Ingredients (this should fill an 8 inch pie pan, but you can always tack on a little more of the ingredients to be safe – this doesn’t have to be precise):
- 1/2 cup graham cracker crumbs
- 1/2 cup crushed pretzels (find the thin ones)
- 1/2 stick butter, melted
- one 14oz can sweetened condensed milk
- salt (flaky salt works nicely, but use what you have)
- 2 cups pudding (use the boxed stuff + cold milk if you want, or here’s a really yummy, easy homemade recipe that I used)
- 1 cup heavy cream
- 1/2 teaspoon vanilla extract
- 1 tablespoon sugar
To Do:
- Make the crust – combine graham cracker crumbs, crushed pretzels, and butter until moist. Press into pie dish to form the crust. Bake for about 10 minutes until set (350 degree oven).
- Pour the condensed milk into a baking dish, sprinkle with salt, and cover with foil. Place that into a larger, deeper baking dish. Pour boiling water into the larger dish so it comes halfway up the dish holding the milk. Bake at 425 degrees for 2 hours – stirring every 30 minutes. Make sure there is also always water in that larger dish – pour in more if needed.
- Make your pudding!
- When the crust has cooled, spoon in your salted caramel as the first layer. Top with a layer of the pudding.
- Whip the cream, vanilla, and sugar to stiff peaks. By hand, with a mixer, whatever works. Spread this on top. Double the ingredients for the whipped cream if you like it piled high. You will be in sweet and salty heaven.
P.S. I realize the caramel part takes some time. Here’s a quick caramel sauce if you don’t have a candy thermometer: 1 cup packed brown sugar, 1/2 cup half and half, 4 tablespoons butter, 1 tablespoon fleur de sel (flaky sea salt), 1 tablespoon vanilla extract. Mix everything but the vanilla together; cook over medium-low heat for 5-7 minutes. When thickened, add vanilla and cook for one additional minute. There is just something special about the flavor and texture of that condensed milk cooking away 🙂
bunintended 