This post may contain affiliate links. Please see our disclosure policy.
This easy Italian pudding budino is so rich and delicious, and so simple to make. This is my perfect make-ahead pudding as it can happily sit in the fridge before serving. It’s essentially a rich chocolate custard, set in little ramekins. I topped mine with salted caramel sauce, a dollop of tangy creme fraiche and some flaky sea salt, and it is unbelievably delicious.
This really is a classic Italian pudding, just not quite as famous as tiramisu, although it should be! I should add that my chocolate torta caprese is another Italian classic that deserves its five minutes of fame. The custard has a beautiful texture once it sets, almost making it reminiscent of a chocolate mousse but with a richer, silkier texture. This post has a full recipe, step-by-step guide, tips and FAQs so they turn out perfect!
Table of Contents
Why you will love this recipe:
- It’s easy to prep ahead of time as it can sit in the fridge for 3 days.
- It requires only a handful of ingredients that you may already have in your kitchen.
- The result is so rich and decadent, perfect for an after-dinner pudding.
Ingredients:
Full recipe can be found in the printable recipe card at the bottom of the post, just scroll down!
Double cream – also known as ‘heavy cream’.
Caster sugar – also known as ‘superfine sugar’. You could also use granulated sugar.
Dark chocolate – I like 70% dark chocolate but 55% semisweet will also work. I would avoid milk or white chocolate here as it really will be too rich.
Substitutions and Variations:
Salted caramel sauce – I topped my budino with salted caramel sauce, because it makes everything better, but you can also just serve these as they are. The chocolate pudding itself is delicious.
Make it vegan – as the base of this recipe relies on eggs, it’s hard to make this recipe vegan and get the same results. For something similar, try my vegan chocolate mousse.
Here’s how to make easy chocolate budino:
Here’s a step by step guide for what you need to do, but you can find the full recipe at the bottom of the page for detailed instructions.
ONE: Add the sugar and egg yolks to a large bowl. Whisk them together until pale and smooth.
TWO: Add the double cream to a medium saucepan and heat over medium heat until just beginning to simmer. Don’t let it boil. Slowly pour the hot cream into the whisked egg mixture, stirring as you pour.
THREE: Return the mixture to the pan and turn it down to low heat, stirring, until it thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon.
FOUR: Take it off the heat then pour in the chocolate, salt and vanilla. Stir to melt the chocolate.
FIVE: Once it’s smooth, pour the mixture through a fine sieve just to remove any lumps.
SIX: Pour the mixture into ramekins or glasses, smooth out the top with the back of a spoon, then top with the salted caramel sauce. Chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours and up to overnight.
Cooking Tips:
Spoon test: the custard is done when it coats the back of a spoon. To test this, dip the spoon in the custard and pull it out, run a clean finger down the back of the spoon in a line. If it leaves a clean line, it’s done. If the custard immediately runs back together and you lose the clean line, it’s not ready.
Heat low and slow: you need to heat the custard over low heat to thicken it (so the budino sets), but don’t be impatient and turn the heat too high as this risks scrambling the eggs.
Temper the egg yolks: whisk the warm cream into the yolks first before adding back into the saucepan to thicken properly. This brings the egg yolks up the temperature first, rather than risking them scrambling in the saucepan.
Strain: pour the heated custard through a fine sieve. This catches any curdles or lumps so the final texture is perfect.
Frequently Asked Questions
To fix grainy budino, pass it through a fine mesh sieve. That’s why I add it into the recipe, as the sieve ensures you get out any undissolved sugar or unmelted chocolate. If it looks like the sugar hasn’t dissolved fully, reheat gently over low heat while whisking to help it combine again.
To avoid curdling, keep the custard over a low heat and stir continuously. If it has fully curdled, unfortunately, it’s likely that you will need to start again, as once the egg has curdled, you can’t undo that. If it’s just a few curdled bits, try straining them out.
Budino is set with eggs, making it richer and more decadent, whilst American pudding is often set with cornflour/starch or gelatin. This makes it a little lighter in texture compared to the rich egg set of budino.
Budino is essentially a rich custard, set in little ramekins to make a creamy dessert with a pudding-like texture. I made mine chocolate, but you can do vanilla flavoured too, for example. The custard is made of eggs, sugar, and cream, finished here by melting in dark chocolate.
Other recipes you might enjoy:
If you liked this recipe for budino, you might also like my other Italian desserts. I have a recipe for pistachio tiramisu, banana tiramisu, speculoos tiramisu – all very delicious, of course!
Easy Baking Recipes
Dark Chocolate and White Chocolate Brownies
Easy Baking Recipes
Melt In The Middle Chocolate Pudding
Easy Dessert Recipes
Hot Cross Bun Bread and Butter Pudding
Easy Dessert Recipes
Terry’s Chocolate Orange Cheesecake Pots
If you tried this Budino or any other recipe on the site, please do leave a rating or comment and let us know how it went!
Chocolate Budino (Creamy Italian Pudding)
Ingredients
- 65 g sugar
- 5 egg yolks
- 480 ml double cream
- 225 g dark chocolate, chopped
- 1 tsp vanilla extract/paste
- Pinch of flakey sea salt
- Creme fraiche, to serve
For the salted caramel sauce:
- 150 g light soft brown sugar
- 300 ml double cream
- 50 g unsalted butter
Instructions
To make the optional caramel sauce:
- Add the butter, sugar and cream to a pan. Cook over medium heat until everything melts. Then turn the heat up slightly and let it bubble for 3 months. Once 3 minutes has passed, pour into a heatproof jug and leave to cool for 15 minutes.
To make budino:
- Add the sugar and egg yolks to a large bowl. Whisk them together until pale and smooth.
- Add the double cream to a medium saucepan and heat over medium heat until just beginning to simmer. Don’t let it boil.
- Slowly pour the hot cream into the whisked egg mixture, stirring as you pour.
- Return the mixture to the pan and turn it down to low heat, stirring, until it thickens slightly and coats the back of a spoon.
- Take it off the heat then pour in the chocolate, salt and vanilla. Stir to melt the chocolate. Once it’s smooth, pour the mixture through a fine sieve just to remove any lumps.
- Pour the mixture into ramekins or glasses, smooth out the top with the back of a spoon, then top with the salted caramel sauce (if making).
- Chill in the fridge for at least 3 hours and up to overnight. They keep well for a few days in the fridge, covered in cling film.
- Serve with a dollop of creme fraiche and some flakey sea salt.
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition information is automatically calculated, so should only be used as an approximation.
Second recipe I’ve tried of yours. Easy to make. Delicious. Very rich.
Very yummy. Everyone loved it!!
I used a caramel sauce from Emily Luchetti that I really like (caramelize 3 c sugar + 1 c water; + 2 c hv. cream (added slowly).