Crème Caramel – The Classic French Dessert Made Simple

Crème Caramel

By Sergio Boulanger

Crème Caramel is one of the most elegant yet surprisingly easy desserts to make at home. Silky vanilla custard with a deep amber caramel sauce—it’s a staple of French pastry, and you don’t need a fancy kitchen to make it work.

If you’ve ever struggled with caramel that hardens too fast, custard that turns grainy, or getting the perfect smooth texture without bubbles, don’t worry—I’ll share a few tricks to help you master this classic.

Step 1: Make the Caramel

Ingredients:

• 1¼ cups (250 g) sugar

Method:

1. Prepare a cold-water bath

   • Fill a medium bowl with cold water. This will be used to stop the caramel from overcooking later.

2. Melt the sugar in stages

   • Add half of the sugar to a small heavy saucepan over medium heat. Stir continuously with a wooden spoon until it starts melting.

3. Incorporate the remaining sugar

   • Once the first portion is melted and smooth, add the remaining sugar and continue stirring.

   • The caramel should turn light amber—this is your signal to remove it from the heat.

4. Control the caramelization

   • Caramel continues cooking even after removing it from the stove. To avoid burning, let it sit for a few seconds until it reaches a deep amber color.

   • Pro tip: If the caramel is too thick or starts hardening too fast, you can add a tiny bit of hot water (carefully!) to loosen it.

5. Stop the cooking process

   • Dip the bottom of the pan in the cold-water bath to stop further cooking.

6. Pour into ramekins

   • Quickly distribute the caramel into individual ramekins before it hardens. Tilt the ramekins slightly to spread it evenly.

   • Let the caramel cool completely before adding the custard.

Step 2: Make the Vanilla Custard

Ingredients:

• 6 whole eggs

• 4 egg yolks

• 1 cup (200 g) sugar

• 1½ vanilla beans (or 1½ tsp vanilla extract)

• 4 cups (1 liter) milk

Method:

1. Infuse the milk

   • Heat the milk over medium heat with the split vanilla beans and scraped seeds.

   • Bring it just to a simmer—don’t let it boil. If using vanilla extract, add it later.

2. Whisk the eggs and sugar

   • In a separate bowl, whisk together the eggs, yolks, and sugar until light and well combined.

3. Temper the eggs

   • Slowly pour the hot milk into the egg mixture while whisking continuously.

   • This prevents the eggs from scrambling. If using vanilla extract, add it now.

4. Strain the mixture

   • For an ultra-smooth custard, pass the mixture through a fine sieve before pouring it into the ramekins.

5. Bake in a water bath

   • Preheat the oven to 300°F (150°C).

   • Place the ramekins in a deep baking dish, then fill the dish with hot water until it reaches halfway up the sides of the ramekins.

   • This gentle heat ensures a silky, creamy texture without bubbles.

6. Bake until just set

   • Bake for 40–50 minutes, or until the custard is set but still slightly jiggly in the center.

   • Remove from the water bath and let cool at room temperature before refrigerating for at least 4 hours (overnight is best).

Final Step: Unmold and Serve

1. Loosen the edges

   • Run a thin knife around the edge of each ramekin to release the custard.

2. Invert onto a plate

   • Place a serving plate on top of the ramekin and flip it over quickly.

   • Give it a gentle shake—if the caramel doesn’t release immediately, let it sit for a minute. The caramel will slowly coat the custard as it runs down.

3. Enjoy!

Home Kitchen Lifehacks

1. No ramekins? Use a single large dish!

   • Instead of individual servings, you can make one big Crème Caramel in a cake pan. Just increase the baking time to 60–70 minutes.

2. No thermometer? Use the jiggle test!

   • Instead of checking with a thermometer, gently shake the baking dish. The custard should wobble like Jell-O but not be liquid in the center.

3. Avoiding scrambled eggs

   • Always temper the eggs by slowly adding hot milk while whisking constantly. Dumping hot milk in all at once will cook the eggs too fast.

4. Preventing air bubbles in the custard

   • Straining the mixture before baking helps remove any accidental foam, ensuring a perfectly smooth texture.

5. Caramel too bitter?

   • If your caramel tastes too burnt, start again. Even a slightly overcooked caramel will turn bitter and ruin the balance of flavors.

– Sergio Boulanger