Holiday Caramel Custard Recipes

Steps:

• In a large heavy saucepan, cook and stir 3/4 cup sugar over low heat until sugar is melted and golden. Pour into eight 6-oz. custard cups, tilting to coat bottom of cup; let stand for 10 minutes. , In a large bowl, beat the eggs, milk, vanilla and remaining sugar until blended but not foamy. Pour over caramelized sugar. , Place the cups in two 8-in. square baking pans. Pour very hot water in pans to a depth of 1 in. Bake at 350° until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 40-45 minutes. Remove from pans to cool on wire racks. , To unmold, run a knife around rim of cup and invert onto dessert place. Serve warm or chilled.

Steps:

• Heat oven to 350°F.
• Heat 1/2 cup sugar in heavy 1-quart saucepan over low heat, stirring constantly, until sugar is melted and golden brown. Divide sugar syrup among six 6-ounce custard cups; tilt cups to coat bottoms. Allow syrup to harden in cups about 10 minutes.
• Mix eggs, 1/3 cup sugar, the vanilla and salt in medium bowl. Gradually stir in milk. Pour over syrup in cups. Sprinkle with nutmeg.
• Place cups in rectangular pan, 13x9x2 inches, on oven rack. Pour very hot water into pan to within 1/2 inch of tops of cups.
• Bake about 45 minutes or until knife inserted halfway between center and edge comes out clean. Remove cups from water. Cool 30 minutes. Cover and refrigerate until serving or up to 48 hours.
• To unmold, carefully loosen side of custard with knife or small spatula. Place dessert dish or plate on top of cup and, holding tightly, turn dish and cup upside down. Shake cup gently to loosen custard. Caramel syrup will run down sides of custard, forming a sauce.

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a small saucepan, combine 1/2 cup sugar with 1/4 cup water. Bring to a boil over low heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Increase the heat to high and cook, without stirring, until the syrup turns a light caramel color. Remove the saucepan from the heat and dip the bottom into cold water to stop the cooking. Pour the caramel into a 4-cup charlotte mold, and tilt so that it covers the bottoms and sides. Let cool.
• In a small saucepan, bring the milk and vanilla to a boil. In a heatproof bowl, beat the eggs, egg yolks and cup sugar until blended. Whisking constantly, pour the hot milk into the egg mixture; let rest for a few minutes, then strain. Pour the custard into the caramel-coated mold.
• Put the mold in a small but deep baking or roasting pan, and add hot water to come about two-thirds up the sides of the mold. Place the pan on the stove over medium heat, and bring the water to a simmer. Transfer the pan to the oven. (The water should stay at a low simmer at all times; do not let it boil or the custard will overcook.) Bake until a knife inserted into the center of the custard comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes. Keep the custard in the baking pan until the water cools. Remove from the pan to finish cooling. To serve, run the tip of a knife around the top of the custard to loosen it. Invert a serving platter over the mold and quickly turn it over again. Carefully remove the mold.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. In a saucepan, heat cream and liqueur until bubbles form around sides of pan; remove from heat. In a large bowl, whisk eggs, egg yolks and 3/4 cup sugar until blended but not foamy. Slowly stir in hot cream mixture. Stir in vanilla., Place six 6-oz. broiler-safe ramekins in a baking pan large enough to hold them without touching. Pour cream mixture into ramekins. Place pan on oven rack; add very hot water to pan to within 1/2 in. of tops of ramekins., Bake 20-25 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean; centers will still be soft. Immediately remove ramekins from water bath to a wire rack; cool 10 minutes. Refrigerate until cold., To caramelize topping with a kitchen torch, sprinkle custards evenly with remaining sugar. Hold torch flame about 2 in. above custard surface and rotate it slowly until sugar is evenly caramelized. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 1 hour., To caramelize topping in a broiler, place ramekins on a baking sheet; let stand at room temperature 15 minutes. Preheat broiler. Sprinkle custards evenly with remaining sugar. Broil 3-4 in. from heat 5-7 minutes or until sugar is caramelized. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 1 hour.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Set a kettle of water to boil.
• Make caramel: In a medium saucepan, combine 1/2 cup sugar and 1 cup water. Cook over medium-high, stirring, until sugar has dissolved. Continue to cook, without stirring, until syrup turns golden brown, 8 to 10 minutes. Carefully add half-and-half (mixture may clump and sputter); simmer, stirring constantly, until smooth. Remove from heat.
• In a medium bowl, whisk together egg yolks, remaining 1/2 cup sugar, vanilla, and salt until pale yellow and thick. Stirring constantly with a wooden spoon, gradually add caramel. Skim any foam from surface of custard mixture.
• Divide mixture among six 6-ounce ramekins or custard cups. Line a baking pan (just large enough to hold ramekins) with a dish towel; place ramekins on dish towel. Transfer to oven, and pour enough boiling water into pan to come halfway up sides of ramekins; cover pan loosely with foil.
• Bake custards just until set but slightly wobbly, 40 to 45 minutes. Carefully remove ramekins from pan. Refrigerate until chilled, at least 4 hours (or, covered, up to 3 days). Garnish with toffee before serving.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees F (175 degrees C).
• Mix 1 tablespoon water into 1/4 cup sugar in a heavy saucepan over medium heat until sugar is completely moistened. Bring to a boil, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook until the sugar and water form a golden brown syrup, about 5 minutes. Do not stir. Remove from heat and let boiling subside. Carefully stir 1 tablespoon hot water into caramel syrup.
• Whisk milk and 5 tablespoons sugar together in a saucepan over low heat; heat just until warmed and sugar has dissolved. Remove from heat and whisk eggs into milk mixture. Pour caramel syrup into an 8x8-inch baking dish. Pour egg-milk mixture over syrup. Place pan into a larger baking dish and pour enough water into outer pan to reach about 1/2 inch up the sides of the inner pan.
• Bake in the preheated oven until custard has set, about 45 minutes. Let cool for about 10 minutes; chill in refrigerator before serving.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325 degrees. Heat sugar and water in a saucepan over medium-high heat, swirling occasionally, until deep amber, about 7 minutes. Carefully whisk in milk and cream.
• Whisk together yolks, vanilla, and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Slowly pour caramel-milk mixture into yolk mixture, whisking constantly. Skim any bubbles from the top. Divide evenly among four 6-ounce ramekins.
• Set ramekins in a 9-inch square baking dish. Pour boiling water into dish to come a third of the way up sides of ramekins. Bake until custards are just set but jiggle slightly, 27 to 30 minutes. Remove from water using tongs. Refrigerate for 20 minutes.

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 350 degrees. Butter a four-to-five-cup baking dish or mold.
• Swirl one-half cup of the sugar with the water in a heavy saucepan or skillet until the sugar has dissolved. Place over medium heat and cook, stirring occasionally, until the mixture turns a uniform honey-brown color. Pour the caramel into the baking dish, tilting the dish so the caramel coats the bottom.
• Beat eggs and egg yolks together. Beat in the remaining half-cup of sugar and the nutmeg until light. Stir in the rum, milk and cream.
• Pour the mixture into the prepared baking dish. Set the dish in a pan of hot water that comes about half-way up the sides of the dish, place them in the oven and bake about 45 minutes, until the surface of the custard is firm to the touch and a knife inserted in the center comes out clean. The custard should not feel very stiff.
• Allow the custard to cool to room temperature, then refrigerate it at least six hours or overnight. Just before serving, run a knife around the sides of the dish, then unmold the custard onto a serving plate that has a lip so the caramel will not run off.