Crème caramel
Crème caramel (upside-down caramel cream) is a classic of bistro cuisine. The vanilla cream is made with eggs, cooked in a dish with a layer of caramel in the bottom, and placed in a bain-marie. It's traditionally served turned out so that the liquid caramel runs down over the cream.
232K 22 4.1
Last modified on: February 21th 2011
Keywords for this recipe:CreamUpside downEggVanillaCaramelBistrotFor 8 people, you will need:
- 1
150 g caster sugar - 2
1 litre milk - 3
1 vanilla pod - 4 200 g caster sugar
- 5
6 eggs - Total weight: 1,653 grams
How long does it take?
Time required for this recipe:
| Preparation | Resting | Cooking | Start to finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| 43 min. | 2 hours 10 min. | 40 min. | 3 hours 33 min. |
At what time:
- When will I finish if I start the recipe at ... ?
When should I start for the recipe to be ready at ... ? - Work this out...
Step by step recipe
Stage 1 - 15 min.
Prepare a light caramel with 150 g caster sugar.
Please note: It's important that the caramel should be light and not dark as it will continue cooking during the rest of the process, and so risk becoming overcooked and bitter.
Please note: It's important that the caramel should be light and not dark as it will continue cooking during the rest of the process, and so risk becoming overcooked and bitter.
Stage 2 - 2 min.
Pour a little liquid caramel into the bottom of a ramekin...
Stage 3 - 1 min.
... and turn the ramekin so that the caramel coats the base and sides. Pour any excess back into the pan (don't worry for now if there are dribbles around the top of the dish).
Warning: This is a tricky moment, and liquid caramel is burning hot and very dangerous. It is wise to keep young children well clear, and to protect your hands with oven gloves while handling the ramekins (not like I am doing in the photos).
Warning: This is a tricky moment, and liquid caramel is burning hot and very dangerous. It is wise to keep young children well clear, and to protect your hands with oven gloves while handling the ramekins (not like I am doing in the photos).
Stage 4 - 10 min.
Do this with all the ramekins.
Stage 5 - 10 min.
Pour 1 litre milk into a pan with 1 vanilla pod, scraped to remove the small black seeds inside, and bring to the boil over medium heat.
Preheat oven to 180°C (360°F), and boil a kettle (or large pan) of water.
Preheat oven to 180°C (360°F), and boil a kettle (or large pan) of water.
Stage 6 - 5 min.
Meanwhile pour 200 g caster sugar into a bowl and add 6 eggs. Mix well with a maryse.
Pour the boiling milk over, and beat to mix.
Pour the boiling milk over, and beat to mix.
Stage 7 - 10 min.
Pour the mixture through a strainer, preferably over a high-sided container, to remove the bits of vanilla pod.
Leave to rest 10 minutes, then skim off any foam that forms on the surface.
Leave to rest 10 minutes, then skim off any foam that forms on the surface.
Stage 8 - 40 min.
Place the ramekins in a large, deep baking sheet, then fill them with cream and put in the oven. Pour boiling water into the tray, then close the oven door and leave to cook around 40 minutes.
Stage 9 - 2 hours
Check that the creams are cooked, like testing a cake, then remove from the oven and leave at least an hour to cool to room temperature.
Then refrigerate overnight.
Then refrigerate overnight.
Stage 10
Serve by turning out onto dessert plates or dishes. Overnight the caramel will have liquified, and will now run down over the cream.
Remove from the fridge an hour before serving if possible so that the cream is not too cold.
Remove from the fridge an hour before serving if possible so that the cream is not too cold.
Remarks
You will notice that this cream uses whole eggs. This makes it firmer than the cream used for crème brulée for example, so that it can be turned out easily.
If you make this dessert for your children or grandchildren, you'll find there's no more talk of desserts from packet mixes.
If you make this dessert for your children or grandchildren, you'll find there's no more talk of desserts from packet mixes.
Keeping
Several days in the fridge, covered by a plastic film.
Nutritional information
| Whole recipe | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Energetic value | Proteins | Carbohydrates | Fats |
| 2,630 Kcal or 11,011 Kj | 88 gr | 386 gr | 82 gr |
| 131 % | 34 % | 36 % | 12 % |
| Per 100 g | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Energetic value | Proteins | Carbohydrates | Fats |
| 159 Kcal or 666 Kj | 5 gr | 23 gr | 5 gr |
| 8 % | 2 % | 2 % | 1 % |
| Per person | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Energetic value | Proteins | Carbohydrates | Fats |
| 329 Kcal or 1,377 Kj | 11 gr | 48 gr | 10 gr |
| 16 % | 4 % | 5 % | 2 % |
How much will it cost?
Source
Home made.
This recipe uses (among others)
 | Milk: You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example: Potato Waffles with Smoked Salmon, Confectioner's custard (Crème pâtissière, or French pastry cream), Flognarde, Chocolate eclairs, Chocolate tart, ... All |
 | Caster sugar: You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example: Chocolate mousse with hazelnuts, Valay-Brest, Flognarde, Caramelized apple and walnut cake, "Moelleux" cake batter, ... All |
 | Egg: You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example: Alsatian apple tart, Tarte Normande, Foie gras fingers, Sweet pastry, Lemon and lime cakes, ... All |
 | Vanilla pod: You can get more informations, or check-out other recipes which use it, for example: Rice pudding (riz au lait), Confit Victoria pineapple with honey and spices, Apple confectioner's custard, Little vanilla, clementine and chestnut verrines, Confectioner's custard (Crème pâtissière, or French pastry cream), ... All |
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