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Caramel Custard

My version of the quintessential ‘Caramel Custard’ that showed up on our frugal dessert table quite often when we were young. This one is slightly more luxurious than the wobbly one we had as kids from the armed forces. It's baked, not steamed, though if you are making one large pudding, steaming it in the pressure cooker is a breeze. Quick too!
Print Recipe
Prep Time 15 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 4 hours
Course Dessert
Cuisine American
Servings 4 people

Ingredients
  

Caramel

  • 150 g Castor sugar
  • 20 ml Water

Custard

  • 2 eggs
  • 100 g sugar
  • 1 vanilla bean, scraped
  • 200m ml milk
  • 250 ml low fat cream

Instructions
 

For the Caramel

  • Keep 4 X 8oz ramekins ready and place sugar and water in a heavy bottom saucepan, and stir over medium heat until sugar melts.
  • Increase heat to high, and allow to bubble away without stirring, until it reaches a deep amber colour. {This is the crucial part because the caramel can burn. Also please take extreme caution as caramel is very hot}.
  • Take off heat immediately, and pour into ramekins, turning gently to coat bottoms. Allow to stand for 5 minutes, while you make the custard.

For the Caramel Custard

  • Preheat the oven to 180C
  • Heat milk, cream and shell of vanilla bean in a pan over low heat until slight bubbles form on the edges. Take off heat.
  • Place the eggs, scraped vanilla and sugar in bowl of stand mixer. Whisk on speed 2 for 2 minutes until sugar is almost dissolved.
  • Reduce speed to lowest, put the splatter screen, and gently pour in the vanilla infused milk, whisking continuously for 30 seconds.
  • Strain the custard into a jug/saucepan, and then pour into the prepared ramekins.
  • Place ramekins in a 9′ X 9″ square pan. Gently pour in water into the tray to come up half around the ramekins. – –
  • Bake for about 45 minutes until the custard begins to set, a bit wobbly in the middle.
  • Allow to cool, then chill covered for a few hours, preferably overnight.
  • To serve, run a butter knife gently around the tip to loosen it, place a platter over the ramekin, turn over swiftly, and then shake to release. Top with toasted walnuts if desired.