Rich, eggy custards are baked in ramekins that have been coated with a delectable layer of caramel for a delightfully sweet dessert. Pictured with our Lemon-Almond Sablés.
Crème Caramel
Serves: approximately 6
Ingredients
- 1 cup granulated sugar, divided
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 teaspoon fresh lemon juice
- 3 large egg yolks
- 2 large eggs
- ⅛ teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cup whole milk
- 1 cup heavy whipping cream
- 1 teaspoon vanilla extract
- Garnish: edible jasmine flowers*
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 300°. Lightly coat 6 (4-ounce) tall-sided ramekins** with cooking spray. Wipe out excess spray. Place ramekins in a deep baking dish with tall sides. Fill a large heatproof bowl with ice.
- In a medium sauté pan, stir together ½ cup sugar, 2 tablespoons water, and lemon juice until combined. Cook over medium-high heat until mixture is a medium amber color, 3 to 4 minutes. Working quickly, remove pan from heat and place on top of ice in prepared heatproof bowl to stop caramel syrup from cooking. (Cool for only a very brief time so that syrup does not harden.)
- Divide syrup among prepared ramekins, making sure bottoms of ramekins are completely covered.
- In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks, eggs, and salt until combined. Add milk, cream, vanilla extract, and remaining ½ cup sugar, whisking until sugar dissolves.
- Using a fine-mesh sieve, strain egg mixture into a large liquid-measuring cup with a pouring spout. Divide egg mixture among prepared ramekins, covering caramel syrup.
- Carefully fill baking dish with boiling water halfway up sides of ramekins. Cover baking dish with foil.
- Bake until custards are somewhat firm but centers are jiggly and a tip of a knife inserted in centers comes out mostly clean, approximately 80 minutes**. Using tongs, carefully transfer ramekins to a wire rack. Let cool completely. Place ramekins in a covered container and refrigerate overnight.
- When ready to serve, run the tip of a small knife around edges of each custard. Dip ramekins for a few seconds into a bowl of very hot water, so water comes halfway up sides of ramekins, to release custards. Place a dessert plate over each ramekin then invert so that custard drops onto plate with syrup.
- Garnish each serving with edible flowers, if desired. Serve immediately.
Notes
* We used edible jasmine flowers from Gourmet Sweet Botanicals, 800-931-7530, gourmetsweetbotanicals.com.
**We used Le Creuset 2-inch-tall (4-ounce) ramekins. If shallower ramekins are used, baking time will be less.
**We used Le Creuset 2-inch-tall (4-ounce) ramekins. If shallower ramekins are used, baking time will be less.
