Bunet Recipe

4.95 from 37 votes

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Bunet is the ancient pudding similar to a chocolate creme caramel. The word means "cap" (in Piedmont) because the copper mold that once used to cook it looked very much like a cap. Over the years the recipe has evolved and now includes chocolate which once wouldn't have been used.

Prep Time30

Cook Time40

Chilling4

Total Time5 10

Servings: generous serves

Author: Marcellina

Equipment

1 large loaf or bread pan Approximately 10 x 4 ½ inches (25 x 11cm)
1 baking pan with high sides This should be large enough to comfortably fit the loaf pan.

Ingredients

For the caramelized sugar

½ cup (100 grams) granulated sugar
3 tablespoons (45 ml) water

For the chocolate pudding

7 ounces (200 grams) crunchy Amaretti cookies (reserve a few cookies for serving)
3 cups (720mls) whole milk
6 tablespoons cocoa powder
5 eggs
1 egg yolk
¾ cup (150 grams) granulated sugar
⅓ cup (80ml) sweet Marsala wine (See notes for alternatives)

Instructions

For the caramelized sugar

Have ready a large bread pan that is approximately 10 x 4 ½ inches (25 x 11cm). A slightly smaller or larger pan will still work.
Place the sugar and water into a medium saucepan. Stir over low heat until the sugar dissolve. Take care not to splash sugar crystals up onto the sides of the saucepan.
Stop stirring when the sugar has dissolved and increase the heat to medium. Boil without stirring until the sugar caramelizes. Be very careful! This melted sugar is very hot!
Pour the caramelized sugar into the bottom of a long loaf pan. Using oven mitts to protect your hand, swirl the pan around so the bottom and a little way up the side is coated. Set the loaf pan aside to cool

For the chocolate pudding

Preheat the oven to 300ºF/150ºC. Have the carmelized sugar lined loaf pan ready as instructed above.
Crush the amaretti cookies in a food processor. Alternatively put them in a heavy-duty plastic bag and crush with a rolling pin. Set aside
Heat the milk and cocoa powder in a saucepan over medium-high heat until just before it boils - you will see steam rising from the milk. Stir in crushed amaretti cookies to combine. Cool slightly.
In a large bowl, beat together the eggs, egg yolk, and sugar. Try not to incorporate any air. This doesn't need to be light and fluffy.
Pour the warm milk mixture slowly into the beaten eggs and sugar, whisking all the time. Then the Marsala wine.
Use a ladle to spoon the mixture onto the caramelized sugar in the loaf pan.
The bunet is baked using a bain marie or water bath baking. To do this, place the loaf pan containing the bunet into a large, high sided baking pan. Add boiling water (it must be boiling) to the baking pan until it comes at least halfway up the sides of the loaf pan.
Carefully transfer the baking pan to the preheated oven and bake for 1 hour.
Once cooked, remove the bunet from the boiling water and cool to room temperature. Cover with plastic wrap then chill in the fridge for at least 4 hours or overnight

To serve

Run a small knife around the bunet pressing against the edge of the pan to avoid cutting into the pudding. Give the pan a little shake to loosen the bunet.
Place a oblong serving plate with a raised edge on top of the loaf pan. With both hands, hold the plate in place over the loaf pan and flip the two so that the loaf pan is on top of the serving plate. The bunet should just slide out. If it doesn't give it a bit of a shake.
Decorate with reserved Amaretti cookies.

Notes

To make an alcohol free version, substitute sweet Marsala wine with extra milk plus two teaspoons of vanilla extract.
Sweet Marsala wine can also be substituted with 3 tablespoons of dark rum (or Amaretto liqueur) plus 1/3 cup whole milk.
Substitute the sweet marsala wine with 1/4 cup strong coffee and 1/4 cup of extra milk.

Tips for Success

Take care when making caramelized sugar. The melted caramel is extremely hot. Don't leave it unattended and keep a bowl of iced water nearby in case hot melted sugar splashes on you.
Pour the caramelized sugar immediately into the loaf pan and swirl it around protecting you hands with oven mitts.
Use a hand whisk or immersion blender to combine the bunet ingredients.
Alternatively, you can crush the Amaretti cookies in a food processor or put the cookies in a heavy duty plastic bag and crush them with a rolling pin.
Use boiling water to fill the baking pan for the bain marie.
Take the loaf pan out of the boiling water once the bunet is done. If left in the bain marie, the bunet will continue to cook.

Nutrition