Whiskey Caramel Sauce

I tend to put bourbon in everything. So for this sauce, I decided to try something different: Troy & Sons Oak Reserve, an heirloom moonshine. Something about using corn whiskey with cornbread pudding just worked. 1½ cups granulated sugar ½ cup heavy cream ½ cup (1 stick) unsalted

butter, cut into cubes ¼ cup whiskey, bourbon or

Armagnac ¼ teaspoon kosher salt ¼ teaspoon freshly grated

nutmeg 1 large egg, lightly beaten

In a small saucepan, stir together 1 cup of the granulated sugar and ¼ cup water over medium-high heat until the sugar dissolves; then cook, without stirring, until the sugar turns a medium-amber color, about 10 minutes. Remove from the heat and add cream, butter, whiskey, salt and nutmeg and stir until smooth.

In a medium-size heatproof bowl, whisk the remaining ½ cup sugar and the egg together until smooth; then drizzle in the warm caramel sauce and whisk well. Pour back into the saucepan. Return to medium heat; cook, stirring often, until thickened, about 2 minutes. Serve the sauce immediately, spooned over bread pudding or ice cream, or pour into a clean heatproof glass jar and put a lid on the jar. Store in the refrigerator for up to 1 month. Makes: About 2 ½ cups — Adapted from “Sweet & Southern” by Ben Mims (Rizzoli, $39.95)

162 calories (percent of calories from fat, 50), 1 gram protein, 19 grams carbohydrates, no fiber, 9 grams fat (5 grams saturated), 39 milligrams cholesterol, 37 milligrams sodium.