Bourbon-Butterscotch Pudding

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon bourbon 
• 0.3 cup cornstarch 
• 8 servings crème fraîche crushed (for serving; optional)
• 6 large egg yolk 
• 2.5 cups cup heavy whipping cream 
• 0.5 teaspoons kosher salt 
• 0.8 cup brown sugar light packed ()
• 3 tablespoons sugar 
• 0.3 cup butter unsalted ()
• 1  vanilla pod split
• 1 cup milk whole

Equipment

• bowl
• baking sheet
• sauce pan
• whisk
• sieve
• blender
• ramekin

Directions

1. Melt butter in a medium saucepan overmedium heat. Scrape in seeds fromvanilla bean; add bean. Cook, swirling panoccasionally, until butter begins to brownand smell nutty, about 3 minutes.
2. Add brownsugar and cook, stirring occasionally, untilsugar is starting to dissolve, about2 minutes.
3. Add cream, milk, bourbon, andsalt; bring to a simmer.
4. Remove from heat.
5. Whisk egg yolks, cornstarch, and sugarin a large bowl until smooth. Gradually addhot cream mixture, whisking constantly.Wipe out saucepan. Strain custard througha fine-mesh sieve back into saucepan andcook over medium heat, stirring often, untilcustard bubbles occasionally and starts tothicken, 5-6 minutes.
6. Remove saucepan from heat and transfermixture to a blender. Blend briefly on lowspeed until smooth.
7. Place ramekins or bowlson a rimmed baking sheet. Divide custardevenly among ramekins and chill until set, atleast 3 hours. DO AHEAD: Puddings can bemade 3 days ahead. Cover and keep chilled.
8. Top each pudding with crème fraîche andcrushed gingersnaps, if desired.