Crème Caramel
Taken from Gloagburn – Recipes from a Scottish Farm by Alison Niven
Serves 6
Ingredients
- 55g granulated sugar
- 6 large eggs
- 85g caster sugar
- a few drops of vanilla extract
- 568ml milk
- 900ml round dish
Alison Niven’s book Gloagburn – Recipes from a Scottish Farm is packed full of the delicious, straightforward recipes that make the most of simple ingredients, including the oats, eggs and beef produced on the farm.
This one has been on repeat at KP HQ ever since we started work on the book: the absolute classic Crème Caramel.
Over to Alison then!
Method
This is my favourite thing to do with a half dozen fresh eggs.
I usually cook it in a 900ml round dish, but you can also use six 10cm ramekins to make individual puddings. Either way, bake the crème caramel the day before you want to eat it, then turn it out just before serving.
1 Preheat the oven to 150ºC/130ºC/gas mark 3.
2 To make the caramel, put the granulated sugar into a dry saucepan and place over a medium heat. Once the sugar starts to melt around the edges, stir it continuously until it becomes a dark golden caramel, then take it off the heat and stir in a tablespoon of water. It will sputter and thicken, so put it back on a gentle heat until smooth and runny (don’t stir at this point). Quickly pour the caramel into your un-greased dish and spread it over the base before it sets. It doesn’t matter if it’s not in an even layer – it will melt again during cooking.
3 Crack the eggs into a mixing bowl and whisk in the caster sugar and vanilla extract. Heat the milk until it is steaming, then pour it onto the eggs in a thin stream, whisking all the time so the eggs don’t curdle. Strain the custard through a sieve into the caramel-coated dish.
4 Place the dish in a large roasting tin, then pour cold water into the tin so it comes halfway up the sides of the dish.
5 Bake in the centre of the oven for 1 hour 20 minutes, or until the custard has set but still has a slight jiggle in the middle when you shake it. Leave to cool, then cover with cling “lm and put in the fridge to chill overnight.
6 When you’re ready to eat, loosen around the edges with a knife, then place a deep serving dish over the top and quickly but carefully !ip it over. Give it all a quick shake and lift off the dish. Serve with cream.
We hope you enjoy trying this delicious recipe!
Photography by Clair Irwin
