Budino is Italian for pudding, and I’m assuming this recipe is Italian in origin because it comes to us from Craig Stoll, owner of San Francisco’s Delfina. (Oh, SF, any mention of you sends prickles of homesickness down my spine.) What I can tell you is that it’s part souffle, part gooey lemon-y goodness. Especially if it’s countered with a mascarpone whipping cream, which rounds out its fruitiness.
I can also tell you that I love love love Meyer lemons, which I eat, raw, just like oranges, except I cut them in quarters and rip out their flesh with my teeth (kind of like how Chinese people eat oranges—or is this practice more international than I realize?).
I kind of realized along the way (the ‘way’ being the entire circuitous route I’ve taken to learning to bake) that I don’t really care for baked lemon desserts. I’m talking about tarts and pies, and those bar things that people always seem to make a huge fuss over. It’s probably a cultural thing. Chinese people don’t generally cook fruit into desserts, instead, preferring to eat it on its own, so it feels incongruous to pair its freshness and natural-ness with butter, dough, and high temperatures.
But Meyer lemon desserts, they’re in a league of their own. Meyer lemons possess a whole other dimension of floral-ness, a fragrance that reminds me of Asian dessert flavors like green tea and red bean and black sesame. It’s quieter, sweeter, less in-your-face. In fact, I’m rethinking my stance on lemon-y desserts, as long as they’re made with Meyer lemons. I would probably like Meyer-lemon lemon bars, and Meyer-lemon lemon meringue pie, and Meyer-lemon lemon shortbread. I know I like it in this budino.
Hint: it’s wonderful warm and fresh out of the oven, BUT if you give it a chance to sit in the fridge overnight, it is even better the next day. By then, three distinct layers will have formed: the dreamy pudding on the bottom, the feathery sponge cake layer on top, and an incredibly lush cheesecake-like layer in between. It is excellent. Excellent!
MEYER LEMON BUDINO
Adapted from Delfina, courtesy of Bon Appétit
Serves 4 to 6
Ingredients:
1/2 cup plus 2 Tbsp sugar
3 large eggs, separated
1/4 cup all purpose flour
1/4 cup + 2 Tbsp fresh Meyer lemon juice
2 Tbsp finely grated Meyer lemon peel
3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons whole milk
1/4 teaspoon salt
For the mascarpone whipped cream:
1/2 cup chilled mascarpone cheese
1/2 cup chilled whipping cream
2 Tbsp sugar
1/2 tsp vanilla extract
Directions:
Preheat oven to 350 degrees F. Butter 4 to 6 ramekins. Combine 1/2 cup sugar, egg yolks, flour, lemon juice, and lemon peel in large bowl; whisk until well blended. Whisk in milk.
Using an electric mixer, beat egg whites and salt in medium bowl until frothy. Gradually add remaining 2 Tbsp sugar and beat until soft peaks form. Fold beaten egg whites into lemon mixture in 2 additions. Divide mixture among prepared custard cups. Place custard cups in roasting pan. Pour enough hot water into roasting pan to come halfway up sides of custard cups. Bake puddings until tops are golden and spring back when lightly touched, about 25 to 30 minutes (keep an eye on them—in some ovens, they’ll bake faster). Remove cups from water and let cool. Serve warm or cold with mascarpone whipped cream, recipe below.
For the mascarpone whipped cream:
Combine the mascarpone, whipping cream, sugar, and vanilla extract. Whisk until thick soft peaks form. Refrigerate for a few hours.
Oh wow. I’ve never had a budino before, but it sounds amazing (especially with Meyer lemons!). Pudding, cheesecake, and sponge cake all leave me wanting a little something else, texture-wise, when eaten alone. But I don’t think it could get much better than putting them all together! (Oh and then there’s that mascarpone cream. I die.)
I know! I was totally not expecting that third layer to form, but it makes sense, doesn’t it?
I have never heard of a budino before but it totally looks delicious! The three layers of pudding, cheesecake and sponge cake sound amazing, too.
Hi Ronja! A budino is just pudding in Italian (I think). A really easy dessert to make, but it yields wonderful results.
This is the second recipe from your blog I’ve filed under “Must Make”. Still waiting for my jar of preserved lemons to mature. Lovely!
Yes, looking forward to cracking open that jar of preserved lemons! Also, love love love the scallion noodles recipe (THE scallion noodles recipe is more like it) you featured on your blog. I try to make it whenever I have green onions in the fridge.
Hey! I remember Delifina! That’s where my sister and I ate pizza for lunch in the Mission my first afternoon in the city. It was excellent, like seriously excellent. Like best pizza I’ve ever had (maybe a second to one pizza in Naples though… ha).
That’s so funny about you and meyer lemons. Both in that you eat them like people do oranges (ahhh it’s giving me shivers just thinking about it) and how you only like meyer lemons in citrus-y desserts. I’m one of the other 5 billion people in the world who love baked lemon desserts–I think they’re my favorite kind of treat. And I love this budino. Every year my mom makes around her birthday a treat called lemon pudding cake. I think it’s the same thing as this, with the layer of spongy cake, luscious custard, and straight up pudding. It’s a good one for sure.
PS keep the citrus coming… I’ve been loving every time I see a new post from you lately on my reader because I know it’ll feature something related to citrus! Definitely not tired of them yet.
*Delfina. That spelling mistake was an accident!
My thought process for lemons never really advanced past “is this the kind with thick rind?” Who knew Meyer lemons existed?
“Less in your face” & enticing speaks my language. Something new to try.
Dealing with eggs like this can be very finnicky to me. Is it pretty newbie friendly? This looks delicious as usual though!
Hi Huy! Meyer lemons will change your outlook on citruses, I promise. (That’s quite a promise, isn’t it?) And yes, this recipe definitely rates easy—the eggs don’t cause any trouble at all. Try it!
Yum this looks delicious. I’ve never tried meyer lemons before, but if I come across them in England will definitely give this recipe a go. I love the sound of the mascarpone whipped cream too!
I’ve heard it’s just as good with plain lemons! You should give it a try.
Linda,
The bundinos were great. I had a bunch of Meyer lemons that I couldn’t resist buying and was looking for something to make. Thanks for the recipe. Also I ate one like you did (like an orange). Very delicious, sort of reminded me of eating supertart green apple. I’m looking for a recipe now to make something like the bundino in a dark chocolate with those layers of cake and pudding? Btw that whipped marscapone and cream great too!,!
Actually I looked and there are quite a few recipes online for chocolate bundino. I’ll have to try one, (+ the marscapone/whipped cream topping)
Yum, this looks divine. I have been hording some meyer lemons in the fridge (another SF gem – meyer lemons – they somehow seem very California to me)…this looks like the perfect use for them.
Thanks Joyti. Your Meyer lemons must be especially precious because it doesn’t sound like you have easy access to them. Make this! I promise you’ll love it.