CRÈME CARAMEL

SOURCE: JULIA CHILD. THE WAY TO COOK.

On paper, the ingredients and procedures for a Crème Caramel are simple. On sight, Crème Caramel is quite a showstopping dessert finale for every meal especially when its delicate body stands with towering pride even at the expense of vigorous shaking. That being said, the best versions of Crème Caramel, such as Julia Child’s recipe, do not only include the quality and ratio of ingredients but also require patience and precision in its preparation from the caramel sauce to the custard base down to its final presentation. If done haphazardly and inattentively, the cook may end up with a disappointing dessert brought by a bitterly burnt and dense caramel sauce or a collapsible and/or porous custard. With this in mind, strict caution is necessary in controlling the caramelization of sugar, limiting the caramel alloted for the mold, stirring the eggs and scalded milk with a spoon, and cooling the custard completely ahead of serving in order to achieve the perfect Crème Caramel.

Ingredients

Caramel Sauce

3/4 cup/150 grams granulated sugar

1/2 cup/125 mL water

OPTIONAL: Pinch of salt

Custard Base

6 large eggs

5 egg yolks

3/4 cup/150 grams granulated sugar

1 quart/950 mL hot milk, preferably full-cream

1 tablespoon/15 mL or more pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste

Pinch of salt

OPTIONAL: Fresh raspberries and mint leaves for garnish

Specific Equipment

8-cup/2.0-L baking dish, preferably a 4-inch/10-cm deep charlotte or cylindrical mold

Baking dish, large enough to hold and contain the 8-cup/2.0-L baking dish

Serves 8 to 10

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 350°F/180°C.

2. Combine granulated sugar and 3 tablespoons/45 mL water in a sauce pan and bring to a simmer. Allow the water to completely dissolve the sugar, forming a syrup.

3. Raise the heat to moderately high and continue boiling the syrup for 1 minute or so. Once the syrup changes to a pale amber color, add the salt, if desired, and remove the saucepan immediately from the stove. The clear syrup will continue to darken in color due to the heat absorbed by the pan as it cools slightly for several minutes. Set the saucepan to a bath of tap water or cold water to stop the cooking.

4. Pour half of the caramel to the bottom of the 8-cup/2.0-L baking dish. Swirl the mold around to spread the caramel sauce from the bottom to halfway up the sides. Let the caramel cool and harden for several minutes.

5. Reserve the other half of the remaining caramel for serving by pouring 1/3 cup/80 mL water and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes until completely dissolved. Chill.

6. Stir the eggs, egg yolks, and sugar altogether. Gradually blend in the hot milk and continue stirring until the sugar completely dissolves into the milk. Stirring minimizes foams, and thus, prevents the custard body from appearing porous. Add the salt and pure vanilla extract or vanilla bean paste to the custard.

7. Pour the liquid custard base directly through a strainer or sieve into the baking dish molded with caramel. Skim off any bubbles floating on the top of the custard.

8. Set the baking dish in a larger baking dish, and place in the lower-middle or lower-third in the oven. Fill the larger baking dish with boiling water until the water level reaches halfway up the custard dish. Bake for 45 to 75 minutes. The custard is done when a skewer plunged from the edge comes out clean, and the center still moves slightly from shaking.

9. Remove the custard dish from the oven and its simmering water bath. Let custard settle for at least 30 minutes or chill at a longer time inside the refrigerator. Cooling to at least room temperature adds rigidity to the custard and prevents it from collapsing during unmolding.

10. Run a knife around the edges of the baking dish. Invert the serving dish over the baking dish and reverse to let the custard slide downward. Pour the reserved caramel sauce over the custard. Decorate with fresh raspberries and mint leaves, if desired.

VARIATION: Crème Caramel can also be prepared by steaming the custard in a baking dish covered with aluminum foil over a pan of simmering water for 45 to 75 minutes. Cool or refrigerate to settle the custard; unmold from the baking dish and decorate with fresh raspberries and mint leaves, if desired.