Crème Caramel

A silky, dense custard that literally melts under the spoon. The amber caramel coats the top, providing a hint of bitterness that balances the richness of the whole milk.

• Prep time: 20 min
• Cook time: 45 min
• Difficulty: Medium
• Calories: 268
• Protein: 7 g
• Carbs: 46 g
• Fat: 6 g

Ingredients

• 333.3 ml Whole milk ( liquid )
• 2.7 piece Egg ( whole )
• 166.7 g White sugar ( powder )
• 0.7 piece Vanilla bean ( split and scraped )
• 2 tbsp Mineral water ( for the caramel )

Instructions

1. Making the caramel

   In a heavy-bottomed saucepan, cook 150g of white sugar with 3 tablespoons of mineral water. Do not stir. When the caramel turns deep amber and starts to smoke slightly, pour it immediately into the bottom of the ramekins. Tilt the molds to coat the sides.

2. Infusing the milk

   Split the vanilla bean in half and scrape the seeds. Heat the whole milk with the vanilla until simmering. Turn off the heat as soon as the first bubbles appear around the edges of the pan.

3. Custard mixture

   Whisk the 4 eggs with the remaining 100g of white sugar. Pour the hot milk in a steady stream while stirring gently. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve to remove vanilla residue and ensure a perfectly smooth texture.

4. Bain-marie cooking

   Divide the cream into the caramelized ramekins. Place them in a deep baking dish filled two-thirds with hot water. Bake at 150°C. The custard is done when set at the edges but still slightly jiggly in the center like a flan.

Chef's tips

• To avoid air bubbles in the custard, do not whisk the eggs too vigorously; you want to mix them, not incorporate air.
• Chilling is mandatory: at least 4 hours so the caramel turns liquid and properly coats the custard when unmolded.

Storage

Keep for up to 3 days in the refrigerator in the ramekins. Only unmold just before serving.