Home > Comfort Food Recipes > Chill Out Desserts > Baked Caramel Custard
Baked Caramel Custard
Ingredients
250g/9oz/1¼ cups granulated sugar
1 vanilla pod or 10ml/2 tsp vanilla essence (extract)
425ml/15fl oz/1¾ cups double (heavy) cream
5 large eggs, plus 2 extra yolks
Thick cream and fresh strawberries, to serve
Details
Serves: 6
Method
1. Put 175g/6oz/generous ¾ cup of the sugar in a small heavy pan with just enough water to moisten the sugar. Bring to the boil over a high heat, swirling the pan until the sugar is dissolved completely. Boil for about 5 minutes, without stirring, until the syrup turns a dark caramel colour.
2. Working quickly, pour the caramel into a 1 litre/1¾ pint/4 cup soufflé dish. Holding the dish with oven gloves, carefully swirl the dish to coat the base and sides evenly with the hot caramel mixture. Work quickly as the caramel soon sets and becomes hard. Set the dish aside to cool.
3. Preheat the oven to 160°C/325°F/Gas 3. With a small sharp knife, carefully split the vanilla pod lengthways and scrape the black seeds into a pan. Add the cream and bring just to the boil over a medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Remove the pan from the heat, cover and set aside for about 20 minutes to cool.
4. In a bowl, whisk the eggs and egg yolks with the remaining sugar for 2-3 minutes until smooth and creamy.
5. Whisk in the hot cream and carefully strain the mixture into the caramel-lined dish. Cover tightly with foil.
6. Place the dish in a roasting tin and pour in just enough boiling water to come halfway up the side of the dish.
7. Bake the custard for 40-45 minutes until just set. To test whether the custard is set, insert a knife about 5cm/2in from the edge; if it comes out clean, the custard should be ready.
8. Remove the soufflé dish from the roasting tin and leave to cool for at least 30 minutes, then place in the fridge and chill overnight.
9. To turn out, carefully run a sharp knife around the edge of the dish to loosen the custard.
10. Cover the dish with a serving plate and, holding them together very tightly, invert the dish and plate, allowing the custard to drop down on to the plate.
11. Gently lift one edge of the dish, allowing the caramel to run down over the sides and on to the plate, then carefully lift off the dish. Serve with thick cream and fresh strawberries.
VARIATION:- For a special occasion, make individual baked custards in ramekin dishes. Coat 6-8 ramekins with the caramel and divide the custard mixture among them. Bake, in a roasting tin of water, for 25-30 minutes or until set. Slice the strawberries and marinate them in a little sugar and a liqueur or dessert wine, such as Amaretto or Muscat wine.
Energy 622Kcal/2587kj; Protein 9.6g; Carbohydrate 44.8g, of which sugars 44.8g; Fat 46.4g, of which saturates 26g; Cholesterol 386mg; Calcium 98mg; Fibre 0g; Sodium 103mg
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