Creme Caramel

Crème caramel, flan, or caramel pudding is a custard dessert with a layer of soft caramel on top, as opposed to crème brûlée, which is pudding with a hard caramel top. The dish is eaten throughout the world. (Source: Wiki) Rich. Smooth. Silky – sums up this recipe. I’ve adapted this recipe from Ricardos Cuisine and the addition of cream gives it that wonderfully rich luscious texture that just melts away with every spoonful.

This recipe is delicately sweet and bitter-sweet caramel cuts into the silken custard creating that much needed balance. Using a good vanilla extract, preferably with seeds (like a vanilla bean paste) is important and I have explained the recipe as much as I could. Please leave your questions if any. Its a easy recipe, please take care to read the entire recipe before making this.

Caramel

Heat Sugar and water for the Caramel

Amber stage

Dark Amber

Place ramekins in a deep tray so it can hold water for baking

The caramel takes a while to go amber. But Keep an eye on it as it will burn very quickly. As soon as the bubbles disappear take it off the heat and pour into ramekins.

Custard

Heat the milk and the cream till it reaches the boiling stage. Remove from heat.

Pour a ladleful of the milk-cream liquid into the beaten egg, sugar, vanilla mixture. Keep whisking. Add another ladleful gradually till the liquid is all used up. Its important to gradually add at the beginning not to cook the eggs , and no, we don’t want scrambled eggs.

Heat the Cream and Milk till it reaches almost boiling point

Beat the eggs with a whisk

Add the sugar to the eggs

Spoon in ladlefuls of milk and cream into the egg mix

Keep whisking between milk-cream additions

Whisked mixture ready to be poured

Pour into ramekins

Place ramekins in a Water-Bath and bake

Without the caramel?

Place ramekins in a deep tray so it can hold water for baking

Add the sugar to the eggs

Spoon in ladlefuls of milk and cream into the egg mix

Keep whisking between milk-cream additions

Whisked mixture ready to be poured

Pour into ramekins

Place ramekins in a Water-Bath and bake

Specks of Vanilla seeds

Without the caramel?

Recipe :

Custard:

Full cream Milk : 300 ml

Thick Cream : 200 ml

Sugar : 1/4 cup (It is mildly sweet, add more if you want it more sweet)

Eggs : 3

Vanilla : 1.5 tsp (If using paste 3/4 -1 tsp), a vanilla bean would be perfect

Caramel

Sugar : 1/2 cup

Water : 2 tbsp

Method:

Arrange the ramekins in a deep dish so that you can add the water later on. You will need around 6 ramekins (6 x 125 ml)
Make the caramel first by heating the sugar and water. The Sugar will bubble away and then turn amber. Keep an eye on this since it will quickly burn (smokey) resulting in a bitter caramel. Ideally we are looking for a slightly dark amber. Remove from heat and pour into ramekins. Let it cool. Butter the sides of the ramekin. I have used stainless steel as well slightly buttered on the sides and has given me the desired results.
To make the custard, heat the milk and cream till it reaches Boiling point. I have used boiled milk brought to a almost boiling point with the cream
In another wide-mouth bowl whisk away the 3 eggs, sugar and vanilla. Whisk till the sugar is dissolved.
Now pour in a ladleful of the hot liquid while whisking away. Take care to add the liquid gradually till its used up
If using vanilla bean, you may require straining the mixture. I didnt.
Pour this into the prepared ramekin gently.
Pour hot water into the deep dish gently till it fills half way through.
Bake in an oven at 175 for about 30-35 mins. Check if set after about 30 mins. A slight wobble is perfect. Remove and chill for at least 4-5 hours