Butterscotch Pudding With Caramel Espresso Bananas

A lovely recipe i've adapted slightly from from ripe for dessert by d. Lebovitz. both homey and sophisticated.

For pudding: melt the butter in a medium-size heavy-duty saucepan.

Mix in the brown sugar and cook until the mixture bubbles vigorously.

Remove from the heat and stir in the heavy cream , adding it 1 tablespoon at a time.

Stir in the milk and salt.

In a small bowl , whisk together the cornstarch and eggs until the cornstarch is dissolved.

Cook over medium heat , stirring constantly with a whisk , until the pudding comes to a boil.

Reduce the heat to a simmer , continue to stir , and cook for 2 minutes.

Pour the pudding into a container and stir in the bourbon and vanilla.

Cover and refrigerate until thoroughly chilled.

To caramelize the bananas: melt the butter in a large skillet.

Stir in the brown sugar , add the banana slices , and cook over medium-high heat , without stirring , until the bananas begin to sizzle.

Add the coffee and vanilla and continue to cook until the juices thicken to the consistency of maple syrup , avoid stirring the bananas.

Instead , tilt the pan.

butter, dark brown sugar, heavy cream, whole milk, salt, cornstarch, eggs, bourbon, vanilla extract, bananas, espresso