French Crème Caramel

An easy recipe for the classic French Crème Caramel. No cream but made with whole milk and egg yolks for a light, silky dessert found in many Parisian brasseries. Either served directly in their ramekins or upturned on a serving plate to show off the shiny caramel.

Ingredients

Steps

  1. Make the caramel
  2. Pour the amber caramel into 5-6 ramekin dishes (or one big dish), ensuring that it coats completely the base. Set aside to cool so that the caramel sets and immediately put the saucepan in the sink and soak in water, making it easier to clean later.
  3. Make the custard cream:
  4. Preheat the oven to 170°C/340°F/150°C fan/Gas 3. Split the vanilla pod down the middle if using. Pour the milk into a medium saucepan, adding the vanilla (or other infusions if using) and just allow the milk to heat to simmering point (not boiling). Cover and take off the heat to cool slightly and remove the vanilla pod (scraping out the seeds and adding to the milk).
  5. Whisk the eggs, yolks and sugar vigorously in a medium bowl until paler. Pour in the WARM vanilla milk (not hot - if hot, temper by adding a little at a time) and whisk gently just until combined. Leave to rest for a minute to let the foam subside.
  6. Place the ramekins or large dish into a large roasting tin lined with baking paper. Pour the warm thin custard over the caramel in each ramekin, filling near to the top. Place the roasting tin in the middle of the oven and pour in warm-hot water around the ramekins or dish so that it comes to about half or 2/3 of the way up.
  7. Bake for about 40 minutes or until set, extra 10-15 for large pan (they're not cooked properly if there's a dip in the middle. A knife inserted should come out clean). Remove from the oven carefully, and after 10 minutes, gradually remove the ramekins onto a cooling rack. When cool, transfer to the fridge and chill for at least 2 hours - ideally overnight.

https://www.madaboutmacarons.com/classic-french-creme-caramel/