budino: Dessert You Won’t Be Able To Stop Making
budino: Dessert You Won't Be Able To Stop Making
Budino, at its core, is an Italian pudding. However, it’s much more than just that. This dessert is made from a custard of milk and eggs thickened with cornstarch, resembling American puddings and custards. Yet, budino typically boasts a richer, more egg-heavy texture, similar to Mexican flan.
- ¼ cup of crushed cookies
- 1 tablespoon of melted butter
- A pinch of salt
- ¾ cup of whole milk, divided
- 1 tablespoon of cornstarch
- 1 large egg yolk
- 3 tablespoons of brown sugar
- 1 tablespoon of cold butter
- 1 teaspoon of vanilla extract
- 1 teaspoon of rum (optional)
- A pinch of salt
- ¼ cup of heavy whipping cream
- 1 tablespoon of sugar
- ½ teaspoon of vanilla extract
- Cookie crumbs for garnish
- In a small bowl, combine the cookie crumbs, melted butter, and a pinch of salt. Mix well, then spoon the mixture evenly into two small cups or glasses.
In a small bowl, whisk together ¼ cup of the milk with the cornstarch until smooth, then set aside.
In a saucepan, heat the remaining ½ cup of milk just until it begins to bubble.
In a large heat-proof bowl, whisk the egg yolk. Gradually stream the warmed milk into the yolk, whisking vigorously to combine, then whisk in the milk and cornstarch mixture. Set this aside.
Using the same pan, heat the brown sugar and 3 tablespoons of water, stirring until the sugar fully dissolves.
Slowly pour the sugar mixture into the bowl with the milk and egg mixture, whisking vigorously to incorporate. Return the combined mixture to the pan and cook over medium heat, whisking constantly until it begins to thicken, about 3-5 minutes.
Remove from heat and stir in the cold butter, vanilla extract, rum (if using), and a pinch of salt. Pour the custard over the prepared cookie crumbs in the cups and refrigerate for at least 4 hours.
Budino Variations:
Caramel: To make a caramel variation, heat the brown sugar syrup (without stirring) to around 220°F to create a simple homemade caramel sauce. Once the budino is chilled and set, top it with either homemade or store-bought caramel sauce before adding a dollop of whipped cream.
Mocha: For a mocha twist, steep one tablespoon of coffee grounds in the milk while heating, then strain out the grounds before mixing the milk into the eggs. Use Oreo or other chocolate cookie crumbs for the crust, and add a few generous pinches of cocoa powder to the whipped cream mixture. Swap the rum in the custard for your favorite coffee-flavored liqueur, such as Kahlua. Optionally, drizzle chocolate sauce on top of the chilled and set budino before adding whipped cream.
Amaretti: Create an amaretti version by using amaretti cookies for the crust. Add ¼ teaspoon of almond extract along with the vanilla extract when making the custard, and substitute amaretto liqueur for the rum in the custard. Garnish with chopped almonds.
Lemon: For a lemon variation, use lemon-flavored shortbread cookies for the crust. Steep the zest of one lemon in the milk as it heats; if finely grated, there's no need to strain the zest out. Once the budino is chilled and set, top it with strawberry or raspberry jam and garnish with candied lemon peel.
