Crème Caramel
It's easy to get tired of mediocre crème caramel when eating frequently in lesser restaurants in France. But then one comes across a really fine one and appreciates what all the fuss is about. Here's Julia's version for which I supply some hard-won advice. It's one of my favorites (of course!). Makes 8 8oz ramekins.
- 1/2 cup sugar
- 3 eggs
- 3 egg yolks
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
- Preheat oven to 350°.
- [Dad follows Julia's technique but I have substituted an alternative that I find more reliable.] To make the caramel that lines the bottom of each ramekin, spread 1/3 cup of the sugar in a sturdy skillet over high heat. Reduce heat to medium when the sugar starts to melt (it can take a while), and add sugar in 1/4 cup increments to the melting areas. (You can stir if you want.) When all the sugar is almost melted, stir and take off heat. Spoon into the ramekins.
- Bring the milk to just below a simmer with tiny bubbles around the sides.
- Combine the yolks, eggs, sugar, and vanilla with a whisk in a large bowl. Warm the eggs witha little hot milk and then pour the rest in.
- Divide the mixture among the ramekins, filling to the top. Then place the ramekins in a bath of boiling water in a baking pan. (If the water is less than boiling, it will throw off the timing.) Turn the oven down to 325° and bake in the water bath for 30-40 minutes (depending on the size of the ramekins). A knife should come out clean.
- The crèmes are served at room temperature by turning them out onto shallow plates. The liquid caramel will flow into a very pretty puddle surrounding the custard.
Comments (0)
You don't have permission to comment on this page.