Tag Archives: eggs

Crème caramel – Serves 2
Caramel is used to make sweet dishes such as oranges in caramel and crème caramel which is a creamy custard cooked on top of a layer of caramel.
DO NOT TASTE THE CARAMEL AS IT IS SO HOT IT WILL BURN!

Ingredients
Caramel
50g sugar
2 tablespoons water
Custard
2 eggs
10g caster sugar – 2 teaspoons
½ teaspoon vanilla extract
200ml whole milk

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 150°C/Gas 2. Use 2 ramekin dishes or 2 oven proof tea cups to cook the custard.
2. Make the caramel. Heat the sugar and water in a saucepan, stirring until the sugar dissolves. Boil without stirring until the sugar turns dark brown.
3. Pour the caramel into each of the ramekin dishes and leave to cool. Take care as it is very hot!
4. Whisk the eggs, sugar and vanilla extract with a whisk until smooth. Beat in the milk.
   Strain into a measuring jug then pour into each of the ramekins.
5. Put the ramekins in a roasting tin which is half filled with boiling water. This is called a bain marie.
6. Cook for 20-30 minutes in the oven until the custard is set.
7. Cool before serving. Chill in the fridge if possible. Loosen the edges of the custard, cover with a plate and tip out onto the plate with the caramel topping.

The science bit

Sugar turns brown as it is made into caramel which adds a strong flavour to the recipe.
During heating, the protein in the eggs and milk sets, coagulates and forms a matrix through the mixture which makes the soft custard.