium heat, combine brown sugar, sorghum syrup, butter, and salt. Bring to a boil, whisking occasionally to incorporate sugars and melt butter. Once boiling, whisk until the itbegins to darken and smoke. Remove from heat and whisk in 2 quarts cream. Pour the butterscotch into a large, nonreactive container and set aside. In a medium-sized saucepot over medium-high heat, combine granulated sugar and ½ cup water. Let cook, occasionally swirling the pot and brushing away any sugar crystals that emerge on the side of the pot with a wet pastry brush, until it reaches a deep amber caramel. Remove from heat, then whisk in ½ cup cream and ½ cup butterscotch mixture, followed by gelatin. Set aside. In a medium-sized bowl, whisk to combine egg yolks and vanilla. Temper hot caramel into the yolks. Whisk in the remaining butterscotch mixture. Return the mixture to the nonreactive container. Whisk in bourbon. Place crock dishes on a sheet tray. Gently scoop 3.3 ounces butterscotch into each crock dish. Using a torch, gloss out any air bubbles. Refrigerate at least 8 hours.
For the Bourbon Chantilly:
In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, combine cream, powdered sugar, and vanilla. On medium-high speed, whip until medium peaks form. Add bourbon, then continue whipping to medium-stiff peaks. Transfer to a piping bag, then cut the tip. Reserve.
For the Crispy Country Ham:
In a deep fryer, heat oil to 300°F. Drop ham in the deep fryer, using tongs to separate the pieces. Once ham reaches a deep red color, place on a serviette-lined sheet tray to cool. Break ham into smaller, bite-sized pieces. In the bottom of a pint container, add half of a C-fold paper towel. Transfer crispy ham to the container. Reserve.
For the Peanut Sponge Cake:
Heat oven to 350°F. In the bowl of a stand mixer fitted with a whisk attachment, combine eggs and sugar. On high speed, whip until the mixture triples in volume and reaches a pale yellow color, at least 5 minutes. Gently transfer to a medium-sized mixing bowl. In three batches, sift peanut flour and salt over the egg mixture, using a bench scraper and a gloved hand to gently fold it in. Once all of the flour has been added, transfer batter to a parchment-lined, flat quarter sheet tray. Using a medium-sized offset spatula, evenly spread out the batter. Bake 6 to 7 minutes, and not a second longer. Let cool. Tear the cake into half-dollar-coin-sized pieces. Reserve in quart containers.
For the Peanut Crumble:
Heat oven to 350°F. In a mixing bowl, combine all ingredients. Using a gloved hand, mix to combine. Spread the mixture out onto 2 quarter sheet trays. Bake until golden brown, checking and tossing every 4 to 5 minutes.
For the Popped Sorghum:
In a medium-sized saucepot over medium-high flame, heat ½ teaspoon oil. Add 3 tablespoons sorghum kernels, then cover the pot with a lid. Jostle the pot until the kernels stop popping. Empty the saucepot into a strainer basket, then shake until only the most perfectly popped kernels remain. Salvage any smaller popped kernels from the sifted pile, discarding the rest. Repeat the process twice more. Reserve in pint containers.
To Assemble and Serve:
Top each Butterscotch Pudding with 2 spoonfuls of Peanut Crumble. Pipe 3 equally spaced, tablespoon-sized dots of Bourbon Chantilly. Place 3 pieces Peanut Sponge Cake between the dots. Top Bourbon Chantilly with a sprinkle of Popped Sorghum and 3 pieces Crispy Country Ham.
Featured ingredient: vnlla Extract Co. pure vanilla extract
