Jump to Recipe
This chocolate budino with salted caramel is a silky, intensely chocolatey dessert finished with homemade caramel. Budino is an Italian-style pudding made richer with heavy cream and extra egg yolks. This version uses plenty of semisweet chocolate for deep flavor and is topped with a thin drizzle of salted caramel. It tastes like a restaurant dessert but is simple to make at home following these step-by-step instructions.
I first tried budino at Barbuzzo in Philadelphia. Their salted caramel budino had a layer of chocolate cookie crumbs on the bottom and extra caramel on top, served in small mason jars — it was love at first bite. I recreated my own version with chocolate as the star, and this recipe became a household favorite among family and neighbors.
What is a budino?
Budino is the Italian word for pudding. Its origin is a bit unclear — some historical accounts link the name to sausage before it evolved into a custard-style dessert — but modern budino is a creamy custard or pudding, often richer than American-style puddings.
How is budino different from American pudding?
American puddings are commonly thickened with cornstarch; some recipes add egg yolks for a custard-like texture while others rely solely on cornstarch for structure. Budino leans toward the custard side, using egg yolks and cream rather than cornstarch to achieve a smooth, velvety texture.
How to make budino
Begin with semisweet chocolate: finely chop it and place it in a large bowl with a fine-mesh sieve set over the top. The warm custard will be strained through the sieve onto the chocolate to melt it smoothly.
Whisk the egg yolks and granulated sugar in a medium bowl until pale and creamy, about one minute. In a saucepan, heat the heavy cream over medium until it just begins to simmer and small bubbles form at the edge.
With one hand whisking the egg yolks, slowly pour the hot cream into the egg mixture in a steady stream. Pour slowly and whisk continuously to temper the eggs so they don’t scramble. Placing the bowl on a kitchen towel helps stabilize it while you pour and whisk.
Return the combined mixture to the saucepan and cook over medium heat, stirring constantly and scraping the bottom and sides, until the custard thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. This takes about three minutes or until an instant-read thermometer registers about 175°F (79°C).
Pour the hot custard through the fine-mesh sieve over the chopped chocolate to catch any cooked egg bits. Remove the sieve and stir the custard into the chocolate until it is completely melted and smooth. Stir in the butter, vanilla extract and kosher salt until combined.
Divide the budino evenly among eight 6–8 oz ramekins or glass jars, filling each about two-thirds full. Cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for at least four hours to set.
How to make salted caramel
Caramel can feel intimidating, but with attention and a few tips it’s straightforward. Use a large saucepan and have your butter and cream at room temperature to avoid violent bubbling when added to the hot sugar.
Melting the sugar
Place the sugar in the saucepan over medium heat. As the sugar begins to melt, stir continuously until it dissolves fully. It will clump and then slowly liquefy and turn golden. This stage takes about 10–15 minutes. Watch it closely once the sugar starts to change color — it can go from amber to burnt very quickly.
Adding the cream and butter
Once the sugar reaches a deep amber color, remove the pan from the heat. Add cubed butter and whisk immediately until melted and combined. Then slowly pour in the warm heavy cream while whisking; the mixture will bubble up, which is why a large pan is helpful. If any sugar clumps remain after incorporating the cream, return the pan to medium heat and stir until smooth. Stir in the sea salt and allow the caramel to cool slightly before using.
The caramel will thicken as it cools. Store any leftovers in a sealed container in the refrigerator; it will keep for 2–3 weeks. Microwave briefly (20–30 seconds) to return it to a pourable consistency.
Assembling the budino
After the budinos have chilled for at least four hours, spoon a thin layer of salted caramel over each — a little goes a long way. Whip 1/2 cup heavy cream with 1 tablespoon powdered sugar until soft peaks form and top each budino with a dollop of whipped cream. For a final touch, sprinkle a pinch of flaky sea salt if desired.
Storing the budino
Store budinos covered in the refrigerator for 3–4 days. If not serving immediately, wait to add whipped cream until just before serving. You may add the caramel in advance, but it will firm up in the fridge—reheat briefly if you prefer it softer on top.
For more decadent desserts, check out:
- Chocolate Brownie Mousse Cake
- Nutella S’mores Cake
- Chocolate Peanut Butter Cookies
Tag me on Instagram @themarblekitchenblog if you make this! Leave a rating and comment below — enjoy!
Chocolate Budino with Salted Caramel
Ingredients
Budino
- 6 oz semisweet chocolate bar finely chopped
- 2 ½ cups Heavy cream
- 5 Egg yolks
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- ½ teaspoon kosher salt
- 1 tablespoon Butter
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
Salted Caramel
- ¾ cup Sugar
- ½ cup Heavy cream room temperature
- 4 tablespoon unsalted Butter room temperature
- 2 teaspoon sea salt
Whipped Cream
- ½ cup heavy cream
- 1 tablespoon powdered sugar
Instructions
Budino
-
Place chopped chocolate in a large bowl with a fine mesh sieve over top.
-
Whisk egg yolks and sugar together in a medium bowl until creamy and fully combined, about 1 minute.
-
Heat the heavy cream over medium heat in a large saucepan until lightly simmering with small bubbles forming at the edge of the pan.
-
Slowly pour the heavy cream into the egg yolk and sugar mixture, whisking constantly. Return the mixture to the saucepan.
-
Cook over medium heat while stirring constantly and scraping the edges, bottom and sides of the saucepan until the mixture is thick enough to coat the back of the spoon, about 3 minutes or until an instant read thermometer reads 175 degrees
-
Pour the custard through the fine mesh sieve over the chocolate.
-
Stir the custard into the chocolate until the chocolate is fully melted.
-
Stir in vanilla, butter and salt until combined.
-
Divide the budino evenly into 8, 6-8 oz ramekins filling about ⅔ full. Cover with plastic wrap.
-
Refrigerate for 4 hours before serving.
Salted Caramel
-
Place sugar in a large saucepan over medium heat. Once the sugar starts to dissolve, stir until it dissolves completely, 10-15 minutes.
-
Once sugar has dissolved, stop stirring and cook over medium heat until the sugar turns a deep amber color, another 1-3 minutes. Don’t walk away during this step! It can burn very quickly if you aren’t paying attention.
-
Remove the pan from the heat and Immediately add the cubed butter and whisk constantly until the butter is melted. It will bubble up.
-
Slowly pour in the heavy cream while whisking constantly. Be careful as it will bubble up again. Continue whisking until the caramel is smooth. If clumps of sugar remain, place back over medium heat for a couple minutes to melt them completely.
-
Add the salt and whisk until combined. Allow to cool slightly before pouring over top the chilled budino.
Assembling the budinos
-
Whip the heavy cream and powdered sugar in a stand mixer or use a hand mixer until soft peaks form.
-
Pour a thin layer of the salted caramel on top of the chocolate budinos. You will have extra so store in the refrigerator in a covered container.
-
Top each with a dollop of whipped cream. If desired, sprinkle with some sea salt.
Notes
- The salted caramel thickens in the refrigerator. Microwave for 20–30 seconds to restore a pourable consistency.
- Budinos keep for 3–4 days refrigerated, covered. Wait to top with whipped cream until serving.