› Browse Recipes › Special Diplomat Pudding (Croissant Bread Pudding) for Entrepreneurs

by Victor Heredia

recipe medium Peruvian

Special Diplomat Pudding (Croissant Bread Pudding) for Entrepreneurs

A refined diplomat pudding (budín diplomático) made with leftover croissants, cream cheese blended into milk, candied fruit, and six eggs. Baked in a bain-marie at low temperature and served with chantilly cream and caramel sauce — a classic French recipe adapted for a Peruvian entrepreneurship context.

25m Prep

50m Cook

4h 50m Total

6 Servings

budin-diplomatico diplomat-pudding croissant cream-cheese postre dessert french emprendimiento negocio bain-marie candied-fruit chantilly aprovechamiento

Ingredients

Caramel

150 g White sugar (for caramel)
50 g Water (for caramel)
1 g Lemon juice (for caramel) (A small amount to prevent crystallization)

Pudding Base

210 g Croissants (Day-old or 2-day-old croissants (approximately 2 croissants). Torn or cut into pieces.)
100 g Cream cheese (Any brand of your preference)
600 g Whole milk (UHT) (Heated with cream cheese and sugar until cheese dissolves)
70 g White sugar (for custard) (Important: must be white sugar, not brown)
6 g Vanilla essence (1 teaspoon. If using a whole vanilla pod: split, scrape seeds, and add both seeds and pod to the warm milk.)
6 units Eggs (whole) (Approximately 370g — beaten and strained before adding)
100 g Candied fruit (frutos confitados) (Mixed candied fruit; can substitute with or combine with raisins)

Serving

Whipped cream (chantilly) (For serving) optional
Caramel sauce or toffee sauce (For serving alongside) optional

Steps

1

Make the caramel: combine 150g white sugar, 50g water, and 1g lemon juice in a saucepan over medium heat. Watch carefully — swirl occasionally but do not stir. Cook to a light golden amber. Heat a round mold (approx. 18–20cm) until warm, then pour in the caramel. Swirl with a cloth to coat the sides as well as the base. Allow to cool and set.

Tip: Pour caramel into a warm (not cold) mold — caramel hitting a cold mold crystallizes immediately. Coat the sides as well as the base for a better unmold.

~10 min
2

Tear or cut 210g croissants into pieces and place in a bowl. In a saucepan, gently heat 600g whole milk with 100g cream cheese, 70g white sugar, and 6g vanilla essence. Stir with a whisk until the cream cheese is fully dissolved and the mixture is smooth — it does not need to boil, just warm through.

Tip: Use a balloon whisk (varilla) to help break up and dissolve the cream cheese evenly. If using a whole vanilla pod, add it now and bring to one boil to infuse fully.

~8 min
3

Pour the warm milk-cream cheese mixture over the croissant pieces. Use the whisk to gently break apart the croissant and help it soak fully into the milk mixture.

Tip: Pouring the warm milk over the croissant first also lowers the temperature of the liquid before adding the eggs — preventing the eggs from scrambling.

~3 min
4

Beat 6 eggs (about 370g) in a bowl until combined. Strain through a fine sieve to remove any shell fragments or membranes. Add the strained beaten eggs to the croissant mixture. Stir gently but thoroughly.

Tip: Always strain the eggs — it only takes a second and guarantees no shell gets into the pudding.

~3 min
5

Pour half the croissant mixture into the caramel-lined mold. Add 100g candied fruit (distributed evenly). Pour the remaining mixture on top to fill to the rim.

Tip: Layering the candied fruit in the middle ensures they are distributed throughout the pudding rather than sinking to the base.

~3 min
6

Place the mold in a deep baking tray. Add boiling water to the tray to create a bain-marie — place a piece of wet cardboard or a cloth under the mold to prevent direct metal contact. Bake at 140°C (simple oven with heat from below only) for 30 minutes. Test with a metal skewer — if it comes out wet, lower temperature to 120°C and cook for 20 more minutes (total 50 minutes).

Tip: Use boiling water in the bain-marie (not cold) so the pudding starts setting immediately from the moment it enters the oven.

~50 min
7

Remove from oven. Rest at room temperature for 10–20 minutes, then refrigerate for 3–4 hours minimum until fully cold. To unmold, run a knife around the edges and flip onto a plate.

Tip: It is essential that the pudding is fully cold before unmolding. Warm pudding will break.

~230 min
8

Serve sliced with a dollop of chantilly cream and a drizzle of caramel or toffee sauce.

~3 min

Nutrition (per serving)

350

Calories

Protein

45g

Carbs

15g

Fat

Fiber

Cultural Context

The diplomat pudding (budín diplomático) is a classic French dessert made from leftover croissants and pastry cream. In Peru it has been adopted into the chifería and bakery dessert repertoire. Victor Heredia presents it as a superior evolution of the standard bread pudding — using croissants (or day-old croissants) for a flakier, richer texture. The addition of cream cheese to the custard gives it a distinctive creaminess. It is presented here as a high-value item for an entrepreneurship dessert menu, as croissants are widely available and the added cream cheese signals quality.