A popular
dessert. Consists of a semi-solid
custard, topped with
caramel, and served cold. Often
garnished with
strawberries,
fresh cream and/or
ice cream.
The recipe is fairly easy. Here is one that I use that serves four. What you will need for the caramel:
What you will need for the custard:
You will also need 4 ramekins (or other oven-proof containers, about 1 cup in size). And an oven, preheated to 170 degrees Celsius (that's 375 Fahrenheit for our American friends). And a baking pan. And a sieve.
Fill the baking pan with water. Start with the caramel. Put the sugar in the saucepan and put it on high heat. Add the water. Mix until the sugar dissolves. Watch it carefully ... the sugar will turn to caramel very quickly. When it starts to go light brown, stick it in the baking pan; this will stop it cooking any more and turning into an icky black mess. Get the ramekins and pour the caramel into them and turn the ramekins on their side and turn them so that the whole ramekin gets an even coat of the caramel.
Now, put the milk, cream and vanilla bean in the saucepan and bring to a simmer. In the mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, yolk and 4 tbsp sugar. Then gently mix in the milk-cream vanilla mix (but recant it so the vanilla bean stays in the saucepan). Then pour the stuff in the mixing bowl into the ramekins through a sieve. Then put these in the oven for 40 minutes.
Finally, take them out and let them cool. Then put them in the fridge for two hours.
To serve, remove from fridge (duh!),and invert the ramekins. You may have to run a knife along the edge to loosen it. It should come out onto the plate, with the creme caramel oozing nicely all over the top and sides. You should end up with four of the buggers.
Yummy!