The Ultimate Creme Caramel Recipes

CREME CARAMEL

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Place eight 4-ounce ramekins in a large roasting pan. Add 4 tablespoons water to a small pot. Add 1 cup sugar and stir to dissolve. Cook over medium-high, swirling occasionally, until caramel begins to turn amber, 6 to 8 minutes. Working quickly, divide caramel between ramekins, swirling ramekins to coat bottoms evenly, set aside.
• In a medium pot, heat milk over medium until hot, but not boiling. In a medium bowl whisk together whole eggs and yolks, salt, and remaining 1/2 cup sugar. While whisking, ladle some milk into the egg mixture. Whisk in remaining milk, one ladle at a time. Strain through a fine sieve into a large liquid measuring cup, and stir in vanilla. Divide custard evenly among ramekins.
• Transfer roasting pan to oven. Add enough boiling water to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Bake until custards are just set, about 35 minutes.
• With tongs, remove ramekins from hot water and let cool slightly. Cover and refrigerate until cold, at least 3 hours (or up to 3 days). To unmold, run a sharp knife around inside of each ramekins and invert onto a serving plate, gently shaking to release.

CHEF JOHN'S CREME CARAMEL

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees F. Lightly spray 4 heatproof 6.5-oz. ramekins with vegetable spray. Place ramekins in a casserole dish.
• Place 1/2 cup sugar in a small, heavy, dry skillet over medium heat. When sugar begins to melt around the edges, gently shake the pan continually, swirling sugar around, until all the sugar melts; don't use utensils to stir. When sugar is completely melted and dark brown, remove the pan from heat.
• Quickly pour equal amounts of caramel syrup into the 4 prepared ramekins.
• Place 1 egg and 3 egg yolks in a bowl with a pinch of salt and 1/4 cup sugar. Whisk until sugar is dissolved and mixture becomes frothy, about 1 minute.
• Spoon the creme fraiche into the egg mixture; add the milk, vanilla, and Grand Marnier. Whisk together until ingredients are completely mixed.
• Ladle mixture into the prepared ramekins, filling them about 2/3 to 3/4 full.
• Fill casserole with hot tap water to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Place casserole on middle rack of preheated oven.
• Bake until just barely set, 45 to 50 minutes. You can start checking for doneness at about 40 minutes.
• Using tongs, remove the ramekins from the casserole to a cooling rack. When just slightly warm, run a sharp paring knife around the edge of each custard.
• To unmold, cover ramekin with a small plate, then invert. Chill before serving.

CRèME CARAMEL

Steps:

• Scald the milk with the vanilla in a large saucepan over low heat. Remove from the heat and let sit, covered, for 30 minutes.
• In a separate saucepan, prepare caramel for an 8-cup mold: Combine 3 tablespoons water, the lemon juice, and 1/2 cup sugar and cook over medium-high heat until golden. Watch carefully that it doesn't become too dark and burn, as it may taste bitter.
• Carefully pour the caramel into the mold, tilting the mold to fully coat the bottom and sides. Let sit until the caramel hardens, about 2 minutes.
• Preheat the oven to 300°F.
• Whisk together the eggs, yolks, the remaining 1 cup sugar, and the salt in a large bowl until the mixture is pale yellow and thick enough to coat a spoon or spatula.
• Pour the scalded milk mixture into the egg mixture and mix well with a wooden spoon to make a custard.
• Using a fine metal kitchen strainer, carefully strain the custard mixture into the caramelized mold.
• Place the mold in a larger pan more than 1 inch deep. Set the larger pan on an oven shelf, and fill with at least 1 inch of water, until it comes halfway up the mold.
• Bake for 60 to 75 minutes, until the custard is set. (You'll know it's ready when a knife inserted in the center comes out clean.) Remove the pan and mold from the oven and set the mold outside the larger pan to cool for 2 hours.
• Refrigerate for at least 8 hours, or overnight. When ready to serve, run a knife around the edges of the mold. Cover the mold with a deep serving dish and overturn the mold. Allow the caramel to coat the custard. Cut into portions before serving, then serve some of the crème caramel with cream.

CREME CARAMEL

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 325 degrees F.
• Arrange the ramekins in a roasting pan or baking sheet.
• Using a stainless steel pan, combine the turbinado sugar with the water, swirl to blend and heat until it forms a clear syrup. When the sugar and the water have "melted" together completely, raise the heat and watch as the caramel darkens slightly, amber in color. Remove from the heat and immediately divide the caramel evenly between the 8 ramekins. Try to have all the caramel on the bottom of each ramekin and not so much on the sides. Set aside.
• In a bowl, whisk together the eggs, granulated sugar and salt. In a medium pot, over medium heat bring the milk to a gentle simmer. Add the vanilla and pour it slowly over the egg mixture, whisking to blend. Distribute the liquid evenly between the 8 ramekins. Put at least 1 1/2 inches of water in the bottom of the roasting pan or baking sheet so it makes a "water bath" for the custards as they cook. Put the roasting pan in the center of the oven and bake until they are firm in the center, 45 to 55 minutes. Allow to cool for 30 minutes and then refrigerate until serving.
• When the custards are completely cool, run a knife around the top edge of each ramekin and turn the ramekin upside down on the plate. When you lift it, the caramel at the bottom will pour over the custard and form a delicious pool on the plate, which makes for a fun presentation.