Chocolate Budino With Espresso Cream
Budino.
It’s like pudding, only better.
Why? Because it’s richer, denser and well, Italian, which automatically makes it better, right?
This is no ordinary pudding. There is no comparison with anything J-E-L-L-O. The stuff that comes out of those little boxes is like comparing salmon eggs to Beluga caviar, like chopped liver to foie gras, like cubic zirconia to diamonds. This is the real deal.
See those pretty glasses with the silver rim? They’re tea glasses I bought in Turkey, and while I’ve yet to drink tea out of them, I thought they’d also be great for this dessert because frankly, no one should eat more than what’s in that glass of sinful richness. Trust me.
I like this recipe because it only has three ingredients, yet it can be a show stopper for a dinner party or simple comfort dessert to eat alone (you know what I mean). If you can, add the instant espresso powder
to the cream because the coffee enhances the chocolate flavor and at the same time helps cut the sweetness a bit.
If you have any other ideas of what I can put in those tea glasses, let me know!
Chocolate Budino With Espresso Cream
Ingredients
Chocolate Budino
- 12 oz bittersweet chocolate
- 14 fl oz milk
- 5 ea egg yolks
Espresso Cream
- 4 fl oz heavy cream
- 1/2 tsp instant espresso powder
- 1 Tbsp sugar
Instructions
For the Chocolare Budino
- Chop the chocolate into small pieces.
- Heat the milk in a medium sized sauce pot and add the chocolate. Stir until the chocolate is melted.
- In a bowl, whisk the egg yolks and then add some of the hot chocolate milk. Whisk together to temper the yolks and then whisk the mixture back into the pot with the rest of the chocolate milk.
- Cook for 3-4 minutes over low heat until it begins to thicken (cook to about 140 degrees).
- Strain through a fine mesh sieve and pour into serving containers. Refrigerate until set and chilled. Top with espresso cream.
For the Espresso Cream
- Combine all ingredients and whip on high until firm.
21 Comments
Lisa T
Is this budino eaten warm? Or is it chilled? I’m assuming warm but thought I would check. I love that it is just three ingredients!
formerchef
Lisa! Great question! I guess I forgot to include “refrigerate until set” in the recipe. I will fix that now, though I suppose you could also eat it warm. 😉
Myra
This looks seriously delicious! Yes, I admit to buying Jello pudding (for the kids, I swear) but I’ll have to try making this is in the future. As in, tonight. 🙂
Denise
You had me at chocolate. Then you said pudding. I have had a mad craving for chocolate pudding lately, and now I have a great recipe to try. Cannot wait!!
Marcy
This recipe is a complete WINNER! Let me say, I am definitely a beginner in the kitchen and until today I had never separated an egg, and it was not difficult at all! This recipe was easy for me to make, which is something I always look for in recipes. AND, as easy as it was for me to make, it is hands-down absolutely DELICIOUS! I could certainly see this being my “go-to” dessert when hosting a dinner party. Thank you FormerChef! 🙂
formerchef
Sound like you did great for your first time! Thanks for letting me know. 🙂
A Couple in the Kitchen
The Italians are culinary geniuses. Your budino looks and sounds so amazing. A must try for sure!
Mary @ Fit and Fed
I can see this would be not too sweet, with hardly any sugar other than what’s in the bittersweet chocolate to start. Just rich and chocolatey, letting those great ingredients shine. My hobby farmer neighbors are saving duck eggs for me– they only get one or two a day. Wouldn’t this be a great use for those extra-rich duck egg yolks? Interesting that you put the espresso powder in the whipped cream instead of in the pudding itself– I wouldn’t have thought of that! Another Italian idea for your Turkish tea glasses– affogato. That would also match their brown stripes.
formerchef
I think duck eggs would be great! You might not need as many since I think they are typically larger than chicken eggs.
Mary @ Fit and Fed
I made it– fast, easy, not overly sweet, and the family loved it! I haven’t been able to get more duck eggs yet, so that trial will have to wait (the duck eggs I’ve gotten were the same size as chicken eggs even though I know some can be a lot larger). I changed some things– soy milk instead of dairy milk, that’s just what I have to do (even though I’m sure it would be richer with milk and cream), added a little cinnamon and vanilla and put the espresso powder and a little honey into the chocolate instead of topping it with whipped cream. Garnished with chocolate shavings. Yum, will be making this again!
formerchef
Soy milk? I didn’t think it would set up in the same way as regular milk, into a custard. Maybe because there’s so much chocolate, that kept it thick. Interesting… thanks for sharing your experience!
Mary @ Fit and Fed
It was thick enough. I don’t know whether it was technically a custard, it wasn’t super-jiggly like a custard that is just made with eggs and milk and cream– but it was a nice thick pudding.
Daniela @ food recipes HQ
I love this budino recipe, I’ll try it tomorrow and serve it to my friends.
chloe
i think i have gone to heaven
Gloria
I wonder if this would taste good with coconut milk? It looks amazing and so easy!
Mary @ Fit and Fed
Still making this from time to time, Kristina, like last night, just the pudding portion but with milk and cream plus a little Kahlua and Bailey’s. My family thanks you….
formerchef
That’s great! Thanks for letting me know.
Ejm
How many servings does this make?
formerchef
Hello-
The recipe yields 20 fluid ounces so the number of portions depends on what size cup you use. It’s very rich so 4 ounces is probably plenty so you should get at least 5 of that size.
Robin
What type of Milk? 2%? Whole?
formerchef
Either whole or 2% will work.