Butterscotch Budino
If you’re looking for a great make-ahead dessert to serve for company, this Butterscotch Budino recipe is a total showstopper. Served chilled, it’s rich and creamy, and the butterscotch gives it a complex flavor that pairs so nicely with the sweet cream dairy. Make it up to three full days ahead of time!
How budino is not more popular and well known is one of my many questions about life.
It is one of the most heavenly desserts I’ve ever had, and this dessert hits spots I didn’t even know could be hit.
My first time tasting it was at a restaurant in Minneapolis, where they did a straight rendition of Nancy Silverton’s Butterscotch Budino. Even despite all the hype from my friends about how good it would be, I couldn’t believe how spectacular it was. It has the most luscious creamy texture.
When I got home I put the Butterscotch Budino on my “to-make list” and I was pleasantly surprised by how easy this dessert is to prepare. It’s altered ever so slightly from Nancy’s original, and also halved, because having a full batch around gets me into too much trouble.
Because this dessert can be made in advance, and arguably has to be since it’s best served chilled, I made it for a dinner party, since I always like to have dessert made ahead for entertaining. It was a wild success! This recipe is so perfect for company.
So what is budino, exactly? It’s basically a fancy Italian pudding. Served chilled, it’s decadently rich and creamy, and the butterscotch gives it a complex flavor that pairs so nicely with the sweet dairy.
The most important part is to watch the caramel very closely during cooking, because it can go from perfect to burned very quickly.
Tips for Best Results
Use high quality dairy – A budino is mostly cream and milk, so it is absolutely essential to use good quality dairy. Dairy varies HUGELY in quality at the grocery store. I generally find that organic varieties have more flavor, and I like smaller, more artisanal producers.
Do not walk away from the stove during cooking – Just as when you make Caramel Sauce, you do not want to walk away from the stove while you’re browning the sugar, because it can go from underdone to burned very quickly.
Serve in pretty glasses – Feel free to serve the budino in any pretty glass that you like. I use thin glasses here, but martini glasses are also great for presentation.
Step by Step Overview:
Start by combining dark brown sugar, sea salt, and water in a medium saucepan:
Cook this mixture over medium-high heat until it’s a dark amber color, but not burned.
Turn the stove setting down to medium heat if at any point this seems to be happening too fast. And remember, do not walk away from the stove during this part, as the sugar can change very quickly.
Add heavy cream and whole milk to the dark caramel to immediately stop the cooking process:
Heat the hot caramel cream up again until the dairy combines with the caramel. Do not worry if the caramel seizes at all upon adding the cream mixture, this is normal. It will all incorporate together when the liquid is warm enough.
Next, whisk together one large egg, two egg yolks, and cornstarch in a medium bowl:
Then temper the caramel with the egg mixture.
If you’re not familiar with the process, all you do is slowly dribble in half of the caramel cream into the eggs while you whisk, then pour the liquid in the bowl back into the saucepan. This ensures that you gradually bring up the temperature of the eggs, and prevent the egg from coagulating (think scrambled eggs).
Then, bring the custard back to a boil, until the custard thickens from that corn starch. It should have a golden brown creamy hue to it as well.
Once thickened, remove the pan from the heat, then mix in unsalted butter and dark rum.
If you don’t like the flavor of rum, you may instead add vanilla extract, or even some scraped vanilla bean seeds.
Strain the custard through a fine-mesh sieve, just in case there are any lumps that would ruin the velvety texture:
Portion the custard into glasses or dessert cups of your choice:
Chill for at least three hours, until the budinos are fully set and chilled through.
How to Serve
Top each budino with homemade caramel sauce or salted caramel, and whipped cream (or crème fraîche, for tang), if desired, but know that it certainly is not required. The actual pudding has tons of deep caramel flavors already from the browned sugar inside. You may also add a few toasted pine nuts on top!
If serving budino for company, I think it’s wonderful to pair with something simple and crunchy like Shortbread Cookies, Candied Pecans, or Orange Cranberry Biscotti. A rosemary pine nut cookie is also lovely!
The flavors will bloom on the palate more easily if the budino is closer to room temperature, so take out of the fridge an hour before enjoying, ideally.
For more make-ahead desserts, I also love Tiramisu and Brown Butter Blondies. Enjoy!
Recipe Tips and FAQ
Cover tightly with plastic wrap or store in an airtight container in the fridge for up to 5 days. However, I think it’s best and “at its peak” enjoyed within 3 days of making.
Yes, in an airtight container for up to 1 month. To thaw, leave in the fridge overnight.
Budino needs at least 3 hours to chill and set before serving, so it needs to be made ahead to some degree. However, I most often will make this one day ahead before serving. For best results, do not make more than 3 days ahead of time.
Butterscotch Budino
Ingredients
- 1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
- 1/4 cup water
- 1/2 teaspoon kosher salt
- 1.5 cups heavy whipping cream
- 3/4 cup whole milk
- 1 large egg
- 2 large egg yolks
- 2 tablespoons cornstarch
- 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
- 1 tablespoon dark rum
- caramel sauce for serving, optional
- whipped cream for serving, optional
Instructions
- Combine the brown sugar, water, and salt in a heavy bottomed saucepan, and place the pan over medium high heat. Cook until the caramel is very dark, and almost smoking, which should take about 10 minutes.
- Standing back with caution, add the cream and milk to the caramel. This will probably make the mixture seize up at first, but if you keep whisking and let it heat back up, it will combine. Bring this mixture back up to a boil, then turn the heat down to medium.
- In a large bowl, whisk together the egg, egg yolks, and cornstarch.
- Now we’re going to temper the caramel mixture into the eggs by adding a cup of caramel to the eggs, whisking constantly, then pouring the egg mixture back into the pan.
- Increase the heat to bring this mixture to a boil, and keep whisking as the custard thickens from the cornstarch, which should take about two minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and add the butter and rum.
- Strain the custard through a fine strainer to remove any big lumps that might have formed, and portion the custard into ramekins.
- Cover the ramekins with plastic wrap and chill the custard for at least 3 hours. It’s best around 6-8 hours ahead, or even made a day ahead.
- If desired for serving, pour on a thin layer of caramel sauce, then add a dollop of whipped cream. Enjoy!
Notes
Nutrition
Nutrition is estimated using a food database and is only intended to be used as a guideline for informational purposes.
Post updated with re-edited images, writing, and tips in July 2018. Originally posted July 2014.
44 Comments on “Butterscotch Budino”
I fell in love with this first at a small restaurant in Venice Beach, CA… and now I’m happy to be able to make it at home. Thank you for this delicious recipe!
I, too, fell in love with this dish at 112 Eatery and it’s always in the back of my mind as 112 is just a quick ten minutes from my house. How fantastic to be able to make it at home. And better yet, in advance to bring to a dinner party. I followed both recipes too the letter, just using salted butter and adding a pinch of salt to the caramel sauce and it turned out perfect. Can’t wait to continue to make my own tweaks and have this be a go-to dessert recipe to impress. I think scotch instead of rum would really be delicious! Thank you for the recipes, photos and video!
Feel dumb asking this, but having burned myself once trying to make budino, I’m interested in the pan you show used here in the making of Nancy Silverton’s.
It looks narrow and deep. Or maybe that’s just the camera angle. Thanks so much!
Looks wonderful!
Is it possible to substitute the corn starch with something else?
Simply superb!
Hi there these deserts look so nice thinking of making them for after xmas dinner,will they keep ok in fridge if I make them the day before
Hi, This looked so good that I immediately made it. Mine turned out with a beige tinge color. Not the nice buttery yellow. It also didn’t taste much like butterscotch to me. It tastes alright, but not much flavor. The only change I made was to use 1 cup of cream and 1 1/4 cup milk as I didn’t have all the cream. I don’t think that would have made the difference. I’ll try it again to see if I come up with different results. Thanks for website. Its beautiful.
Hi Beth, do you think the caramel mixture was cooked for long enough? The first time I made it at home I didn’t cook it for long enough, because it was so dark and I was afraid it would burn. But it didn’t taste the same as the version at the restaurant, and I realized that you really need to cook it until it’s smoking and stinking, as written by Nanvy Silverton. Hope that helps!
These look SO good! I’m wishing I had some right now… guess I’d better make these for myself soon! Pinned!
Hope you get to try and enjoy, Kristine.
looks really good… Is there any substitute for the rum?
Yes, you could do vanilla instead. Just use a tsp or so. Enjoy!
Thank you!! 🙂
Hi Joanne is dark muscovado sugar ok for this recipe?
Hi Pat, you know, I think it’s likely it would work. It’s a little stickier than other brown sugars but for this it may be fine. I wouldn’t know for sure without trying it, but I suspect it would work okay.
Looks great! Do we put the plastic wrap directly on the surface (to avoid a skin) or just over the top of the glass?
Hi Diane, I just did it over the top of the glass and didn’t have an issue with a skin, but if you want you can put the caramel sauce on top before refrigeration just to ensure one doesn’t form.
This looks amazing! My kind of dessert!
Hi:
This looks so good! I love butterscotch.
Is this a pudding or a custard?
Have a Joyful Day :~D
Charlie
Hi Charlie, I think it’s really both since there are eggs and cornstarch here.
Looks and sounds fabulous — how many servings does it make? Assuming just 4 but it’d be helpful to know before promising guests and not having enough!! Thanks.
Hi Patti, so I halved the recipe on the James Beard website because the original recipe makes 10 servings (6oz ramekins). So this one *should* make five servings, but it totally depends on the size glass or ramekin you’re using. For the glasses I used, it only filled three, but, the servings were probably a bit excessive for each person because the dessert is so rich (but with that said, my friends completely finished their glasses, haha). I hope that is somewhat helpful! I’d say this could be stretched out among 4 people if you’re using the right sized ramekin, but otherwise, definitely double it if you have more guests.
Aw, the presentation is fabulous — and these look so good!
Thanks Meg! Also, Happy Birthday!!!
This dessert looks like it would be very easy to make. The end results looks fabulous.
Thanks Dawn, I was shocked that something that delicious was actually fairly simple to make. It’s nice when caramel desserts don’t need a thermometer too!