A beloved French classic dessert, the crème caramel recipe by chef Matthew Ryle (Maison François, Café François) is from his debut cookbook French Classics. This dessert combines silky vanilla-infused custard with a deep, rich and glossy caramel sauce. Simple yet refined.
“This velvety set custard, infused with vanilla, with its rich, dark, caramel syrup, balances indulgence and lightness and is surprisingly easy to make, so it’s one of France’s most popular desserts. It’s a dish I first came across long before I appreciated what I was eating, and no, it wasn’t this luxurious version… It came in a plastic pot with a tag on the bottom which, when you pulled, as if by magic slipped out of its packaging onto your plate.
Although the flavours were not memorable, I remember the silky mouthfeel and always try to replicate it. Here, I’ve used a mix of milk and whipping cream, for the perfect texture.”
💡 Matthew's tips
There are two main points to consider when making crème caramel: first, the colour of the caramel must be a deep brown: too light and it will taste merely sweet with no caramel flavour.
Second, the egg mixture must be cooked until just set; it still needs to have a wobble, otherwise you’ll lose that magical melt-in-the-mouth texture.
You can use vanilla extract instead of pods, but it won’t have quite the same special flavour. This is a great make-ahead recipe and will sit happily in the fridge for a few days.
Preparation time
10 min
Ingredients For
-
Serves 4 (you will need 4 small ramekins, each 9 x 5cm)
-
140 g
-
20 ml
-
2 plus 1 egg yolk
-
200 ml
-
100 ml
-
Sauces & condimentsTahitian Vanilla2 pods split lengthways and seeds scraped out, or 2 tsp vanilla extract (see recipe introduction) See the article
Preparation
1
Preheat the oven to 130°C fan.
2
Start by making caramel. Have a bowl (or sink) of cold water to hand. Put 100g of the sugar in a heavy-based saucepan in an even layer. Add the measured hot water and allow the sugar to absorb it for a few minutes, then set over a medium heat and leave to dissolve. You can help it along by shaking the pan, but do not stir. Once a syrup forms, it will turn golden and then to a rich caramel colour. To stop the cooking, place the base of the pan in the bowl (or sink) of cold water. Divide it between 4 ramekins, each 9 × 5cm, then place in a roasting tin.
3
Whisk the eggs, yolk and remaining 40g of sugar in a bowl. Bring the milk, cream, vanilla seeds and pods, if using, to the boil in a saucepan, then pour slowly over the egg mix, whisking all the time. Pass through a sieve into each ramekin. Add the vanilla extract, if using.
4
Place the roasting tin in the oven and fill with enough boiling water to come halfway up each ramekin. Bake for 35 minutes, or until just cooked and still wobbling.
5
Cool, then chill for at least 2 hours, or overnight. Serve in the ramekins, or run a knife around each, turn out onto a plate with a rim and watch the caramel lakes spread out.
© Patricia Niven
Contributor
Matthew Ryle
Chef
