Happy New Year! It’s hard to believe we’re at the beginning of 2017! Wasn’t it just Y2K yesterday? Time flies when you’re having fun, as they say. And we did have fun in 2016!
Crème Caramel has been on my bucket list for a long as I can remember. I seem to recall it being really popular in the 1980’s but I haven’t seen it on a menu in a really long time. It’s a light-tasting, creamy baked custard with a surprise when you turn it out on a plate: deliciously moreish caramel oozes over the out-turned dessert. It’s classy looking and it’s super easy and I’m going to bet that you will love it. I referred to this Martha Stewart recipe because, as luck would have it, I had two egg yolks that needed to be used. I also reduced the recipe to make 3 ramekins because that’s what I needed for a dinner party. Martha’s recipe makes 8 servings so if you need more, feel free to use her original proportions. I also used slightly larger ramekins (250 mL or 1 cup size) but filled each one about 120 mL or 1/2 cup of the custard.
Crème Caramel
Makes about 360 mL (about 1 1/2 cups) custard (3 or 4 servings)
Ingredients:
- 2/3 cup sugar, divided
- 1/8 tsp lemon juice
- 1 tbsp water
- 1 large egg
- 2 large egg yolks
- 350 mL (~1 1/2 cups) unsweetened cashew milk (I use this brand)
- pinch of salt
- teaspoons pure vanilla extract
Directions:
- Preheat the oven to 325° F (165° C). Place a large, high-sided pan into the oven and fill about half way with warm water.
- In a heavy bottom saucepan, add 1/3 cup sugar, lemon juice and water and mix well. Place pan over medium-high heat and melt the sugar without stirring until it reaches a beautiful amber colour. Remove from heat and pour evenly into each ramekin. Set aside.
- In a double boiler, combine the eggs, cashew milk, salt and vanilla extract and whisk over simmering water until slightly thickened and warm.
- Pour into prepared ramekins evenly. Place ramekins into the pan in the oven and add more water so it reaches about two-thirds up the side of the ramekins. Bake for about 45 minutes or until the custard has set.
- Remove from the water bath and allow to cool. Place in the refrigerator so that the custard sets up (a couple of hours should do).
- To serve, carefully run a thin knife around the edge and place a plate face down over the ramekin and flip. You may need to give the ramekin a bit of a jiggle to release the custard. Serve as is or with raspberries and whipped cream.
Notes:
- I used cashew milk because I had some on hand from recipe testing, but in all honesty, I would do it again! Cashew milk is less than a quarter of the calories and less than half of the fat of 2% milk! And the flavour was spot on.
- Feel free to use almond milk or even coconut milk for taste variation, with same quantity.
- If you use coconut milk instead, consider making coconut caramel by using coconut sugar (a simple substitution will work just fine or use double of this recipe).
Like me, you’re posting some excellent retro recipes in need of a comeback! I haven’t had a creme caramel for years. I do remember them being very popular in the early 80’s and then along came creme brulee. Interesting how you used cashew milk – I wouldn’t have thought to have done that so thanks for the inspiration xx
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Happy New Year, Eva! Beautiful crème caramel! I use almond milk quite often in desserts and find it really delicious. I’m very curious about the cashew nut milk… I have never had it.
I should make crème caramel one day at home because what French restaurants and my family serve is so sickly sweet… It has really put me off trying this dessert at home.
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Happy new year to you too Sissi. I had not heard of cashew milk either but because I had to do a recipe test in mid-December, I had 2 litres left-over! The nut milk works very well for desserts and I was quite surprised to see the calorie count less than regular milk. The caramel does add a certain sweetness but it’s not as bad as some desserts and you can certainly control the sugar in the custard.
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Happy 2017 to you! xxx I made your lovely recipe & Peter, I & my friends all loved it so much! xxx
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Thank you kindly Sophie, I’m so happy to read that!
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Wishing you a wonderful new year. I always enjoy your posts. xxoo Ruth in Pittsburgh
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Thanks so much, Ruth. I wish you and yours a very happy 2017 too!
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Creme caramel is always something for me. I never tried to make it myself though. Your recipe might change that. Thanks!
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Thank you for your comment Cecilia, and welcome to my blog. It’s really quite an easy dessert to make, the most difficult part is waiting for it to set in the refrigerator.
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I had some egg yolks leftover and I should have made this dessert! A very happy 2017 to you. I can see that your year started off deliciously 😉
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Thank you Lorraine, I’ve been wanting to make them forever. A delicious new year is the perfect way to start!
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Happy new year Eva! Nothing more satisfying than working through those bucket list items especially when things turn out this well. Your caramel looks so gorgeously creamy and delicious. Cashew milk sounds perfect here (I was just swooning over a recipe for hazelnut milk last night in Angela Liddon’s new cookbook… have to try that one soon).
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Hi Kelly, happy new year to you and your lovely family. Hope you had a chance to come back up North to visit with your loved ones this Christmas.
Yes, it feels quite satisfying for sure, knocking off those bucket list items! I had not thought about using the nut milk for desserts because we don’t have any dairy sensitive people, but I love that they have fewer calories to help balance the dessert bit. I’ll definitely keep it in mind for the future, although it’s unfortunate that it’s only available in 2L size and it’s about $8.00!
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Looks delicious..
xx
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Thank you for your comment Zorica, welcome to my blog!
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I had extra yolks, and I thought: heavy-yolk omelette with chili on top! But I wish I’d thought of this instead. I haven’t had creme caramel in ages, and I love it.
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Hi Jeff, welcome to my blog. It’s a totally retro dessert but was extremely well received. Most of us have good childhood memories of creme caramel!
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I’m just the right age to get a bit misty-eyed when someone mentions creme caramel. I don’t think I’ve eaten one since about 1989, but time has not withered my enthusiasm for its gently jiggling charms. GREG
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Thank you for your lovely words, Greg. It definitely is a classic dessert.
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Love this dish. And I don’t remember the last time I made it. It’s been ages — possibly since Y2K! Happy New Year!
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Happy New year to your John, hope you had a lovely time off. I hope you do make it again soon, it’s a classic dessert.
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You are so right! Y2K was last year, wasn’t it? Certainly seems like it.
I’ve always loved crème caramel but it’s been ages since I’ve prepared it. I was reading your post and gazing upon your lovely photos, asking myself. “Why?” every bit of the way. I know part of the reason it that unless I’ve guests, I do not need to have a half-dozen crème-filled ramekins in my fridge waiting for me. You’ve solved that problem for me. Following your recipe, I can satisfy my newly-acquired cravings for crème caramel and send the couple that remain to the boys upstairs.
I did smile, though, when I read that you thought “crème caramel” when you had extra yolks. When I finished baking amaretti, I, too, had egg yolks to spare but I thought, “pasta”. 🙂
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Thank you for your kind words, John. I have become an expert in sizing down recipes, even baking; that’s why I prefer metric measures and weights, so much easier to divide into fewer portions. You know how much I adore pasta, but it has not been my friend over the years (or should I say my hips’ friend), although I do make it from time to time, I have disciplined myself not to think of it first. But it does creep in from time to time.
PS I LOVE ameretti!
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I’ve never been a fan of creme caramel, Eva. I think it was years of getting the horrible things off the yoghurt shelves. I’m sure a homemade one would be soo much nicer.
These have the perfect consistency too. Perfect.
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Hi Dave, I’ve actually never heard of store-bought creme caramel! Is it the caramel you don’t like or just the texture of the ‘horrible things’? Thank you for your kind words.
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It’s things like this that make me wince.
https://www.google.co.uk/search?q=creme+caramel+tesco&espv=2&biw=1440&bih=716&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiDmKPEyKvRAhXKXhoKHfgHBuAQ_AUIBigB&dpr=1#imgrc=0_0tlm9tpDk0PM%3A
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OMG! Seriously? That actually scared me. I can’t even imaging how chemically that tastes. No thank you!
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The caramel lover in me definitely approves! And your lightened up recipe is perfect for the new year!!!
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Thank you so much Liz, it was a perfect end to a meal.
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Ooooh, cashew milk, nice. I might try with almond milk at some stage. Lovely, thank you Eva and happy new year xxx
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Hi Lizzy, thank you for your kind words. The almond milk one would be wonderful, I’m sure.
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Love this recipe using nut milk…and the caramel sauce is totally irresistible.
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Thank you kindly Angie, it was really the perfect application. I will try using nut milks more in the future!
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A great dessert. I remember the first time I made a family sized one and my dad snagging most of the caramel. Now I made individual ones … no fighting for the caramel sauce. 🙂
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Hi Maria, it sure is an old fashioned dessert but it still hits the spot. I really like making smaller, individual desserts instead of having a bunch left over from dinner parties, plus those caramel fights are wicked!
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LOL … my dad had a crazy sweet tooth so it wasn’t surprising. I should have never let him serve himself.
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My Dear Dad had a sweet tooth too, sadly I cannot recall if he had the opportunity to try crème caramel before he passed.
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It was funny that my dad liked sweet and my mom liked savoury. I like both but mostly savoury. 🙂
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My parents were pretty the same. I mainly stick with savoury.
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