Tallulah’s Kitchen… Creme Caramel
Hello my fellow foodies and welcome to August’s edition of The Listing.
This month I would like to share with you a recipe for a much loved, yet often forgotten, timeless desert. Minimum effort is require for preparing and cooking this dish, it benefits from being made the day before it is required and can be dressed up with whipped cream, fruit etc. or can simply be enjoyed for the classic dessert it has always been.
Crème caramel
For 6 portions you will need
500 ml milk
50g caster sugar
3-4 drops of Vanilla extract
4 eggs from happy, healthy and free running hens.
For the caramel
100g caster sugar
125ml water
- Let’s begin by preparing the caramel. Place 3/4 of the water into a thick bottomed saucepan, add the sugar and heat gently without shaking or stirring the pan.
- You are looking for a steady boil once the sugar has dissolved. Keep your eyes on the bubbling mix as the transformation from clear bubbling liquid to rich caramel loveliness is almost instant once it reaches the correct temperature. Once you have the caramel colour, take off the heat and carefully add the remaining water and bring back to a boil until the sugar and water have mixed. Now pour this mixture equally between the six ramekins.
- Next the crème. So, while the milk is gently warming, whisk together the sugar, eggs, and vanilla essence in a heat proof bowl. Once the milk is warm, whisk it over the egg mixture and then pour this in the the caramel bottomed ramekins.
- Now place the ramekins into a deep roasting tin and pour boiled water into the roasting tin to height approximately half way up the side of the ramekins.
- Take care popping the tin into a moderate oven ( between 130°- 150°C) and cook for approximately 30 minutes until the top only has the slightest of wobbles when pressed.
- Remove from the oven and leave to cool completely before chilling in the fridge.
- When you are ready to serve, loosen the edges of the “custard” and stand the base of the ramekin in boiling water for 30 seconds, remove, shake gently, place the upturned serving plate/bowl on top of the ramekin, and invert swiftly! You may find some caramel remains in the ramekin so scrape it out on top of the crème caramel and let the golden stickiness run down the side of the dessert. Enjoy as is, or with lashings of cream or my personal favourite- slices of fresh orange. The choice, dear reader, as always is all yours.
Until next time my fellow foodies…
Tallulah Le Fey
