French cuisine · Desserts & Sweets

Crème Caramel

Egg custard set in a water bath, served turned out so the liquid caramel runs over the edges.

Ingredients · for 6 servings

• 200 g sugar
• 60 ml water
• 600 ml whole milk
• 200 ml cream
• 1 vanilla pod
• 4 eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 80 g sugar
• 1 pinch salt

Instructions

1. Cook 200 g sugar with the water in a light-colored pot over medium heat without stirring for 8–10 min. until an amber caramel forms, and pour it immediately into six ramekins; the caramel hardens as it cools.
2. Heat the whole milk and cream with the scraped-out vanilla seeds and the pod until steaming at the edge, then remove from the heat and let steep covered for 10 min.
3. Just whisk the eggs, egg yolks, 80 g sugar and the salt together, without beating until foamy – air bubbles would leave the custard full of holes.
4. Slowly stir in the warm vanilla milk, pass the mixture through a fine sieve, skim off the foam and divide among the ramekins.
5. Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F) top/bottom heat, place the ramekins in a deep pan, pour in boiling water halfway up the sides and bake for 40–45 min. until the center still wobbles only slightly.
6. Remove the ramekins from the water bath, let cool completely and chill for at least 4 hr.; to serve, loosen the edge with a knife and turn out onto plates.