Posted on Friday, 29th July 2011 by Grace
What do you make for dessert when your air conditioner is on the fritz in the middle of a heat wave? – A simple Italian dessert, Budino alla Vaniglia dressed up with a layer of Gelatina di Mirtilli (Blueberry Jelly) and topped with a fresh summer Salsa di Mirtilli with Crème de Cassis (Blueberry Sauce). Blueberries are at their best here in Ontario. The berries are plump with a deep rich colour and so sweet and juicy.
Blueberries are one of my favourite fruits. I purchase flats and flats of them during the growing season and freeze for use all year round. The kids always complain after the summer season because the freezer is full to the brim with jams, berries and vegetables. I have a huge freezer but there never seems to be enough room.
I know the frozen fruits available at the grocery stores are really very good but it always tastes so much better when I harvest the season with my own two hands, does that make sense? It’s funny the kids never complain when they are enjoying the taste of summer in December.
I think I may have mentioned that growing up we didn’t enjoy dessert on a daily basis it was generally saved for special occasions and holidays. But fresh fruit and ice cream were always in abundance and of course we enjoyed amazing Italian pastries from the bakery once a week. The one treat I do remember enjoying was Vanilla Pudding (Budino).
I drove my Mom crazy I’m sure because I recall pulling on her apron the entire time she was preparing the pudding and asking, e’ fatto (is it done)? And I could never wait for it to cool; I loved it piping hot. The only thing that could make the pudding taste even better was if my Mom decided to add chocolate – the anticipation was almost too much to handle.
Fast forward all these years later and a simple pudding is still one of my favourite indulgences (piping hot of course!). But now I’m always on the hunt for quick and easy desserts to serve especially when I’m hosting a family get together.
These mini desserts are quick and easy to prepare, you can double, triple and in my case sextuple the recipe and best of all – the preparations can be done a day or two ahead of time.
Just before serving, pop the puddings out of the moulds and top with Blueberry Sauce. You can also bypass the moulds and layer the separate dessert elements in glasses.
These make for a perfect summer dessert highlighting seasonal berries. But don’t save Budino just for summer, during the winter months you could layer these mini desserts with a Budino al Caffè (coffee pudding) or Budino al Cioccolato e Cannella (chocolate and cinnamon).
Budino may be a simple Italian pudding but it’s a simple, mouth-watering, rich and creamy pudding!
Vanilla Pudding with Blueberry Jelly and Blueberry Sauce {Budino alla Vaniglia con Gelatina di Mirtilli e Salsa di Mirtilli}
Makes 8 125 ml or 4¼ ounce (5 X 5 X 5 – cm or 2 X 2 X 2 – inch) servings
- Vanilla Pudding {Budino alla Vaniglia}
- Blueberry Jelly {Gelatina di Mirtilli}
- Blueberry Sauce {Salsa di Mirtilli}
Vanilla Pudding {Budino alla Vaniglia}
- 9 g gold gelatine leaves
- 350 ml (about 12 ounces) heavy cream, 35%
- 200 ml (6¾ ounces) whole milk
- Vanilla bean, split and seeded
- 4 large egg yolks
- 100 g (¼ + 3 tablespoons) caster (superfine granules) sugar
- Soften gelatine sheets in a small bowl of cold water, 10 to 15 minutes.
- In a small saucepan bring cream, milk, vanilla bean and seeds just to the boil over medium heat.
- Remove from heat, cover and allow steeping for 10 to 12 minutes.
- Remove softened gelatine sheets from water, squeeze out any excess water and add sheets to the hot cream mixture; stir to completely dissolve gelatine sheets.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together the egg yolks and sugar until pale in colour.
- Gradually pour the cream mixture, whisking constantly, into the egg mixture.
- Pour hot cream mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a pourable container (discard solids).
- Pour cream-egg mixture into moulds, filling ¾-full, and refrigerate to set, about 4 hours.
Blueberry Jelly {Gelatina di Mirtilli}
**Prepare jelly when vanilla pudding has set.
- 3 g (2 sheets) gold gelatine sheets
- 550 ml (1 pint or 18.6 ounces) fresh blueberries
- 44 ml (3 tablespoons) water
- 56 g (¼ cup) caster (superfine granules) sugar
- To soften gelatine sheets, place in a small bowl of very cold water, about 15 minutes.
- Place blueberries, water and sugar in a small saucepan. Cook over medium heat until sugar dissolves.
- Remove from heat; press blueberry mixture through a fine mesh sieve into a small bowl. (You should have 1-cup blueberry mixture – if not, top up with a little warm water).
- Remove softened gelatine sheets from water; squeeze out any excess water and add gelatine sheets to blueberry mixture. Stir until gelatine is completely dissolved.
- Spoon blueberry mixture on top of set vanilla pudding and return to refrigerator to set jelly, about 6 hours, preferably overnight.
Blueberry Sauce {Salsa di Mirtilli}
- 200 g (about 8 ounces or 1 cup) fresh blueberries, divided
- 28 g (2 tablespoons) caster (superfine granules) sugar
- 30 ml (1 ounce or 2 tablespoons) freshly squeezed orange juice
- 1/4 vanilla bean, seeded
- 1 teaspoon orange zest
- ½ tablespoon Crème de Cassis
- Place 125 g (about 4½ ounces) of blueberries, sugar, orange juice, vanilla bean and seeds, and orange zest into a small saucepan. Cook over low heat, 2 to 3 minutes.
- Remove from heat; gently stir in remaining blueberries and Crème de Cassis.
- Pour into a small bowl; let cool. Refrigerate until ready to use.
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Tags: after school treat, afternoon tea, blueberries, blueberry, blueberry jelly, blueberry sauce, blueberry topping, dessert, desserts, food, food photography, food photos, fruit, fruit desserts, individual dessert, individual desserts, Italian dessert, Italian desserts, mini desserts, pudding, quick desserts, Summer desserts, vanilla
Posted in Baking & Pastry, Baking Mise en Place, Custards, Creams & Mousses, Eggs, Fillings, Frostings & Dessert Sauces, Recipes
Comments (26)
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July 29th, 2011 at 2:37 pm
What kind of mold did you use? I would love to try these.
July 29th, 2011 at 4:54 pm
Hi Nancy, I just bought a bunch of new silkiomart silicone flex moulds from Design Realisation, when the box arrived you’d think I was a kid at Christmas. I will email you the link.
July 29th, 2011 at 4:57 pm
Looks Delicious! You know, it kind of looks like a blueberry cheesecake! That’s what I thought it was before I read the title !
July 29th, 2011 at 5:00 pm
Too funny Julia when I was looking at the pics this morning I thought the same thing. Looks very similar to blueberry cheesecakes I made a little while back.
July 29th, 2011 at 5:09 pm
This looks amazing! I love any dessert that includes blueberries so I’m sure I’d enjoy this.
July 29th, 2011 at 5:24 pm
Everything you make is artistically sooo beautiful!!!
July 29th, 2011 at 5:25 pm
Those look divine! OMY! (oh my yum)
July 29th, 2011 at 5:51 pm
Blueberries are one of my favorite fruits too & this pudding is a great way to use them!
July 29th, 2011 at 7:13 pm
Thank you Kathleen, you’ve made my day!
July 29th, 2011 at 8:46 pm
What a stunning dessert, with the dark blueberry sauce on top of the white vanilla pudding. I buy blueberries for as long as they’re in season.
July 29th, 2011 at 9:27 pm
Forget the delicious dessert which my family would totally devour … I want to steal that gorgeous spoon!!
July 29th, 2011 at 9:31 pm
oh gosh Grace – LUUUUVVVVVV this dessert!!! i can’t seem to get enough of these babies during the summer – can’t wait to try my hand at making this one!
July 29th, 2011 at 10:02 pm
Rachel that’s my $2 find at the flea market, couldn’t believe how lucky I was that day. Too funny you mentioned the spoon I’ve been on the net all night trying to find unique dessert spoons, they are so hard to come by.
July 29th, 2011 at 10:02 pm
Jeanette are you as obsessive as me in harvesting?
July 29th, 2011 at 10:57 pm
Where in Ontario are you!
I was born and raised in Paris, Ontario
July 29th, 2011 at 11:00 pm
We are so close, I’m in London.
July 30th, 2011 at 4:12 pm
Such a great dessert, the blueberries are so PLUMP! Your pictures are stunning!
July 30th, 2011 at 5:17 pm
Gorgeous dessert!
July 31st, 2011 at 4:34 pm
Grace….these are just visually stunning desserts! I love, love, love blueberries…so I imagine how sweet and rich these are! I love that spoon! And your photography is amazing! : )
August 1st, 2011 at 2:36 pm
I love the layers! So beautiful…..
August 2nd, 2011 at 12:01 pm
Fantastic flavor combination and elegant presentation.
Bravo!
August 7th, 2011 at 8:03 pm
Thanks Grace for such a lovely treat
August 7th, 2011 at 9:36 pm
hey Grace these are great!! Thanks!!
Pd.. Its not la mia vita dolce but la mia dolce vita, just in case you want to change that
August 7th, 2011 at 11:27 pm
Hi Annie – thanks – “La Mia Vita Dolce” can be termed both ways, would have preferred the other way around but it was already taken – I was a little too late to the draw.
August 15th, 2011 at 9:23 pm
That looks very rich. And very tasty too!
January 25th, 2012 at 11:46 pm
Wow! Such a yummy recipe, loved the photos!!