Budino Recipe

A traditional creamy and smooth Italian pudding.

Course Dessert

Cuisine Italian

Keyword budino

Prep Time 20

Servings people

Mix the egg yolk with the cornstarch in a medium bowl.
Remove the seeds from the vanilla pod. See recipe notes for full instructions.
In a medium saucepan, pour the milk, cream, sugar, salt, vanilla extract, vanilla seeds and the pod and cook over medium heat until the sugar dissolves and you notice small bubbles on the sides of the pan.
Pour about 1/2 cup of the warm milk mixture into the egg yolks mixture while constantly stirring.
Pour the egg yolks mixture into back into the milk mixture and cook on medium low while constantly stirring from the bottom of the pan, until the mixture is thick and coats the back of the spoon with out dripping off.
Run the hot mixture through a mesh sieve over a large measuring cup with a spout.
Divide the pudding between 4-6 individual serving dishes, and top each dish with plastic wrap tight over the surface of the pudding.
Refrigerate for minimum of 4 hours.

Whip the cream with the powdered sugar until thick.
Gently remove the platic wrap from the surface of the pudding and top with cream.
Sprinkle with crushed cookies, or shaved white chocolate and serve.

This recipe yields 4-6 serving depending on the size of each serving dish.
Store the pudding in the refrigerator for up to three days.
Use a wooden spoon or a rubber spatula to stir as you cook to avoid discoloring.

To Remove the seeds from the vanilla pod;

Lay the vanilla pod flat on a cutting board. Using a sharp paring knife, carefully slice the pod lengthwise, starting at one end and working your way to the other. Be gentle to avoid cutting all the way through.
Use your fingers or the knife to gently pry open the pod, exposing the sticky, aromatic seeds inside.
Hold the pod steady with one hand, and with the back of the knife blade (or the edge of a spoon), scrape along the inside of the pod to collect the seeds. Apply light pressure to gather as many seeds as possible.