Dad's Kitchen: Creme Caramel

When I go home for Christmas, my parents and I enjoy going all out for our meals. When it comes to dessert, this usually means creme caramel. It's pretty much the same thing as the flan you can buy at mexican restaurants (Yay Los Chaparros!)


Ingredients

1 1/4 cups sugar
4 T. water
1 vanilla pod (or 2 tsp vanilla extract)
1 3/4 cups milk
1 cup whipping cream
5 large eggs
2 egg yolks


Directions

Put 7/8 cup sugar in a small saucepan with the water to moisten. Bring to boil over high heat, swirling to dissolve the sugar.


Boil without stirring, until the syrup turns a dark caramel color (about 4-5 minutes)


Immediately pour the caramel into a 4 cup souffle dish. Holding the dish with oven mits, quickly swirl the dish to coat the base and sides with the caramel and set aside.


Preheat the oven to 325 deg. Split the vanilla bean pod lengthwise and scrape the seeds into a medium saucepan.


Add the milk and cream and bring just to a boil over a medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Remove from heat, cover and set aside for 15-20 minutes

In a bowl, whisk the eggs and yolks with the remaining sugar for 2-3 minutes until smooth and creamy. Whisk in the hot milk and carefully strain the mixture into the caramel lined dish. Cover with foil.

Place the dish in a roasting pan and pour in enough boiling water to come up 1/2 way up the sides of the dish. Bake the custard for 40-45 minutes until a knife inserted about 2" from the edge of the dish comes out clean. Remove from the roasting dish and cool for at least 1/2 hour, then chill overnight.

To turn out, carefully run a knife around the edge of the dish to loosen the custard. Cover with a plate and invert.


Gently lift one edge of the custard dish to allow the caramel to run over the sides, then lift off the rest of the dish.

We missed the exact edge in a couple of places on this one, but it still tasted delicious!!