Classic Crème Caramel
Impress your loved ones and friends with this classic French dessert. My Crème Caramel is the perfect amount to serve 4 and uses just basic ingredients. It is silky smooth and so luxurious.
Ingredients
Burnt sugar caramel:
- ½ cup (100g) granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon (15ml) water
- ½ teaspoon vinegar
Custard:
- 1 cup (237ml) whole milk
- ⅓ cup (80ml) whipping cream
- 1 vanilla bean (or 1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract)
- 2 large eggs
- 1 large egg yolk
- ¼ cup (50g) granulated sugar
Instructions
- Preheat your oven to 325°F. Have ready four 3-inch round (6 oz) ramekins.
- Make the burnt sugar caramel. Pour sugar in an even layer in the bottom of a small 1-quart stainless steel saucepan. Combine water and vinegar in a small bowl and drizzle it around the inner edges of the pan. Place pot over medium to medium-high heat and cook until sugar is dissolved and mixture changes into clear syrup. Decrease heat to medium and continue to cook until mixture turns golden amber, swirling pan periodically for even coloring. Do not stir the mixture or the sugar will crystallize, and let it get deep-colored like a copper penny. Immediately and carefully pour liquid caramel into the bottom of ramekins, dividing it equally and swirling ramekins to coat the bottoms evenly; set aside until the caramel has cooled and hardened completely.
- Make the custard. Pour milk and cream into the same saucepan that you used to make the caramel (this way the excess caramel stuck to the pan will melt into the cream to give it extra flavor and there’s no waste, plus less dishes!). If using a vanilla bean massage it to soften it and loosing the little seeds inside. Split it in half lengthwise using a sharp paring knife and scrape out those little seeds from both sides. Add the seeds to the pot and then add the scraped bean/pod as well. Place pan over medium heat until it comes to a gentle simmer.
- Meanwhile, combine eggs, egg yolk and sugar in a medium bowl and whisk until smooth. Add ¼ cup (60ml) of the hot milk mixture and whisk until smooth. Gradually add another ¼ cup (60ml) while whisking constantly. This slow addition of hot milk to cool eggs is called “tempering” as it brings the egg temperature up slowly to prevent curdling the proteins. Switch to a rubber spatula (to prevent excessive air incorporation and bubble formation) and add remaining milk while stirring constantly. Stir in vanilla extract at this point if you haven't used a vanilla bean. Pour the mixture through a fine mesh sieve and into a large measuring cup or clean bowl and pour or ladle it into caramel-lined ramekins.
- Transfer ramekins to a deep glass baking dish. Add enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake for about 20 minutes until the edges are set and the center is just slightly wobbly. A knife should come out clean when inserted in the centers.
- Transfer baking dish to a wire rack and let ramekins cool completely in the water bath. Once cooled, refrigerate for at least 2 hours until completely set.
- To serve, run a sharp knife around the inside edges of the crème caramel. Place a plate serving-side-down over the ramekin and invert so that the bottom of the ramekin is facing up. Gently remove the ramekin, giggling it slightly if necessary to let the custard come loose.
