Ingredients You’ll Need & Why It Works:

Superfine Sugar:  Superfine sugar, commonly known as caster or baker’s sugar, is ideal for making caramel. Its granules are much smaller than regular granulated sugar, which dissolves more quickly. When you expose granulated sugar to heat, the sucrose breaks down into fructose and glucose. With continuous stirring, the sugar will eventually transform into an inverted (liquid) sugar, yielding a beautiful golden amber caramel color.

Whole Eggs: In my pursuit of creating a creamy and rich creme caramel, I discovered that the balance between egg whites and yolks is key. In one “extreme” batch where I hoped to achieve the creamiest and richest result, I used one whole egg and 4 egg yolks. Regrettably, the results were less than satisfactory. Despite thorough chilling overnight, the creme caramels did not keep their shape well when I released them onto a plate. They fell apart as soon as they brushed a spoon. During baking, egg white proteins unravel and establish structure that “sets” a custard; not enough protein results in an improperly set custard. It turns out simply using 4 whole eggs in this recipe provides the perfect balance of structure and flavor.

Whole Milk:  Heating milk is key in preparing these custards as it helps control the thickening of egg proteins, which is necessary for the custards to set properly. Additionally, milk comprises of approximately 87% water. This water turns into steam during the baking process, adding moisture and aiding in the complete dissolution of sugars within the custard. If you don’t have whole milk, you can use 2% milk as a substitute.

Vanilla Extract:  You can opt to use either vanilla extract or vanilla paste. I’ve used both for my creme caramels, and there is no discernible difference. If you opt for vanilla paste, be aware that your custard will contain tiny brown specks from the vanilla. You’ll also need to adjust the measurement of the vanilla paste to 12g instead of 8g (2 tsp), as the recipe states. This is because vanilla paste is more viscous and weighs differently from the vanilla extract.

Tips for Making Creme Caramel:

Caramel Sauce — Be mindful of the heat when preparing the caramel. If the heat is too high, the caramel can scorch and leave an unpleasant burnt taste behind. To avoid this, it’s best to turn down the heat to a lower setting once the sugar has turned a light golden color. Remember, the darker the caramel, the richer the flavor. So be patient, as it takes time to achieve the perfect hue for your caramel sauce.

Air Bubbles — To ensure your custards are mostly bubble-free, whisk the custard filling gently to avoid incorporating excess air. For an additional precaution, strain the custard filling twice in a sieve over a measuring cup or bowl after whisking the filling. This ensures that your creme caramel comes out smooth in the final result.

Water Bath — This recipe requires a bain marie, also known as a water bath. The steam the water bath creates helps cook the custard slowly and evenly. I discovered that using warm water in the bath helps to minimize bubbles forming during baking.

Glass Cups — After conducting numerous test batches, I found that borosilicate glass cups produce creme caramels that are taller and more evenly proportioned when inverted onto a plate. Borosilicate glass is highly resistant to breakage, even when subjected to rapid temperature changes (up to 515ºF) during baking. However, if glass cups are not obtainable, traditional ramekins can also be a suitable alternative.

Oven Temperature  — Bear in mind that temperatures can vary from oven to oven, so it’s a good idea to use an oven thermometer to ensure no hot spots in your oven. This will affect the result of the final product.

Over Baking Custards —  To ensure your creme caramels bake uniformly and without curdling, check on the custards every few minutes or so after about 40 minutes. The center of the creme caramel should wobble slightly once it’s done.

Make Ahead — This dessert is ideal for preparing ahead of time. You can make it a day before and keep it chilled in the refrigerator. When you’re ready to serve, run a knife along the edge of the creme caramel and flip it onto a plate.

Soaking The Cups — If any caramel remains stuck to your glass cups or ramekins, soak them in warm water, and it will easily come off after a few hours.