CHOCOLATE CREME CARAMEL CUSTARD…Twist to the classic!
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.
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.
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.
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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.
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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).
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:
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Mix the cornflour + cocoa in a small bowl. Add some cold milk & mix into a paste.
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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.
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Once cool, chill for at least 4 hours so it is well set.
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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.
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Chill until served.
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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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.
27 Comments
Manggy
You are cray-zee!!! That looks too good, smooth, and chocolatey to pass up, eggs or no eggs! 🙂
Happy cook
Looks so delicious. Love the way you have decorated them
Bellini Valli
Beautiful creme caramel and beautiful butterflies Deeba. You have started my day off with a smile:D
pri
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
Divya
Those ripples are so pretty!
muralimanohar
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
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
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.
Laurie
I love the story, I love the butterflies and Deeba.. I LOVE that dessert! Wow.. 🙂
CECIL
Can I have a slice please??? I will even bring my own plate and fork. 🙂 It looks super delicious!
Dwiana P
beautiful chocolate caramel Debra. The color of butterfly is so gorgeous! very nice capture.
noble pig
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
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
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;-)
meeso
Woah, looks amazing!
Shivani
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..!!
Gloria (Canela)
Deeba!!!! This look fantastic I love your pictures colours!! are beauty!x Gloria
Helene
If you would send this dessert my way my kids would be eating all of it.
Meeta
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!
Jeanne
Chocolate and caramel, all together in one decadent dish… Ooooh, you’re bad 😉
Linda
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!
Naoko
This Looks so Delicious, craving this right now.
pooja
thanx deeba for the twist in the tale! i am going to try it now. wish me luck! thanx again
Ani
how much sugar should we use for the caramel?
Deeba @ PAB
Did I miss it. Sorry, 2 tbsp
Deeba @ PAB
Did I miss it? Sorry, 2 tbsp
Susan
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.