7 September 2012 Salted Caramel Budino

Salted Caramel Budino

September 7, 2012 By

I was leafing through some food magazines last week and came across a Bon Appetit recipe by Marcie Turney of Barbuzzo in Philadelphia for Budino, an Italian pudding, with two different layers of salty caramel.  The photo was calling me to replicate it and I did, with some short cuts and modifications that I think everyone will enjoy. Yes, it is three steps, but the crumbles take a minute and the dessert through the pudding layer can be made a day in advance.

Cookie Crumbles Ingredients:

Pudding Ingredient:

  • 3 cups whole milk, divided
  • 1/4 cup cornstarch
  • 3/4 cup brown sugar
  • 5 large egg yolks
  • 3 Tbsp. butter
  • 2 tsp. rum
  • 1 tsp. kosher salt

Salted Caramel Topping Ingredients:

  • 3/4 cup heavy cream
  • 2 tsp. pure vanilla extract
  • 1/2 cup sugar
  • 2 Tbsp. light corn syrup
  • 1/2 stick (4 Tbsp.) cold butter, cut into 1/2″ cubes
  • 1/4 tsp. kosher salt
  • Whipped cream (optional)

Cookie Crumbles Directions:

  1. In a small bowl, combine the cookie crumbs, butter, and salt. Reserve 2 tablespoons of the crumbles for later use. Press 2 tablespoons crumble mixture onto the bottom of eight 8-ounce mason jars or ramekins.

Pudding Ingredients:

  1. Whisk 1/2 cup milk and the cornstarch in a small bowl. Set aside.
  2. Heat 2 1/2 cups milk in a small saucepan just to a simmer. Set aside.
  3. Gently stir sugar and 3/4 cup water in a medium heavy saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and cook without stirring until an instant-read thermometer registers 210°–220°, about 5 minutes.
  4. Whisk egg yolks in a large bowl. Gradually whisk in hot milk, then cornstarch mixture. Slowly whisk in caramel. Return mixture to the saucepan. Whisk constantly over medium heat until mixture thickens and a thermometer registers 175°, about 3 minutes. Remove from heat.
  5. Whisk in butter, rum, and salt.
  6. Pour 1/2 cup pudding over crumbles in each jar. Cover with plastic wrap and chill until set, 4–5 hours.

Salted Caramel Topping Ingredients:

  1. Combine the cream and vanilla in a small bowl and set aside.
  2. Stir sugar, corn syrup, and 2 tablespoons water in a heavy saucepan over medium heat until sugar dissolves, about 2 minutes. Increase heat to medium-high and boil, occasionally swirling pan, until deep amber color forms, 5–6 minutes – do not stir the mixture or walk away as caramel can burn very quickly! Remove from heat and gradually add vanilla cream – be careful as the mixture will bubble vigorously. Whisk over medium heat until smooth and thick, about 2 minutes. Remove from heat and whisk in butter and salt. Allow to cool slightly about 5 minutes.
  3. Spoon 1-2 tablespoons caramel sauce over each pudding.
  4. Top with whipped cream, if using, then sprinkle some of reserved cookie crumbles over each.

Makes eight 8-ounce budino.

Filed Under: American, Chocolate, Desserts, Eggs, Italian Tagged With: , , , ,
3 January 2012 Chocolate Caramel Tart

Chocolate Caramel Tart

January 3, 2012 By

{photo by Andre Baranowski, via Saveur}

When Saveur showcased this dessert (from Brooklyn’s Marlow & Sons) on its cover, I thought I’d go mad.  Wow, what a beauty!  At a friend’s request, I made it for my New Year’s Eve dinner party and it was as delicious and it is gorgeous.

Originally published in Saveur magazine

Crust Ingredients:

  • 1 1⁄2 cups flour
  • 1⁄4 cup plus 1 tbsp. Dutch-process unsweetened cocoa powder
  • 1⁄4 tsp. kosher salt
  • 10 tbsp. unsalted butter, cubed and softened
  • 1⁄2 cup plus 2 tbsp. confectioners’ sugar
  • 2 egg yolks, preferably at room temperature
  • 1⁄2 tsp. vanilla extract

Caramel Ingredients:

  • 1 1⁄2 cups sugar
  • 3 tbsp. light corn syrup
  • 1⁄4 tsp. kosher salt
  • 6 tbsp. unsalted butter
  • 6 tbsp. heavy cream
  • 1 tbsp. crème fraîche

Ganache Ingredients:

  • 1⁄2 cup heavy cream
  • 4 oz. bittersweet chocolate, finely chopped
  • Gray sea salt for garnish

Crust Directions:

  1. Heat oven to 350˚.
  2. Combine flour, cocoa powder, and salt in a medium bowl and set aside.
  3. Using a handheld mixer, cream the butter and sugar in a large bowl until mixture is pale and fluffy; mix in yolks and vanilla. Mix in dry ingredients.
  4. Transfer dough to a 9″ fluted tart pan with a removable bottom and press dough evenly into bottom and sides of pan. Refrigerate for 30 minutes.
  5. Prick the tart shell all over with a fork and bake until cooked through, about 20 minutes.  Transfer to a rack and let cool.

Caramel Directions:

  1. In a 1-qt. saucepan, whisk together sugar, corn syrup, salt, and 6 tbsp. water and bring to a boil. Cook, without stirring, until a candy thermometer inserted into the syrup reads 340°.
  2. Remove pan from heat and whisk in butter, cream, and crème fraîche (the mixture will bubble up) until smooth. Pour caramel into cooled tart shell and let cool slightly; refrigerate until firm, 4–5 hours.

Ganache Directions:

  1. Bring cream to a boil in a 1-qt. saucepan over medium heat.
  2. Put chocolate into a medium bowl and pour in hot cream; let sit for 1 minute, then stir slowly with a rubber spatula until smooth.
  3. Pour ganache evenly over tart and refrigerate until set, 4–5 hours.
  4. Sprinkle tart with sea salt, slice, and serve chilled.

Serves 8.

 

 

Filed Under: American, Chocolate, Desserts Tagged With: , , , ,