← Nouns Cooking · French

Ingredients

• 140 g caster sugar
• 3 tbsp Water
• 500 ml whole milk
• 3 large eggs
• 2 egg yolks
• 100 g caster sugar
• 1 tsp Vanilla extract

Method

1. Heat the oven to 150°C (130°C fan, 300°F) and put six 150 ml ramekins in a deep roasting tin. Boil a kettle.
2. Put the caramel sugar and water in a small pan over medium heat and stir just until the sugar dissolves. Then stop stirring and boil, swirling the pan now and then, for 5–8 min until it turns a deep amber. Quickly pour into the ramekins and tilt to coat the bases.
3. Warm the milk until steaming but not boiling. Whisk the eggs, yolks, sugar and vanilla in a jug without making too much froth, then slowly whisk in the hot milk. Strain and pour over the set caramel.
4. Pour hot water into the tin to come halfway up the ramekins. Bake for 30–35 min, until the custards are set at the edges but still wobble like jelly in the middle.
5. Lift out of the water, cool, then chill for at least 4 hours or overnight.
6. To serve, run a thin knife around each custard, put a plate on top and flip over with a firm shake. The caramel will have melted into a sauce.

Tips

• Watch the caramel closely: it goes from amber to burnt in seconds.
• Bubbles or holes in the custard mean the oven was too hot; keep the water bath gentle.

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

BBC Good Food Serious Eats