My Recipe for Crème Caramel Is Better
I added a little more decadence to this classic—without making it an indulgent overload.
Here’s another recipe in my growing list of 25 essential French recipes. Each of my recipes offer an all-new find or a unique take that you won’t already find elsewhere on the Internet. If you’d like to support my ongoing work on this archive, please consider a subscription.
A great crème caramel is all about understated elegance—that silky custard is cool, creamy, and infinitely gratifying, but never heavy-handed.
And yet, I’ve often found the thin syrup on a classic crème caramel to be less than striking. That’s why I top my crème caramel with a true caramel sauce—one that includes butter and/or cream. I love Trader Joe’s caramel sauce—but there are many others. Just make sure the ingredient lists butter or cream, as otherwise, it’s just going to be mere sugar-shock—lacking the lusciousness of a true caramel.
Whatever sauce you use, consider stirring in a little orange liqueur for a touch of brightness and intrigue. Optional, but it does add an extra “ooh-ah” to the finish.
Crème Caramel Chez Moi
Tip: Never, ever skip the water-bath! It’s a simple step, and very essential to the even baking needed for this dessert. (If you skip this step, the custard could curdle.)
1 3/4 cups whole milk
4 large egg yolks
1 large egg
1⁄2 cup sugar
Pinch of salt
1 teaspoon pure vanilla extract
1⁄4 cup high-quality caramel sauce (look for cream or butter in the
ingredient listing)
1 tablespoon Grand Marnier or Cointreau (optional)
1. Position a rack in the middle of the oven. Preheat the oven to 325°F (be sure the oven goes no higher). Set four 6-ounce custard cups into a 9-inch square baking pan. Put a pot of water on to boil.
2. In a small saucepan, bring the milk just to a boil; remove from the heat. In a mixing bowl, lightly beat the egg yolks, the whole egg, the sugar, and the salt. Slowly beat in the hot milk until blended. Stir in the vanilla. Divide the custard evenly among the custard cups.
3. Slide the oven rack out and place the pan on the rack. Carefully pour the boiling water into the pan until it comes about three-quarters of the way up the custard cups, then slide the rack back in. Bake until the custard is just set (a knife inserted near the center should come out clean, but the center may jiggle slightly), 45 to 50 minutes (take care not to overbake).
4. With a steady, oven-mittened hand, remove the custard cups from the water bath. Transfer to a wire rack to cool for 30 minutes. Cover and refrigerate until well chilled, about 4 hours.
5. To serve, heat the caramel sauce in a small saucepan just until warm and pourable. Add the Grand Marnier, if you like. Run a knife around the edges of custards; invert onto individual dessert plates. Pour some caramel sauce over the top of each custard and serve. Makes 4 servings.
This recipe is from my cookbook: Everyday French Cooking: Modern French Cuisine Made Simple, where you’ll find more easy, everyday French recipes you’ll enjoy.