Butterscotch Eggs

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easter 2010

Butterscotch topped with meringue is one of my treasured childhood dessert memories. My mother would bake the warm sauce in my Nana's famous family pie crust recipe with soft meringue stacked up high.
I can vividly remember sitting cross-legged on the kitchen floor watching through the glass door, feeling the oven's heat against my face as I waited patiently for the soft peaks to turn golden. Often being sharply recalled for leaving the table or for wriggling in my seat with great anticipation for the pie's arrival at the dining table.

Although I enjoyed the pie crust, that wasn't my favourite part. The soft meringue and gooey sweet Butterscotch melting away on my tongue was the feeling and taste I was anticipating most on those nights.

It's been a long time since then and I'm so happy to see Butterscotch is making a comeback on menus and in recipes around the world. Today I've dispensed with the family pie crust and filled eggs with my preferred components.

Butterscotch Eggs
6 large free range eggs
¼ cup of white sugar
¾ cup of soft brown sugar
¾ cup of water
3 tablespoons of cornflour / cornstarch
3 tablespoons of butter
1 teaspoon of vanilla extract

Preheat your oven 120°C (248°F)
Cut off the narrow pointed end of each egg. If you have a special egg topper you can try that. However I've found a sharp tap with a knife and then picking at the shell with my fingers works perfectly well to form an even sized hole.
Upturn each egg and pour out the white and yolk into a clean bowl. Keep 2 separated egg yolks and 2 separated egg whites which are completely free of yolk. If any of the yolks broke in the process, use clean whites from the other remaining eggs. Set aside the remaining 4 eggs for another use.
Carefully wash the egg shells inside and out and place them upside down on a baking tray.
Put the tray in the oven for 5 minutes or so to dry out the shells.
For the Butterscotch:
Place the soft brown sugar and water into a small saucepan and bring to the boil.
Mix a little extra cold water with the cornflour and once the saucepan has come to the boil pour in the cornflour paste, stirring quickly and thoroughly as the sauce thickens. Lower the heat and add in the butter and the 2 separated egg yolks, lightly beaten and stir them in thoroughly.
Continue to stir and cook over low heat for a couple of minutes and add vanilla to taste. Remove from the heat, cover to prevent a skin forming and set aside to cool.
At this stage you can refrigerate the mixture up to 4 days in advance or use it right away.
For the meringue:
Place the 2 egg whites in a very clean large bowl. By hand or with a stand mixer whisk until foamy and fluffy. Gradually add in the white sugar while continuing to beat until stiff peaks form.
Stand the dry egg shells in an egg carton to steady them.
Fill a piping bag (or clean sturdy plastic bag) with the meringue and another bag with the Butterscotch. Cut a small opening or use a plain piping tip to fill the eggs. Begin with the meringue piping and fill each egg about a third full. Pipe Butterscotch onto the 1st meringue layer so the shells are now two-thirds full. Finally pipe more meringue for the last third and form an attractive swirled top.
Colour the tops of the meringue with a blowtorch (or if you don’t have one, briefly place the eggs under your grill or broiler).
Serve the Butterscotch eggs in breakfast egg cups or shot glassed with a small spoon.
Makes 6