Crème Caramel
with Vanilla Bean
THE RECIPE
INGREDIENTS:
- For custard:
- 16 oz Heavy cream
- 8 oz Milk
- 1 Vanilla bean
- 1/4 cup Sugar
- 1/4 tsp Salt
- For caramel sauce:
- 1/2 cup Sugar
- From your pantry:
- 5 Eggs
ABOUT THE RECIPE:
A classic restaurant dessert, this custard has a layer of liquid caramel on top, only revealed when it’s flipped over onto the plate.
GLUTEN FREE!
These custards are 100% gluten free.
BAKING ADVICE:
BAKING TOOL HACKS
Not sure what to cook these desserts in? Any oven-safe cups for coffee or tea work perfectly. They are baked at a low temperature, so most porcelain cups can withstand the heat.
It takes just seconds for caramel to go from rich to burnt. A candy thermometer will help, but be sure not to walk away from the action! Caramel at this stage is over 300°F, so be extremely careful when handling it.
YOUR INGREDIENTS
STEP 1
Wow, you’ve got some beautiful ingredients! Once you’ve unpacked your Red Velvet kit, preheat oven to 325°F. Arrange six 6-oz ramekins in a roasting pan. In two small bowls, separate 3 eggs into whites and yolks; set aside whites (use them for another culinary adventure or whip up an egg white omelette!). Save 2 whole eggs for step 3.
STEP 2
In a medium saucepan, heat the heavy cream and milk over medium heat until scalded (small bubbles will appear on the sides of the pan). Split the vanilla bean in half lengthwise, and scrape the seeds into the cream. (Use the sharp edge of the knife to apply pressure as you glide it along the bean).
STEP 3
In a medium bowl, slowly whisk sugar for custard with 3 egg yolks and 2 whole eggs. Slowly whisk the hot cream-milk into the sugar-egg mixture. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a glass pitcher or heatproof measuring cup, and discard solids. Stir in the salt and set aside.
STEP 4
Make caramel. In a small saucepan, add sugar (for caramel). Carefully add enough water (1 to 2 tablespoons) to *just* dissolve the sugar; set over high heat. After a few minutes, the mixture will come to a furious boil; several minutes later, water will evaporate and sugar will boil intensely, finally starting to brown. Stir continuously with a heatproof spatula (use silicon or wood so it does not melt) to ensure sugar colors evenly. Once the sugar has started to caramelize, watch it CAREFULLY . It can go from caramel to chars in a second!
STEP 5
Very carefully, pour hot caramel into the ramekins. Divide it evenly so that each ramekin is covered with a thin layer of dark brown caramel. It will harden VERY quickly, so work fast. (It’s OK if the caramel doesn’t cover the entire bottom of each ramekin but it should be mostly covered).
STEP 6
Pour custard into caramel-lined ramekins; fill roasting pan with warm water halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake until just set, 25 to 35 minutes. Carefully remove pan from oven and let ramekins cool in the water bath. Remove, cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 2 days before serving. To serve, run a thin knife (non-serrated) around the edge of each custard cup and invert onto a plate, allowing it to fall out gently. Scrape any additional caramel sauce from the ramekin onto the plated custard.
