Chocolate Amaretto Budino
with Whipped Cream

Possible Cooking Methods:   Stovetop

It only takes one pot to make these little puddings, but you will need 4 (8-ounce) jars, glasses or dishes for the individual desserts. It’s so quick and deceptively easy that there is really no alternative method to making these – you won’t save any time and there’s no benefit to the final product in doing it a different way. Just enjoy the 5 minutes of stirring on the stovetop and the look of wonder on the faces of your guests when they marvel at how clever you are.

1½ cups whole milk

12 ounces bittersweet chocolate, chopped

5 egg yolks

¼ cup sugar

¼ cup amaretto liqueur

2 cups crushed Amaretti or almond cookies

1 cup heavy cream

2 tablespoons sugar

Stovetop Directions

Serves:4

Cooking Time:20 minutes

1. Heat the milk in a 4-quart saucepan until it is almost at a simmer. Turn off the heat, add the chocolate and stir until it has completely melted into the milk. Whisk the egg yolks and sugar together in a bowl until the mixture falls from the whisk in thick continuous ribbons. Stir about a cup of the melted chocolate mixture into the egg yolks to temper the eggs, whisking constantly. Then pour the egg mixture into the saucepan with the remaining chocolate, stir in the amaretto liqueur and whisk well to combine.

2. Return the pan to low heat and simmer for 5 minutes until the mixture thickens, stirring constantly. Remove the pan from the heat. Strain the mixture through a fine mesh strainer and pour it into individual 8-ounce jars, glasses or dessert dishes. Top the chocolate pudding with crushed Amaretti cookies.

3. Whip the heavy cream to stiff peaks, adding the sugar for the last few minutes of beating. Top the cookie layer with a dollop of whipped cream and refrigerate for at least 2 hours before serving.