Delight of the Week - Peanut Caramel Jar Budino

The Peanut Carmel Jar Budino perfectly layers the delightful flavors of a Snicker's bar with everyone's favorite, pudding! This is the ideal treat to curl up on the couch with or sneak a few bites of at midnight. Remember Budino just means pudding in Italian!



I served this as dessert to my parents who practically licked the jars clean. My husband asked about this dessert for days after eating it.



Peanut Caramel Jar Budino
Serves 4
Adapted from Food 52

Ingredients

2 Tablespoons Honey
1/2 cup packed dark brown sugar
1 1/2 tablespoons Kosher Salt
1/4 cup water
2 1/2 cups Half & Half
1 large egg
2 egg yolks
3 tablespoons Cornstarch
1 teaspoon vanilla paste
1/4 cup finely chopped hazelnuts
1/4 cup graham cracker crumbs
2 tablespoons unsalted butter
1/2 cup dulce du leche (pre-made or use this recipe)
1/2 cup dark chocolate ganache (recipe follows)

Directions

1. In a saucepan, whisk together honey, sugar, water and salt.

2. Bring to a boil, stir occasionally before lowering to a simmer. Simmer for approximately 5 minutes until it thickens.

3. Remove from heat and add half and half while whisking the mixture.

4. In a separate bowl, whisk together eggs, egg yolks and cornstarch.

5. Add the half & half mixture to the egg mixture in a slow continuous stream. Keep whisking!

6. Strain the custard through a fine mesh sieve back into the sauce pan. Put the sauce pan on medium heat and start whisking.

7. Keep whisking, until the custard starts to thicken and bubble. This will take some time so keep whisking.

8. Remove from heat and strain through a fine mesh sieve into a small bowl. Set the bowl into a bowl of ice to cool.

9. Melt butter in a saute pan and add nuts and crumbs. Saute the nuts and crumbs until they are toasted.

10. Time to assemble the budino. I used Weck jars but you can assemble these in any type of jar, glass or bowl. Add a tablespoon of the nut and crumb mixture to the bottom. Fill the jar halfway with the cooled custard. Add two tablespoons of Dulce de Leche to the jars before adding more cooled custard. Top with a tablespoon of dark chocolate ganache and sprinkle with fleur de sel.

11. Let the assembled budino cool in the fridge for at least 2 hours, preferably overnight.

Dark Chocolate Ganache

Ingredients

1/2 cup chopped dark chocolate
1/4 cup half & half
1 tablespoon unsalted butter
1 pinch kosher salt

Directions

1. Bring half & half, butter and salt to a simmer in a saucepan.

2. Add dark chocolate and whisk until smooth. The ganache will thicken as it cools.