Crème Caramel Recipe
Crème Caramel is a classic French dessert featuring a smooth, creamy custard topped with a rich, golden caramel sauce. This elegant treat combines a delicate baked egg custard with a perfectly caramelized sugar topping, making it a timeless favorite for special occasions or a sophisticated finish to any meal.
- Prep Time: 15 minutes
- Cook Time: 1 hour
- Total Time: 1 hour 15 minutes plus chilling time
- Yield: 8 servings 1x
- Category: Dessert
- Method: Baking
- Cuisine: French
Ingredients
Scale
Caramel
- 1 cup granulated sugar
Custard
- 5 large eggs
- 3 cups whole milk
- 2 teaspoons vanilla extract
- 1/2 cup granulated sugar (for custard)
Instructions
- Melt Sugar: In a medium skillet over medium heat, melt half of the sugar (1/2 cup) while stirring occasionally and swirling the pan. Continue heating until it turns into a medium amber brown syrup, then remove from heat immediately to prevent burning.
- Pour Caramel: Quickly pour the hot caramel equally into 8 buttered ramekins, swirling each to coat the bottoms evenly. The caramel will harden as it cools, creating the caramel base for the custard.
- Whisk Custard: In a large bowl, beat the eggs with the remaining 1/2 cup sugar until the mixture lightens in color and is well combined. Gradually whisk in the milk and vanilla extract until smooth and uniform.
- Fill Ramekins: Carefully distribute the custard mixture among the caramel-lined ramekins, filling each almost to the top.
- Bake: Place the ramekins in a large baking pan and pour hot water into the pan to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins, creating a water bath (bain-marie). Bake in a preheated oven at 300°F (150°C) for about 60 minutes, or until the custards are set but still slightly jiggly in the center.
- Chill and Serve: Remove the ramekins from the water bath and allow them to cool to room temperature. Then refrigerate for several hours or overnight. To serve, run a knife around the edge of each custard to loosen it, then invert onto dessert plates so the caramel sauce flows over the custard.
Notes
- Using whole milk ensures a creamy texture, but you can substitute with half-and-half for an even richer custard.
- Be careful not to burn the caramel; remove from heat as soon as it reaches a golden amber color.
- Make sure the water bath is hot before placing it in the oven to ensure even cooking.
- Allow the custards to chill thoroughly to firm up and develop flavor before unmolding.
- Butter the ramekins before pouring the caramel to help with unmolding the dessert easily.
Keywords: Crème Caramel, caramel custard, French dessert, baked custard, caramel sauce, classic dessert
Find it online: https://thefoodrecipe.com/creme-caramel-recipe/
