This is a creme caramel recipe to make creme caramels.  Often referred to as crème au caramel, caramel crème or crème dessert, this custard recipe looks and tastes fantastic.

Ingredients – Serves 2

• 2 large fresh eggs
• 200ml full fat milk
• 25g caster sugar
• A few drops vanilla extract
• 100g granulated sugar
• 2 tablespoons cold water
• A touch butter, for greasing

Getting everything ready

1. Lightly grease the moulds with a touch of butter.
2. Make the caramel.  Place the granulated sugar into a small clean saucepan and add the cold water.  Place on the hob over a medium heat and bring to the boil.  Continue to boil gently until the sugar begins to turn a light golden colour and starts to caramelise.  Use an old pastry brush and a touch of cold water to brush around the inside of the saucepan from time to time top avoid the sugar from caramelising on the sides of the saucepan.
3. Remove from the heat and pour a little caramel into each of the moulds and allow them to cool and set.  Take extra care when making caramel, as it gets very hot.
4. Pre-heat the oven to 160°C (Gas Mark 3).

Method

1. Pour the milk into a clean saucepan, add a few drops of vanilla extract and place on the hob over a low heat to warm.
2. Meanwhile, break the eggs into a clean bowl, add the caster sugar and whisk well together.
3. Carefully whisk the warm milk into the eggs and sugar.
4. Pass through a fine strainer into a clean jug.
5. When the caramel has set, pour the custard into the moulds, place them into an ovenproof dish and half fill it with warm water to make a bain marie.
6. Place the dish into the pre-heated oven and bake for about 35 minutes or until the mixture is set and firm to touch.  Do not allow the water in the dish to boil or the crème caramels may end up full of holes.
7. When cooked, remove the creme caramel from the oven, take out of the bain marie and allow to cool.  Then place the creme caramel in the fridge to chill.
8. When you are ready to serve, run a small knife around the edge of the moulds, place a plate on top of the mould and turn it upside down.  With a little shake, the crème caramels should escape freely from the moulds onto the plates.

Creme caramel – hints and tips

Any caramel that remains in the moulds can be drizzled around the plates.

Take lots of care when making caramel as it gets very hot.