Brandied Caramel Custard Recipes

EASY CARAMEL CUSTARD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Mix 1 tablespoon water into 1/4 cup sugar in a heavy saucepan over medium heat until sugar is completely moistened. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until the sugar and water form a golden brown syrup, about 5 minutes. Do not stir. Remove from heat and let boiling subside. Carefully stir 1 tablespoon hot water into caramel syrup.
• Whisk milk and 5 tablespoons sugar together in a saucepan over low heat; heat just until warmed and sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and whisk eggs into milk mixture. Pour caramel syrup into an 8x8-inch baking dish. Pour egg-milk mixture over syrup. Place pan into a larger baking dish and pour enough water into outer pan to reach about 1/2 inch up the sides of the inner pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until custard has set, about 45 minutes. Let cool for about 10 minutes; chill in refrigerator before serving.

SALTED CARAMEL CUSTARD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300 degrees F (150 degrees C). Place 6 (6.5 ounce) ramekins in a baking dish.
• Place sugar evenly in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over medium heat. Without stirring, allow sugar to slowly melt around the edges of the pan, about 5 minutes, adjusting heat as necessary. When edges start to bubble, shake and swirl pan to dissolve remaining sugar but without stirring it. Keep pan moving until you have a clear, dark caramel, about 10 minutes. When sugar is completely dissolved, whisk in cream; caramel will cool into a lump; this is normal. Keep stirring over medium heat until caramel melts and mixture comes up to temperature and sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat
• Stir in kosher salt, vanilla, and cold milk; mix well.
• Place egg yolks in a large mixing bowl. Whisk in a ladleful of caramel/milk mixture to the yolks. Add 2 more ladlefuls, one at a time. Then mix in the remainder of the caramel/milk mixture to the yolks, whisking until thoroughly blended.
• Divide custard mixture evenly among the ramekins. Carefully pour into the baking dish enough water so that it comes halfway up the sides of the filled ramekins.
• Bake in preheated oven until custard is set and the top of custard jiggles evenly across the surface, 45 to 60 minutes (depending on the size of your ramekins and how full they are). If the center seems looser than the edges, continue to bake another minute or so.
• Transfer ramekins to a cooling rack; cool to room temperature. Cover ramekins with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 1 hour until they are very cold.
• Serve topped with a pinch of light, flaky sea salt.

BAKE-AHEAD CARAMEL CUSTARDS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Set a kettle of water to boil.
• Make caramel: In a medium saucepan, combine 1/2 cup sugar and 1 cup water. Cook over medium-high, stirring, until sugar has dissolved. Continue to cook, without stirring, until syrup turns golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Carefully add half-and-half (mixture may clump and sputter); simmer, stirring constantly, until smooth. Remove from heat.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks, remaining 1/2 cup sugar, vanilla, and salt until pale yellow and thick. Stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, gradually add caramel. Skim any foam from surface of custard mixture.
• Divide mixture among six 6-ounce ramekins or custard cups. Line a baking pan (just large enough to hold ramekins) with a dish towel; place ramekins on dish towel. Transfer to oven, and pour enough boiling water into pan to come halfway up sides of ramekins; cover pan loosely with foil.
• Bake custards just until set but slightly wobbly, 40 to 45 minutes. Carefully remove ramekins from pan. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 4 hours (or, covered, up to 3 days). Garnish with toffee before serving.

CARAMEL CUSTARD

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Heat 1/2 cup sugar in heavy 1-quart saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, until sugar is melted and golden brown. Divide sugar syrup among six 6-ounce custard cups; tilt cups to coat bottoms. Allow syrup to harden in cups about 10 minutes.
• Mix eggs, 1/3 cup sugar, the vanilla and salt in medium bowl. Gradually stir in milk. Pour over syrup in cups. Sprinkle with nutmeg.
• Place cups in rectangular pan, 13x9x2 inches, on oven rack. Pour very hot water into pan to within 1/2 inch of tops of cups.
• Bake about 45 minutes or until knife inserted halfway between center and edge comes out clean. Remove cups from water. Cool 30 minutes. Cover and refrigerate until serving or up to 48 hours.
• To unmold, carefully loosen side of custard with knife or small spatula. Place dessert dish or plate on top of cup and, holding tightly, turn dish and cup upside down. Shake cup gently to loosen custard. Caramel syrup will run down sides of custard, forming a sauce.

CARAMEL CUSTARD

Steps:

• In a large heavy saucepan, cook and stir 3/4 cup sugar over low heat until sugar is melted and golden. Pour into eight 6-oz. custard cups, tilting to coat bottom of cup; let stand for 10 minutes. , In a large bowl, beat the eggs, milk, vanilla and remaining sugar until blended but not foamy. Pour over caramelized sugar. , Place the cups in two 8-in. square baking pans. Pour very hot water in pans to a depth of 1 in. Bake at 350° until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 40-45 minutes. Remove from pans to cool on wire racks. , To unmold, run a knife around rim of cup and invert onto dessert place. Serve warm or chilled.

BURNT-CARAMEL CUSTARDS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 300°F. Place cream in a medium saucepan; scrape in seeds from vanilla bean and add pod. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Remove from heat; set aside.
• Bring 3/4 cup plus 2 tablespoons sugar and 2 tablespoons water to a boil in a small saucepan over medium-high heat, stirring to dissolve sugar. Boil, swirling pan occasionally and brushing down sides of pan with a wet pastry brush, until mixture turns a deep amber color, about 4 minutes; remove caramel from heat.
• Remove vanilla pod from cream; discard. Slowly add cream to caramel (mixture will bubble vigorously). Heat over medium heat, stirring occasionally, until smooth, about 2 minutes.
• Whisk egg yolks, kosher salt, and remaining 2 tablespoons sugar in a large bowl. Slowly stream in caramel cream, whisking constantly. Divide custard among eight 6-ounce ramekins or ovenproof bowls and place in a kitchen towel-lined large baking dish or roasting pan. Fill pan with water to come halfway up sides of ramekins. Bake until custard is just set but still jiggly in the center, 60-70 minutes. Remove ramekins from baking dish; place on a wire rack and let cool. Chill custards, uncovered, at least 3 hours.
• Top custards with whipped cream and sprinkle with sea salt.
• DO AHEAD: Custards can be made 2 days ahead; cover and keep chilled.

CARAMEL CUSTARDS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Heat sugar and water in a saucepan over medium-high heat, swirling occasionally, until deep amber, about 7 minutes. Carefully whisk in milk and cream.
• Whisk together yolks, vanilla, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Slowly pour caramel-milk mixture into yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Skim any bubbles from the top. Divide evenly among four 6-ounce ramekins.
• Set ramekins in a 9-inch square baking dish. Pour boiling water into dish to come a third of the way up sides of ramekins. Bake until custards are just set but jiggle slightly, 27 to 30 minutes. Remove from water using tongs. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.

BRANDIED CARAMEL CUSTARD

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees
• Mix one-half cup of sugar with the water in a heavy saucepan, preferably nonstick. Cook over medium-high heat until the sugar has dissolved and turns a rich amber color. Pour the caramel into the bottom of a four- to five-cup baking dish, tilting the dish so the caramel coats the bottom evenly.
• Beat the eggs and egg yolks together. Beat in the remaining onehalf-cup sugar, the nutmeg and cardamom. Stir in three tablespoons of the brandy, the milk and cream. Pour the mixture into the baking dish, place in the oven and bake 20 minutes.
• While the custard is baking, mix the remaining tablespoon of brandy with the raisins. After the custard has baked for 20 to 25 minutes, scatter the brandied raisins over the top of the custard. They will sink in.
• Continue baking the custard 15 to 20 minutes longer, until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.
• Allow the custard to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate at least six hours or overnight. To unmold, run a knife around the edges and unmold onto a plate that has a rim to catch the caramel syrup.

BRANDY CUSTARD

Steps:

• Bring milk and cream to the boil in a saucepan.
• Whisk together egg yolks, sugar and cornflour.
• Pour milk and cream mixture over egg, sugar and cornflour mixture slowly, whisking to combine.
• Pour mixture back into the saucepan and heat gently, whisking regularly.
• Mixture should thicken within 5 minutes. Don't allow mixture to boil.
• Once thickened, remove from heat.
• Add brandy and whisk through to combine.
• Serve immediately or allow to cool a little before covering with plastic food wrap and storing in the fridge.

CARAMELIZED BAKED CUSTARDS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. In a saucepan, heat cream and liqueur until bubbles form around sides of pan; remove from heat. In a large bowl, whisk eggs, egg yolks and 3/4 cup sugar until blended but not foamy. Slowly stir in hot cream mixture. Stir in vanilla., Place six 6-oz. broiler-safe ramekins in a baking pan large enough to hold them without touching. Pour cream mixture into ramekins. Place pan on oven rack; add very hot water to pan to within 1/2 in. of tops of ramekins., Bake 20-25 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean; centers will still be soft. Immediately remove ramekins from water bath to a wire rack; cool 10 minutes. Refrigerate until cold., To caramelize topping with a kitchen torch, sprinkle custards evenly with remaining sugar. Hold torch flame about 2 in. above custard surface and rotate it slowly until sugar is evenly caramelized. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 1 hour., To caramelize topping in a broiler, place ramekins on a baking sheet; let stand at room temperature 15 minutes. Preheat broiler. Sprinkle custards evenly with remaining sugar. Broil 3-4 in. from heat 5-7 minutes or until sugar is caramelized. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 1 hour.

BRANDIED CARAMEL SAUCE

Steps:

• Stir sugar and 2/3 cup water in heavy medium saucepan over medium-low heat until sugar dissolves. Add lemon juice. Increase heat and boil until deep amber, brushing down sides of pan with wet pastry brush and swirling pan occasionally, about 10 minutes. Remove pan from heat. Stir in remaining 1/4 cup water (mixture will bubble vigorously). Cool 5 minutes. Mix in brandy. (Can be made 2 days ahead. Cover; refrigerate. Rewarm before serving.)