Caramel Custard

My idea of the perfect dessert involves custard in any shape or form.

This rich custard gets its color and flavor from a caramelized-sugar topping. It's a great make-ahead dessert that's sure to impress any gathering.

The recipe I submit to you today is Julia Child’s crème renversée au caramel–unmolded caramel custard. You line your molds with the caramel, fill it with custard, and then bake in a water bath to ensure slow and even cooking. It can seem a little complicated but crème caramel is actually quite simple to make and it never fails to impress.

for the caramel:

•  Sugar-2/3rd cup
• Water-1/3rd cup

Add sugar and water to a heavy stainless steel saucepan and cook over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. When it starts to brown, swirl the saucepan around but do not stir. This will ensure that the sugar turns color evenly and will help wash any crystals off the side. When it is thick and a light, nutty brown, remove from heat and pour directly into molds; swirl each mold to coat evenly with the caramel.

For the custard:

• Milk-2 1/2 cups
• Sugar-1/2cup
• Eggs-3
• Egg yolks-3
• Vanilla extract-1tsp

Bring the milk to just below a simmer in a saucepan.

Gradually beat the sugar into the eggs and egg yolks in a bowl until well mixed, light, and foamy.

Continue beating while pouring in the hot milk in a thin stream of droplets.

Add vanilla extract.

Strain the mixture through a fine-meshed sieve into the caramel-lined molds.

To bake the molds, set them in a pan and pour enough boiling water around them to come halfway up the sides. Place in the bottom third of an oven preheated to 350F.

After five minutes, turn down the heat to 325F. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until the center is firm but slightly wobbly. Cooking it too long will result in a tough rather than tender custard.

Chill in the refrigerator. To unmold, run a knife between the custard and edges of the mold. Place a serving dish upside down over the mold and quickly reverse the two, and remove the mold from the custard.