Recently I needed to get rid of some of my eggs and was also in the mood for something sweet.

Rather than open the enormous bag of candy that is sitting on the table in the hallway, waiting for Halloween children, I made my Emergency Chocolate Cakes. I would eat one slice and give the rest to friends and neighbors.

When the cake came out of the oven, it looked odd, as if it didn’t rise. Or the oven was not working well (I calibrate my oven temps at least every year, but maybe I hadn’t). I cut a slice. It could have been used it as a mooring for a sailboat.

I have made that recipe a zillion times, so I reread the recipe and looked at the ingredients. I had used baking powder instead of soda. I thought of tossing the cake to the birds, but I thought maybe chocolate wasn’t good for birds. So I dumped it.

The next day I made Grape Nut pudding and butterscotch pudding. Both sweet and delightful, and neither call for leavening!

Butterscotch Pudding

From Richard Sax’s “Classic Home Desserts”

Serves 4

3 cups milk, divided

4 large egg yolks

3/4 cup dark brown sugar

1/4 cup cornstarch, spooned lightly into a measuring cup

2 tablespoons cold unsalted butter, cut into pieces

2 1/2 teaspoons pure vanilla extract

whipped cream flavored with pure vanilla extract for serving (optional)

Rinse a heavy nonreactive saucepan with cold water and shake out excess water to prevent milk from scorching. Bring 2 1/2 cups of the milk almost to a boil.

Meanwhile, in a mixing bowl, whisk together remaining 1/2 cup milk, egg yolks, brown sugar and cornstarch until smooth.

Pour about half of the hot milk into the egg yolk mixture and whisk vigorously. Repeat process two more times. Pour warmed yolk mixture into the pan of hot milk and bring to a boil, whisking over medium heat. Boil, whisking almost constantly (be sure to stir at the edges of the pan), for 2 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in butter and vanilla.

Strain pudding through a fine sieve into a clean bowl. Transfer pudding to four individual serving dishes, like custard cups. If you want to prevent the pudding “skin” from forming, lay a sheet of wax paper or plastic wrap directly on the surface of the pudding. Chill for 2 to 3 hours. Serve with whipped cream, if you like.

Grape Nuts Custard

2 eggs

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/3 cup sugar

1/2 teaspoon vanilla

2 cups light cream (you can use heavy cream)

2 tablespoons butter

1/4 cup Grape Nuts cereal

Butter an 8-inch square pan and put aside. Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Whisk eggs, salt, sugar and vanilla, and set aside.

Scald cream with butter.

Add about 1/4 cup of scalded milk to egg mixture, whisking quickly. Add another quarter cup of cream, again whisking. Add the rest of the cream, whisking.

Pour entire mixture into buttered pan. Sprinkle Grape Nuts evenly on top. Do not mix in.

Place the pan into a larger pan into which you must pour warm water halfway up the smaller pan (this larger pan with water is called a “bain marie,” or water bath). Place the bain marie in oven until custard is set in the middle, about 25 to 35 minutes. Remove from the oven and bring to room temperature; cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or overnight.

On the Side

I have to be fairly bored to read all the words in the supermarket tabloids, but I do take a look at when the specials begin. Too many times I go to the market and realize that the deals don't start until the next day or two.

So maybe that is why I read the Big Y advertisement below its own ad. I got pretty excited when I noted that the supermarket carries Zaro's products. When I take a train from Grand Central Terminal in New York City, I haul home two loaves of rye bread and a dozen bagels from Zaro's.

So now I find that Big Y, at least near my house, carries Zaro's bread and pastries, saving me from dragging bags to New Haven, then onto Shoreline East at Old Saybrook and into my car in the parking lot. Maybe they carry Zaro's bagels, too. I can only hope.

Lee White lives in Groton. She can be reached at leeawhite@aol.com.