Butterscotch | Description, Ingredients, & Uses (2024)

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butterscotch, usually hard candy made by boiling brown sugar and butter and sometimes corn syrup together in water. The derivation of the name is disputed as to whether it denotes the candy’s origin in Scotland or an original ingredient of “scotched,” or scorched, butter. Although the terms butterscotch and caramel are sometimes used interchangeably, butterscotch is generally distinguished by the absence of milk or milk substitutes from its recipe.

Butterscotch in its hard form is typically marketed as translucent rich yellow drops or disks individually wrapped in cellophane. Butterscotch chips, analogous to chocolate chips, are packaged and sold primarily for use in dessert cooking. In the home kitchen, the making of butterscotch is usually an initial step in the preparation of some more complicated elegant dessert. The brown sugar and butter formula is basic to a variety of cookies, puddings, icings, fudges, and sauces.

Butterscotch | Description, Ingredients, & Uses (1)

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Butterscotch | Description, Ingredients, & Uses (2024)

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Butterscotch | Description, Ingredients, & Uses? ›

butterscotch, usually hard candy made by boiling brown sugar and butter and sometimes corn syrup together in water. The derivation of the name is disputed as to whether it denotes the candy's origin in Scotland or an original ingredient of “scotched,” or scorched, butter.

What is the butterscotch made of? ›

Butterscotch is a type of confectionery whose primary ingredients are brown sugar and butter. Some recipes include corn syrup, cream, vanilla, and salt. The earliest known recipes, in mid-19th century Yorkshire, used treacle (molasses) in place of, or in addition to, sugar.

What is the difference between caramel and butterscotch? ›

Butterscotch vs Caramel

The difference between butterscotch and caramel is that caramel is made with white granulated sugar and cooked to 340 degrees Fahrenheit, whereas butterscotch is made with brown sugar and cooked to 289 degrees Fahrenheit.

What gives butterscotch its taste? ›

The primary taste of butterscotch comes from its main ingredient, brown sugar, which imparts a deep, caramel-like sweetness. This sweetness is characterised by notes of toffee and a hint of molasses, a complexity due to the molasses content in brown sugar.

Does butterscotch have scotch in it? ›

Butterscotch, on the other hand, is made with brown sugar instead. Butterscotch originally was just a hard candy. The suffix “scotch” is not related to alcohol, but to the method of cutting. Hard candy is difficult to break into clean pieces, so the candy is “scotched” (scored) to make it easy to cut later.

What is the crunchy stuff in butterscotch? ›

It is not any coated dry fruit but it is hardened sugar,corn syrup along with few other ingredients then dropped with teaspoon to made chocolate chips like candies. These candies are also available in market like chocolate chips.

What the heck is butterscotch? ›

Butterscotch is a type of hard yellowish-brown candy made from butter and sugar boiled together. A butterscotch flavored or colored thing has the flavor or color of butterscotch.

What flavor is closest to butterscotch? ›

Similar to caramel, butterscotch is made by heating sugar. The main difference between the two is that butterscotch uses brown sugar instead of white.

Is dulce de leche the same as butterscotch? ›

Butterscotch is made from cooking down brown sugar with butter, and its flavor is sweeter and softer than that of caramel. Dulce de leche is made from slowly cooking cow milk and sugar together. Dulce de leche made with goat milk is known as cajeta.

What is butterscotch good for? ›

Butterscotch pudding is great on its own, but it can also be used in trifles other no-bake desserts. Dry pudding mix is good for cookies and cakes as well. Warm butterscotch sauce is heavenly when used to top off ice cream and cheesecake, along with other desserts.

Are toffee and butterscotch the same? ›

Simply put, toffee is an overcooked butterscotch — easy to break and with little to no elasticity. Webstaurant Store calls toffee a "hard-crack" candy, which must be heated to a temperature between 295 and 304 degrees F.

Why is my butterscotch curdling? ›

If the temperature changes dramatically – hot or cold – butter curdles from sugar. Keep your mixture at a constant medium temperature.

What compliments butterscotch? ›

In the kitchen, FOBs (friends of butterscotch) include apples, pecans, cream, nutmeg, cloves, cardamom, chocolate, dessert sherry, rum and Scotch whisky. Here are some simple ways to showcase its flavor: Make butterscotch sundaes. Add a little Scotch or rum to warm butterscotch sauce.

What is real butterscotch made of? ›

butterscotch, usually hard candy made by boiling brown sugar and butter and sometimes corn syrup together in water. The derivation of the name is disputed as to whether it denotes the candy's origin in Scotland or an original ingredient of “scotched,” or scorched, butter.

What are the nuts in butterscotch? ›

Butterscotch Chips Made with Real Cashew nuts. A deliciously indulging candy treat. Use them for decorations or just for casual crunchy bites.

What country did butterscotch come from? ›

Origin. Butterscotch is claimed to have been first named in 1817 in Doncaster, England by Samuel Parkinson. He had begun making the candy earlier under the name of buttery brittle toffee. The company that produced the candy received the Royal Seal of Approval for their highly demanded export.

Is butterscotch just vanilla and caramel? ›

They also use butter, vanilla, and heavy whipping cream, but it's the sugar that differentiates these two from caramel. While caramel uses white sugar, both butterscotch and toffee use brown sugar.

What kind of alcohol is butterscotch? ›

Sweet liqueurs flavored with butterscotch, best known as butterscotch schnapps, are often made with a mixture of butter and brown sugar, though some use artificial flavors. Either way, they're designed to taste just like butterscotch caramels and used to create deliciously sweet co*cktails and shots.

Is butterscotch a natural flavor? ›

Delicious and easy to use Natural Butterscotch flavor got its sweet taste from a combination of rich butter, organic brown sugar and other ingredients. For a smoothly sweet flavor, try it in coffee, co*cktails, candies, desserts, baked goods and more.

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