Gluten-Free Crème Caramel (Vanilla Baked Custard with Caramel)
Why this recipe works
- Silky custard: Whole milk, double cream and eggs create a tender set with enough richness to feel smooth without becoming heavy.
- Gentle baking: The bain-marie surrounds the ramekins with steady heat, helping the custard set evenly and reducing the risk of curdling.
- Caramel contrast: A deep amber caramel adds bittersweet depth, balancing the vanilla custard and forming its own sauce after chilling.
Get the most out of this recipe
Timing notes
- Chill until fully set: The custards need at least several hours in the fridge so they unmould cleanly and hold their shape.
- Turn out just before serving: Unmoulding releases the caramel sauce, so keep the custards in their ramekins until you are ready to plate.
- Cool before refrigerating: Let the ramekins come to room temperature first, then chill; moving them straight from the oven to the fridge can affect the texture.
Texture tips
- Keep the dairy below a boil: Warm the milk and cream until steaming, not bubbling, so they temper smoothly into the eggs.
- Whisk steadily when tempering: Add the warm dairy gradually while whisking so the eggs blend into the custard rather than scrambling.
- Look for a gentle wobble: The custards are ready when the edges are set but the centre still trembles slightly; they will firm up as they cool.
Common mistakes
- Taking the caramel too far: Once the sugar starts to colour, watch it closely. Deep amber is ideal; very dark caramel can taste harsh and bitter.
- Boiling the custard mixture: High heat can toughen the eggs and spoil the smooth finish, so use gentle heat when warming the milk and cream.
- Baking until completely firm: A fully rigid custard in the oven is likely to become dense after chilling. Remove it while the centre still has movement.
Make-ahead tips
- Make it a day ahead: Crème caramel suits advance preparation because the custard needs time to chill and the caramel softens into sauce as it rests.
- Store covered in the ramekins: Keep the custards covered in the fridge and unmould only when ready to serve for the neatest finish.
- Serve soon after unmoulding: Once turned out, the caramel sauce begins to spread, so plate and serve promptly.
Equipment you'll need
Ingredients
Instructions
- Heat the oven to 160°C (320°F). Put four ramekins in a deep baking dish and boil a kettle of water for the bain marie.
- Make the caramel: put the caster sugar and water in a saucepan over medium heat and cook without stirring until it turns a deep amber. Immediately divide the caramel between the ramekins and carefully swirl to coat the bases.
- Warm the whole milk and double cream in the same saucepan over low heat until steaming but not boiling. Remove from the heat and stir in the vanilla extract and fine sea salt.
- Whisk the eggs in a bowl just until combined. Slowly whisk in the warm milk mixture in a steady stream, keeping the whisk moving so the eggs do not scramble.
- Pour the custard into the caramel-lined ramekins. Pour hot water into the baking dish to come about halfway up the sides of the ramekins, then bake until the custards are set at the edges with a gentle wobble in the centre.
- Carefully lift out the ramekins and leave to cool to room temperature. Chill for at least 3 hours until fully set.
- To serve, run a thin knife around each custard and invert onto a plate, letting the caramel sauce run over the top. Serve straight away.
Recipe notes
Tips
- For the smoothest custard, keep the milk and cream just below a simmer and whisk constantly as you pour it into the eggs.
- When making the caramel, watch closely once it starts to colour; it can go from golden to bitter very quickly.
- Food safety: this dessert contains eggs. If serving to pregnant people, young children, older adults, or anyone immunocompromised, use eggs that are safe for raw and lightly cooked preparations and ensure the custard is properly set.
Substitutions
- Replace vanilla extract with madagascar-vanilla-paste for a more intense vanilla flavour.
- Replace caster sugar with demerara-sugar for a deeper, slightly toffee-like caramel.
Storage
- Refrigerate up to 3 days
- Keep the crème caramel covered in the fridge in its ramekins. Turn out just before serving for the neatest finish and best caramel sauce.
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Recipe overview
- Servings: 4 servings
- Total time: 4h 30min (25min active)
- Difficulty: Medium
- Cuisine: French
-
Allergens:
Eggs Milk
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