Ingredients:
Caramel
- 160g sugar
Custard
- 6 medium eggs
- 1 tsp vanilla essence
- 25g caster sugar
- 600ml full-fat milk
Method
- Pre-heat oven 150C. Warm the ramekins in the oven, so they are warm when the caramel is poured in.
- Pour the sugar and six tablespoons of water into a clean stainless steel pan.
- Dissolve the sugar slowly, stirring with a wooden spoon over a low heat.
- When there are no sugar granules left, stop stirring and boil until the sugar turns a dark copper colour.
- Remove immediately from the heat to ensure the caramel does not burn. Quickly pour the caramel into the warmed ramekins.
- Set aside to cool and become hard. (Do not put in the fridge because the sugar will absorb moisture and go soft and tacky).
- Once hard, butter the sides of the ramekins above the level of the caramel.
- For the custard, whisk the eggs, vanilla extract and caster sugar together in a bowl until well mixed.
- Pour the milk into a saucepan, gently heat over a low heat until you can still just dip your finger in for a moment, then strain the milk through a fine sieve onto the egg mixture in the bowl.
- Whisk together until smooth, then pour the mixture into the prepared ramekins.
- Stand the ramekins in a roasting tin and fill the tin half-way with boiling water from a kettle.
- Cook in the oven for about 20-30 minutes or until the custard has set. Do not overcook the custard – check around the edges of the dishes, to make sure no bubbles are appearing.
- Take the crème caramels out of the oven, remove the ramekins from the tray and set on a cooling rack. When cool, transfer to the fridge overnight so that the caramel is absorbed into the custard.
- To serve, loosen the sides of the custard by tipping the ramekin and loosen with a small palette knife round the edges. Place a serving dish on top of the ramekin and turn upside down.
