butterscotch pudding

royal: i'd like to order some ice cream for my daughter, please. what would you like margot?
margot: nothing. i told you i have to go in five minutes.
royal: oh.
margot: i'll have a butterscotch sundae, i guess.

back about nine years in college, a good friend of mine turned me on to wes anderson and his movies. i was instantly hooked. the royal tenenbaums had come out a year or so before and i can't tell you how many times i watched that movie in the next couple years. by the time i graduated a couple years later, i had it memorized - tenenbaums and most of the scenes from rushmore and bottle rocket, anderson's first two movies. to this day, i still watch it four or five times a year. and each and every time i hear or think about butterscotch, the scene when royal and margot are in the ice cream shop is always the first thought in my head.

butterscotch pudding
adapted from dessert for two
20 minutes, serves 4

1/2 cup brown sugar
2 tablespoons cornstarch
1/2 cup heavy cream
1 1/4 cup milk
1/2 teaspoon vanilla
1 tablespoon unsalted butter

1. in a medium saucepan, whisk the brown sugar, cornstarch, and a hefty pinch of salt. while whisking, slowly add the heavy cream and then the milk. whisk until the dry ingredients are dissolved.
2. place the saucepan over medium heat. while stirring, bring to a simmer. reduce heat to low and cook one minute.
3. remove from heat and mix in the vanilla and butter.
4. pour the pudding into serving cups, cover, and refrigerate at least 4 hours before serving.