Creme Caramel

Now if there's one classic French dessert I could never say no to, it's the Creme Caramel. When we were kids mom used to buy ready to make packets of Creme Caramel and we loved savouring it for the next two days. I had never thought of making it myself until recently I came across this site step by step cook. I just tried it out immediately and it turned out perfect. I also discovered that very night my husband's love for creme caramel. So now this has become the most easiest dessert in our kitchen. I know it's lenten season and I am not supposed to tempt people but I have been away from home for nearly a month and these were the last of snaps I had in my folder. So I thought I will put them up anyway. You could try them for easter and it requires very few ingredients.

I love the presentation and finesse this dessert has which makes it look royal. And it is not as tedious as we were told when we were kids ( I realise mom lied coz she knew I would ask her to make it often if it were easy). Did you know that Creme caramel is one dessert that has adapted into various versions all over the world. Creme caramel, Flan, and the Indian's Caramel custard is names creme caramel was baptized into as it travelled the world and that's why our Indian folks would look past your perfect caramelized topping and tell you " Oh you made custard". But its a lot more than just whipping up some custard powder and milk and cooling it trust me, it's much more an art to make a perfect Creme caramel. I still haven't mastered it and hope to some day. But a good recipe for creme caramel is absolutely a must for every chef and so here's mine.

Ingredients for Creme Caramel

Eggs- 4

Caster Sugar- 125 gm

Vanilla- 6 gm

Milk - 600 ml

For Caramel

Water- 50ml

Caster Sugar- 45 gm

Directions

Preheat the oven to 150 degrees. Whisk the eggs and add the milk and sugar whip it well. If you are using vanilla bean take 1/3 or the milk and add the vanilla and boil the milk. I used the essence so I did not have to heat the milk. Now lets focus on the caramel and this needs a lot of patience. Put the water and sugar into a saucepan and heat it you will notice that after the sugar melts in ten minutes or more the liquid turns brown and sticky keep stirring till you get a sticky liquid consistency. Please be careful that you don't burn the caramel else it will taste bitter so this part is a challenge indeed. Pour the caramel into ramekins. As soon as the caramel touches the bottom of the ramekins it solidifies so be quick and see that the base of the ramekin is completely covered.

 It should not look ugly when you flip the creme caramel. Now pour the creme mixture into the ramekins. Place the ramekins in a tray with water filled to  the half of the ramekins. Place this tray in the preheated oven and bake the creme caramel for 45 minutes. When  the time's up you will notice that your creme caramel has  the right consistency and is no longer the liquid form you poured initially. The creme is now set and let it rest for a while.
 
 Cool the ramekins overnight and your dessert is ready. Before serving use a knife and go around the inner rim of the ramekin before inverting it onto a plate. The instructions might make it look like a tough job but trust me the smile on your face after tilting the ramekin and seeing the final product is worth the effort and the challenge. I can never order this dessert for the exorbitant price its charged for anymore I would prefer making it home for that smile that comes on my face when I see this .