DESSERTS

CHOCOLATE CREME CARAMEL CUSTARD…Twist to the classic!

2008/09/26 / 27 Comments
“Life without chocolate is life lacking something important.”
Marcia Colman Morton & Frederic Morton

chocolate+caramel+creme+custard

Was virtually flipping through my posts the other day & realised that desserts had, of late, deserted my blog. It’s been a while since I posted a chocolaty dessert, so here we are.

2008 09 261

The story goes like this. We were visiting my Mom the other day, & she told the kids that she had made some caramel custard, & had added some chocolate to it, since she knew they were coming. The kids whooped with joy…but her idea of chocolate & their idea of chocolate were poles apart! They still ate the caramel custard, which used to be a regular at our dinner tables when we were young.

chocolate+caramel+creme+custard1

I think the caramel custard tradition began at the time my Dad was in the services. For dessert, Air Force Messes always served a creme caramel, or a bread pudding, or fruits with custard. On lucky days fruit with cream made an appearance! Egg-o-phobic me could never eat the caramel custard, & I still recall swallowing the compulsory spoonfuls. It never occurred to us to say no; ‘saying no to food’ just wasn’t allowed! Times have changed & so have expressions…so by the time we reached home that evening, the pleadings for chocolate caramel custard were growing louder & louder.
chocolate+caramel+creme+custard4

I worked on the custard just by instinct & it worked out fine. You need to begin making this in the morning to give it enough time to cool down & then chill. It’s a simple, well-behaved pudding & was loved by the kids. I can’t say how it was, because I couldn’t quite get myself to eat it. I’m glad the kids haven’t emulated my bad egg-o-phobic habits!
.
Chocolate Caramel Creme Custard
Ingredients:
For the caramel:
Sugar – 3 tbsps
Instant coffee – 1 tsp (increase or decrease to taste, or omit altogether)
Method:
  • Take the baking tin that the custard is going to be cooked in, put in the sugar, & leave on medium heat, unstirred, till the sugar melts & begins to turn brown / caramelises. Swirl the pan a bit if the sugar is getting too brown; be careful it doesn’t char. Once the sugar has caramelised, reduce heat to a minimum, add the coffee & quickly, yet gently mix in.
  • Take off the heat, swirl the tin around to allow the caramel to coat the bottom & sides of the tin. Leave aside to cool. (Should harden in about 2 minutes, & completely cool in 10).chocolate+caramel+creme+custard2

For the custard:
Milk – 3 cups / 750ml
Sugar – 1/2 cup
Eggs – 3
Cornflour – 2 tsps
Cocoa – 3-4 tbsps (according to strength of cocoa; the one we get here is pretty mild)
Vanilla extract – 1 tsp
Method:

  • Mix the cornflour + cocoa in a small bowl. Add some cold milk & mix into a paste.
  • Put the cocoa mixture & all the other ingredients into a big bowl & whisk till well blended.
    Gently pour into the caramel lined tin.
  • Here you can either bake it in a water bath at 180 degrees C for 30 minutes/until set. OR, like I made it, make it in a pressure cooker. Put a little water in the cooker, should come up to half the height of the pan, & bring to a boil. Place a low metal plate / trivet in the base of the cooker, & gently place the baking tin on this. Cook under pressure, with the cap on, for 15 minutes, on medium heat. Turn off heat & leave it as it is to cool.
  • Once cool, chill for at least 4 hours so it is well set.
  • Then take a butter knife, run along the edges, hold a pie dish /serving dish on top, & quickly turn the tin upside down. Do this swiftly & the caramel custard will turn out unbroken into the dish. Swirl cream over the top, with some chocolate flakes & chopped toasted walnuts. Even just walnuts compliment the caramel beautifully.
  • Chill until served.
    2008 09 26

I leave you with pictures of these pretty little butterflies. Dozens of these tiny creatures have overtaken our garden. They chase each other dizzily all day long…their sudden appearance signalling the change of season. The nips in the air…& winter is round the corner!

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Posted by Deeba @ PAB

About me: I am a freelance food writer, recipe developer and photographer. Food is my passion - baking, cooking, developing recipes, making recipes healthier, using fresh seasonal produce and local products, keeping a check on my carbon footprint and being a responsible foodie! I enjoy food styling, food photography, recipe development and product reviews. I express this through my food photographs which I style and the recipes I blog. My strength lies in 'Doing Food From Scratch'; it must taste as good as it looks, and be healthy too. Baking in India, often my biggest challenge is the non-availability of baking ingredients, and this has now become a platform to get creative on. I enjoy cooking immensely as well.

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27 Comments

  • Manggy

    2008/09/26 at 1:54 pm Reply

    You are cray-zee!!! That looks too good, smooth, and chocolatey to pass up, eggs or no eggs! 🙂

  • Bellini Valli

    2008/09/26 at 2:53 pm Reply

    Beautiful creme caramel and beautiful butterflies Deeba. You have started my day off with a smile:D

  • pri

    2008/09/26 at 2:57 pm Reply

    wow!! visited the blog after ages and what a spl treat 😀
    too advanced for me to try 🙁 btw, have u tried making something called velvet red cake?? could u please please please try that out (a simpler version!)
    lots of love,
    pri

  • muralimanohar

    2008/09/26 at 4:53 pm Reply

    Well, if you would just take that egg-o-phobia, and come up with these kinds of dessert SANS eggs, I for one would be ETERNALLY GRATEFUL! :p That looks DELICIOUS!!

  • Ivy

    2008/09/26 at 5:46 pm Reply

    Such a beautiful caramel pudding. I always make the caramel separately in a frying pan. Never thought of doing this directly in the pan. Do you caramelize the sugar on the stove top?

  • Alexa

    2008/09/26 at 6:31 pm Reply

    Oh my, Deeba, my sweet-tooth is satisfied… What a decadent, delicious looking dessert!
    The butterflies are gorgeous. If I had those in my backyard, I’d probably spend all day watching them.

  • CECIL

    2008/09/26 at 11:53 pm Reply

    Can I have a slice please??? I will even bring my own plate and fork. 🙂 It looks super delicious!

  • Dwiana P

    2008/09/27 at 1:17 am Reply

    beautiful chocolate caramel Debra. The color of butterfly is so gorgeous! very nice capture.

  • noble pig

    2008/09/27 at 4:23 am Reply

    How could you not jump in with a spoon. I had no idea about your egg-issues, LOL! Make it again, and try it.

  • Bharti

    2008/09/27 at 4:58 am Reply

    Caramel custard was a staple dessert at my home too when I was growing up. The chocolate version looks gorgeous and the butterflies are so pretty!

  • Divya

    2008/09/27 at 9:55 am Reply

    Yummy custard Deebs..now who else would think of such a twist to the usual caramel custard but you..??:-)I too am egg-o-phobic and the strong smell of eggs in CC is unavoidable.But I guess the inclusion of chocolate will make it milder isn’t it?I badly wanna have it..so am coming up with excuses..hehe;-)

  • Shivani

    2008/09/29 at 4:34 am Reply

    Tell me cornflour is just 2teaspoon…??
    Though i dont use eggs at all..but ur cakes n pudding make me think …shuld i start using it now..I’am a Jain..where we get cake also eggless..4get even getting eggs at home..!!

  • Meeta

    2008/09/30 at 7:12 am Reply

    deeba – you are making me drool. i lve chocolate cc and have made it on a few occasions. this however looks decadent! nice one Deeba!

  • Linda

    2008/12/22 at 10:57 pm Reply

    I love to bake and you are my inspiration! I like the stuff you create much like a magician 🙂 I tried the chocolate creme custard for a xmas party and boy the compliments I received and thought I have to let you know, I even decorated it like in the picture and I felt so proud it looked like yours.. I always visit your blog to see your magic.. Keep it up!

  • Susan

    2016/06/16 at 9:32 pm Reply

    I searched every where for a simple way to make this and you were the best!!!!!! I can’t wait to see how mine turns out.

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