Salted Caramel Budino
This salted caramel budino recipe is such an easy Italian dessert! It features a cookie crust that’s topped with vanilla pudding and then a layer of homemade caramel sauce.
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What is Budino?
Budino is the Italian word for custard or pudding, a sweet dessert with a creamy texture. Bu-di-no is pronounced boo ‘dee no.
Budino vs. Pudding
Wondering how budino differs from pudding?
Budino is thicker than traditional pudding due to the addition of egg yolks. It is thick, super smooth, and silky, where as pudding is thinner in texture.
Making this Salted Caramel Budino Recipe
As my sister told me about the fabulous Budino she had sampled at a local restaurant, I knew I needed to recreate it at home. The smooth, creamy pudding or custard paired with salted caramel she described sounded so enticing.
I was not at all disappointed with my homemade version of this delectable Italian pudding. Well, that’s a bit of an understatement.
The flavors in recipe for budino were absolutely amazing: rich custard accented by chocolate cookie crumbles; the meeting of salty and sweet in the caramel.
Oh, budino is absolutely heavenly.
Since this recipe made many more budini than my husband and I could eat by ourselves, we served it to our family. It was a huge success.
Click HERE to save this recipe for Budino!
Salted Caramel Budino Ingredients
This Italian caramel pudding parfait is made up of a few different elements: a cookie crust, budino, salted caramel sauce, and whipped cream. Here’s what you’ll need to make it:
Cookie Crust
- Chocolate Wafer Cookies
- Butter
- Sea Salt
Budino
- Whole Milk
- Cornstarch
- Dark Brown Sugar
- Water
- Egg Yolks
- Butter
- Vanilla Bean Paste
- Dark Rum
- Sea Salt
Salted Caramel Sauce
- Dark Rum
- Vanilla Bean Paste
- Granulated Sugar
- Salted Butter
- Heavy Cream
- Sea Salt
Whipped Cream
- Vanilla Bean Paste
- Heavy Cream
- Powdered Sugar
For the complete ingredient list and detailed instructions to make this Italian pudding, scroll to the bottom of this post for the FREE printable recipe card.
How to Salted Caramel Budino
These caramel pudding parfaits take a little time to assemble, but the prep work is fairly straightforward. Here’s how you make caramel budino:
- Prep the wafer cookie crust, then divide the mixture between eight 8-ounce glasses or jars.
- Make the caramel pudding, then divide it between the jars.
- Set the budino in fridge to chill (this will take 3 to 5 hours).
- While the budino chills, make the salted caramel sauce.
- Pour the caramel sauce over the chilled budino, then sprinkle with sea salt.
- Top with whipped cream and additional wafer cookie crumbs, if desired.
The above is simply a quick summary of this decadent dessert. Check out the full recipe in the free printable recipe card at the bottom of this post for all the detailed instructions.
Make Ahead Tips
- The cookie crumbs can be prepped ahead of time and stored in the refrigerator (2 – 3 days) or longer if stored in the freezer. Bring to room temperature before pressing into the bottom of the serving containers.
- The budino can be made a day in advance. It needs up to 5 hours to chill anyway, so plan ahead if you’re planning to serve this for a special event.
- The caramel sauce can be made up to 3 days in advance. You’ll need to let it slightly soften by letting it sit at room temperature for a bit before adding it to the budino.
Tips for Making the Best Budino
You must use the exact ingredients listed in this recipe, otherwise your budino might not set up properly. Real butter and whole milk are crucial ingredients in this caramel pudding parfait recipe!
You’re welcome to use either vanilla bean paste or a splash of dark rum in the pudding, but using both will add a richness to the pudding that’s hard to beat.
Personally, I don’t think you need to sweeten the whipped cream much. The pudding and cookie crust are both quite sweet as is.
Budino Recipe FAQs
Got questions about how to make this budino dessert? Here are the answers to a few commonly asked questions. Feel free to leave any other questions in the comments on this post and I’ll respond with answers.
Can I Prep This Budino Dessert in Advance?
Budino is a great make-ahead dessert!
You can make the pudding a day in advance and keep it in the fridge until you’re ready to make the salted caramel pudding parfaits.
Can I Use Store-Bought Caramel Sauce?
Technically, yes. But I highly recommend making your own for the best flavor. It’s not as scary as it sounds, promise! Learn more about making homemade caramel sauce here.
What Kind of Dish is Budino Served in?
I recommend individual serving containers that are clear so you can see all of the pretty layers. Parfait glasses, individual cups, or glass dessert bowls will all work well.
When Should I Serve this Budino Recipe?
Dessert, of course! This budino recipe makes an an impressive dessert for an Italian food themed dinner party. Here are some suggested pairings for a full menu:
- Appetizers: Marinated Olives, Antipasto Skewers, or Roasted Tomato Crostini
- Salads: Zucchini Tomato Basil Salad or Prosciutto Salad
- Breads: Rosemary Focaccia or Rustic Rosemary Garlic Bread
- Entrees: Pasta with Arrabbiata Sauce, Chicken Marsala, or Pasta with Bolognese Sauce
How Do You Store Leftover Budino?
If you have any leftovers, cover each dish with plastic wrap and store it in the refrigerator. It is best eaten within 3 days.
Try this Recipe for Budino at Home!
Next time you’re looking for a new recipe for a delicious dessert, give this Italian budino a try!
Is this recipe your new favorite dessert? Leave a comment below and give it a review for others to see what you thought of this Salted Caramel Budino.
On Instagram? Share your photo and tag me with @goodlifeeats and #goodlifeeatsrecipes. I’d love to see your photo of this Italian style pudding!
Click HERE to save this recipe for Salted Caramel Budino!
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Have you ever made budino?
Salted Caramel Budino
This salted caramel budino recipe is such an easy Italian dessert! It features a cookie crust that's topped with vanilla pudding and then a layer of homemade caramel sauce.
Ingredients
For the Cookie Crust:
- 1 cup finely crushed Chocolate Wafer Cookie Crumbs (such as Nabisco Chocolate Wafters or World Table Chocolate Cookie Thins), about 20 cookies
- 2 tablespoons Butter, melted
- 1/8 teaspoon Sea Salt
For the Budino:
- 3 cups Whole Milk, divided
- 1/4 cup Cornstarch
- 3/4 cup packed Dark Brown Sugar
- 3/4 cup Water
- 5 large Egg Yolks
- 3 tablespoons Butter, softened
- 1/2 teaspoon Vanilla Bean Paste
- 2 teaspoons Dark Rum
- 1 teaspoon Sea Salt
For the Salted Caramel Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon Dark Rum
- 3/4 teaspoon Vanilla Bean Paste
- 1 cup Granulated Sugar
- 6 tablespoons Salted Butter, sliced into tablespoons
- 1/2 cup Heavy Cream
- 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon Sea Salt, to taste
For the Whipped Cream
- 1 cup Heavy Cream
- 1 teaspoon Vanilla Bean Paste
- 1 teaspoon Powdered Sugar
For the Toppings:
- Cookie Crumbs (reserved from first step)
Instructions
For the Cookie Crust:
- In a small bowl, mix together the cookie crumbs, butter and salt. Set aside 2 tablespoons of the mixture in a covered bowl and refrigerate.
- Press 2 tablespoons of the crumbs into the bottoms of each of eight 8-ounce containers.
For the Salted Caramel Sauce:
- In small bowl, combine the rum and vanilla bean paste. Stir and set aside.
- Add the granulated super to a medium sized saucepan (3 quart size works well).
- Place it over medium-high heat and cook, watching the entire time and stirring occasionally, until the sugar is golden brown and completely melted.
- Reduce heat to medium-low. Carefully add the butter and the rum mixture. Whisk the ingredients vigorously until the butter is completely melted. The contents of the saucepan will bubble up, so use caution
- Remove the pan from the heat and very carefully and slowly pour in the heavy cream while whisking. The caramel sauce will bubble, but keep whisking until the mixture is completely incorporated. Stir in the sea salt.
- Let cool to room temperature — do not attempt to lick the spoon or the whisk as the caramel will be incredibly hot.
For the Budino:
- In a small bowl, whisk together 1/2 cup of the milk and the cornstarch until smooth. Set aside.
- In a small saucepan over medium heat, heat the remaining milk just until simmering. Set aside.
- Stir the brown sugar and water together in a heavy saucepan set over medium heat until all the sugar dissolves.
- Increase heat to high and cook without stirring until an instant read thermometer reads between 210-215 degrees F.
- Have ready a large, heat-proof pitcher. Place the egg yolks in a large heat-proof bowl and whisk.
- Gradually whisk in the hot milk; add the cornstarch mixture. Slowly whisk in the brown sugar mixture.
- Return custard to saucepan. Cook over medium heat, whisking constantly, until it thickens and an instant-read thermometer registers 175 degrees F, about 3-5 minutes.
- Remove from heat. Whisk in the butter, vanilla and salt. Pour into the heat-proof pitcher.
- Pour 1/2 cup of the budino into each of the prepared jars.
- Cover with plastic wrap and chill until set, about 3-5 hours.
For the Whipped Cream
- Combine the cold heavy cream and vanilla paste in a chilled non-reactive bowl.
- Whisk by hand or using an electric mixture until the cream holds a loose peak. A soft peak will hold a lazy curve when the beater or whisk is held upside down.
- Then, sprinkle the sugar on top of the whipped cream and continue beating until soft peaks are formed.
Garnishing the Budino
- Spoon 2 - 3 tablespoons of the caramel sauce over each chilled budino.
- Top with lightly sweetened whipped cream and the reserved cookie crumbles. Enjoy!
Notes
- You can make the custard up to 1 day in advance, keeping chilled.
- Adapted from Bon Appétit
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Nutrition Information:
Yield: 8 Serving Size: 1Amount Per Serving: Calories: 469Total Fat: 28gSaturated Fat: 16gTrans Fat: 1gUnsaturated Fat: 10gCholesterol: 204mgSodium: 558mgCarbohydrates: 46gFiber: 0gSugar: 39gProtein: 9g
GoodLifeEats.com offers recipe nutritional information as a courtesy and is an estimate only. This information comes from online calculators. Although GoodLifeEats.com makes every effort to provide accurate information, these figures are only estimates.
Kiffie says
I had a salted caramel budino for my birthday dessert a few months ago and today made this recipe for my SIL’s anniversary dessert-huge hit! It’s actually better than the restaurant I had it in…thanks of sharing the recipe!!
Erin says
I hadn’t heard of budino until now. It looks and sounds magical! Chocolate and caramel is always a good thing. And chocolate and caramel and custard is even better. 🙂
Sues says
This looks beautiful! I’ve never made a budino, but I”m definitely tempted 🙂
Betsy Kreuter says
This looks terrific! Can’t wait to make it.
Allison Ruth says
I have to make these! Yum!
Carla says
Oh my goodness, those couldnt look more perfect. So beautiful looking!
Ali says
This is so pretty! And I learned a new word too! 🙂
Caroline Edwards says
This looks fabulous! I love chocolate dipped pretzels as a quick sweet/salty combo! 🙂