Authentic Crème Caramel Recipe France, Europe
JUMP TO RECIPEWe strongly advise you to read the cooking tips before jumping to the recipe though
Introduction & history
Just like its kindred dish, crème brûlée, crème caramel is a showcase for the elegance of classic French cooking. Also known as flan or caramel pudding, this dessert is made of custard with a layer of soft, liquid caramel on top, while crème brûlée has a crispy caramel topping that needs to be broken down with a spoon. The preparation process starts by boiling whole milk with a scraped vanilla pod and sometimes even sugar. After the milk has cooled, the vanilla pod is removed, and the milk is boiled once again to lock the flavor. In the next stage, the custard is made by mixing sugar with whole eggs and egg yolks and pouring in the vanilla-flavored milk. The custard is then strained and set aside, and in the meantime, caramel is prepared by melting sugar in some water until it reaches 180°C/350°F and a golden-brown hue. A thin layer of hot caramel is poured in ramekins — small, single-portioned ones are most ... Read more
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Cooking tips
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eggs
Eggs serve as a binding agent: since the proteins, they contain coagulate when exposed to heat, the finished custard will achieve a gel-like texture. Additional egg yolks will add richness to the custard, but some recipes use only whole eggs. -
milk
Rich in fat, whole milk is essential to this recipe since skimmed milk will not absorb enough flavor from the vanilla pods. The longer you keep the vanilla pods in the milk, the better, and the optimal results are achieved if the pods are left to soak in milk overnight. -
caramel
Making caramel is probably the most sensitive and scientific part of the process: a cooking thermometer might come in handy. Sugar melts at 160°C/320°F and forms a caramel at 180°C/350°F — it will decompose beyond 210°C/430°F. To make soft caramel, heat caster sugar and water in a heavy-based saucepan over medium heat, controlling the temperature. Before becoming caramel, sugar has six different cooking ... Read more -
bain-marie
To prepare the bain-marie, simply put some hot water in a baking pan and place ramekins in it. They should not touch and have enough space in between because the ramekins tend to spread slightly during baking. -
ramekins
Single portion ramekins are the most elegant way to serve crème caramel. You can butter them slightly to make releasing the crème caramel easier, or run a thin knife along the sides of the ramekins before turning the crème caramel upside down to a dessert plate.
Recipe variations
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Le Petit Larousse's Classic Crème Caramel
Ready in 1d 3hAdapted from the website Cuisine Larousse, this recipe suggests preparing the crème caramel in small, individual containers. It is best to prepare it a day before serving since the vanilla-flavored milk needs to cool for 12, and the crème caramel itself for 12 more hours. The key to a silky texture of the custard lies in straining it through a thick mesh, so all the lumps are left behind.
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Crème Caramel with Forest Fruit and Coconut
Ready in 4h 45minThis simple recipe gives a twist on the classic crème caramel by combining it with forest fruits, kiwis, and dried bananas, with a sprinkle of desiccated coconut. For an express version, you can use store-bought liquid caramel and cook the crème in a microwave oven for 10 minutes on the lowest setting.
Le Petit Larousse's Classic Crème Caramel
PREP 25min
COOK 3h
RESTING 24h
READY IN 1d 3h
Adapted from the website Cuisine Larousse, this recipe suggests preparing the crème caramel in small, individual containers. It is best to prepare it a day before serving since the vanilla-flavored milk needs to cool for 12, and the crème caramel itself for 12 more hours. The key to a silky texture of the custard lies in straining it through a thick mesh, so all the lumps are left behind.
Ingredients
Classic Crème Caramel
1 L (4 cups + 3 tbsp) whole milk
3 vanilla pods
4 whole eggs
3 egg yolks
350g (1 ¾ cups) sugar (200g/1 cup for custard and 150g/3/4 cup for caramel)
60 ml (1/4 cup) water
Preparation
Classic Crème Caramel
Split and scrape the vanilla pods, place them in milk and bring to boil. Let cool for 12 hours.
Remove the pods and boil the milk once again.
To prepare the custard, whisk whole eggs with 200g (1 cup) sugar in a large bowl for 30 seconds. Add the egg yolks and whisk again. Finally, pour in boiled vanilla-flavored milk without stirring. Strain and let stand for 15 minutes.
Preheat the oven to 150°C/300°F.
To prepare the caramel, mix the remaining sugar and water and cook until you reach a golden, auburn color. To stop the cooking immediately, simply immerse the pan in a container filled with ice water.
Quickly line the ramekins with a fine layer of caramel and slowly pour in the custard. Bake in a bain-marie for 3 hours.
Cool at room temperature, then cover and place in a refrigerator for 12 hours. Turn ramekins upside down and gently release the crème caramel by tapping the top of the ramekins.
Other Variations
-
Crème Caramel with Forest Fruit and Coconut
Ready in 4h 45minThis simple recipe gives a twist on the classic crème caramel by combining it with forest fruits, kiwis, and dried bananas, with a sprinkle of desiccated coconut. For an express version, you can use store-bought liquid caramel and cook the crème in a microwave oven for 10 minutes on the lowest setting.
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