Crème Caramels

Hey Everyone,

So, a classic pudding this week, the crème caramel! For those who don't know what this is, a crème caramel is a custard dessert, cooked in a bain-marie with a soft caramel topping - the complete opposite to a crème brulée which has a hard caramel top. Of course, I'm sure that you already knew that because (according to Wikipedia) the crème caramel is eaten worldwide!
So, if it's eaten across the world, have any of you tried making one? Whilst the shop bought ones taste great, and are certainly more convenient, I feel that a homemade crème caramel is the far better option!

Crème Caramels - From "Desserts" in "The Big Baking Collection"

Makes 6

Ingredients -

• 600ml Full-Fat Milk
• 1 Vanilla Pod, split lengthways and deseeded
• 225g Golden Caster Sugar
• 2 Whole Eggs, plus 4 Egg Yolks

1. Preheat the oven to 150°C/300°F/Gas 2. Pour the milk into a heavy based saucepan, add the vanilla pod, and very gently bring to the boil. Turn off the heat, cover the pan with lid and leave for 20 minutes. This is to give the vanilla pod time to infuse with milk while it cools.

2. Add half of the sugar to another heavy-based pan, then pour in 75ml of cold water. Slowly bring to the boil for about 15 minutes until the liquid turns a dark golden caramel. Pour this into ramekins, or use larger ones if making fewer crème caramels.

3. Put the remaining sugar with eggs and egg yolks into a bowl and whisk until well combined and the sugar has dissolved. Discard the vanilla pod and pour the cooled milk into the egg mixture, then briefly whisk again and pour through a sieve into the ramekins. Sit the ramekins in a deep ovenproof dish, pour in boiling water to come two-thirds of the way up the sides of the ramekins, and cook for one hour.

4. Remove this dish from the oven, leaving the ramekins in the hot water for 30 minutes to continue setting. Then leave to cool and chill overnight in the fridge. Turn out and serve.

Please Enjoy!!!