By May 2024. Spring in Memphis, and I am 65, watching the azaleas and dogwoods bloom along my neighborhood walk, the annual resurrection that makes the winter worth surviving. The smoker wakes up in spring the way the whole city wakes up — slowly, with a stretch, then fully, with purpose.
Rosetta beside me through the week, steady as ever, the woman who runs this household with the precision of a hospital ward and the heart of a mother who has loved fiercely for 40 years of marriage. Mama's absence still a presence in the kitchen — her recipes on the counter, her cast iron skillet on the stove, her voice in my head saying "more cinnamon" and "don't overwork the dough".
Ribs this week — spare ribs, dry-rubbed, five hours at 225, no foil, no rush. The Memphis way. The bark cracked when I bit into it, and the flavor was layered: smoke first, then spice, then the sweetness of the pork, each layer arriving on its own schedule, patient as a sermon. Rosetta ate two ribs and said nothing negative, which is a standing ovation from the toughest critic in my life.
Sunday at Mt. Zion, the choir sang and I sat in my pew and let the music hold me. The bass notes I used to add are quieter now — my voice is aging, the way everything ages — but the listening is its own participation, and the church holds me the way the church has held this community for a hundred years: faithfully, unconditionally, with room for everyone who shows up. I show up. That is enough.
Rosetta doesn’t say much when something is right — she doesn’t have to — and after she finished two ribs and went quiet in that particular way of hers, I knew the week called for something equally unhurried and layered as a dessert. This butterscotch pudding torte is the kind of thing Mama would have set on the counter after Sunday service, cool and golden and patient, the sweetness building one layer at a time the way a hymn builds — quietly at first, then all at once. I made it for Rosetta, and for Mama’s memory sitting in that kitchen with us, and because some weeks you just need something that rewards the waiting.
Butterscotch Pudding Torte
Prep Time: 25 min | Cook Time: 10 min | Total Time: 4 hrs 35 min (includes chilling) | Servings: 12
Ingredients
- Crust
- 2 cups graham cracker crumbs (about 16 full crackers)
- 1/3 cup granulated sugar
- 1/2 cup (1 stick) unsalted butter, melted
- Cream Cheese Layer
- 8 oz cream cheese, softened to room temperature
- 1 cup powdered sugar, sifted
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
- 1 cup frozen whipped topping (such as Cool Whip), thawed
- Butterscotch Pudding Layer
- 2 packages (3.4 oz each) butterscotch instant pudding mix
- 3 cups whole milk, cold
- Topping
- 2 cups frozen whipped topping, thawed
- 2 tablespoons butterscotch caramel sauce, for drizzle
- 1/4 cup toffee bits or crushed graham crackers, for garnish
Instructions
- Make the crust. Preheat oven to 350°F. In a medium bowl, combine graham cracker crumbs, granulated sugar, and melted butter. Stir until evenly moistened. Press firmly into the bottom of a 9×13-inch baking dish. Bake 8–10 minutes until just set and lightly golden. Remove from oven and cool completely, about 30 minutes.
- Prepare the cream cheese layer. Using a hand mixer or stand mixer, beat softened cream cheese on medium speed until smooth and fluffy, about 2 minutes. Add powdered sugar and vanilla extract and beat until fully incorporated. Fold in 1 cup of whipped topping with a rubber spatula until smooth. Spread evenly over the cooled crust. Refrigerate while you prepare the next layer.
- Make the butterscotch layer. In a large bowl, whisk together both packages of butterscotch pudding mix and cold whole milk for 2 minutes until thickened. Let stand 3 minutes. Carefully spread the pudding in an even layer over the cream cheese layer.
- Add the topping. Gently spread the remaining 2 cups of whipped topping over the butterscotch pudding layer, taking care not to disturb the layers beneath.
- Chill and garnish. Refrigerate the torte for at least 4 hours, or overnight for best results. Just before serving, drizzle with butterscotch caramel sauce and sprinkle with toffee bits or crushed graham crackers.
- Serve. Slice into 12 squares with a sharp knife wiped clean between cuts. Serve cold directly from the refrigerator.
Nutrition (per serving)
Calories: 385 | Protein: 5g | Fat: 18g | Carbs: 52g | Fiber: 1g | Sodium: 390mg