Crème Caramel

Adapted from The French Chef Cookbook by Julia Child (Alfred A. Knopf, 1968) 

This is the cookbook filled with recipes from Julia Child’s original television show, The French Chef, produced at WGBHin Boston. The first time I made this, I was astonished at the resulting lovely crème caramel.

The equipment you will need is a 2-1/2- to 3-quart mixing bowl, a whisk, a caramelized mold or dish (see instructions below), and a pan of just-boiled water.

5 large eggs
4 egg yolks
¾ cup sugar
3-3/4 cups simmering milk
1-1/2 teaspoons vanilla extract

Preheat the oven to 350°F.

In a 2- to 3-quart mixing bowl, whisk the eggs and yolks together. Gradually beat in the sugar. When the mixture becomes foamy, beat in the hot milk very slowly in a thin stream. If you are using vanilla, beat it in now.

Strain the mixture into your caramelized mold or baking dish.

Set the dish in a pan of water that has previously come to a boil and bake in the lower third of the preheated oven. You want the water in the pan never quite to simmer throughout the cooking process; do not let it boil.

The custard is done when a knife plunged into the center comes out clean. Expect this to take about 40 minutes.

To serve warm, move the dish to a pan of cold water. Turn a warm (meaning not cold) serving dish upside down over the custard, then reverse both to unmold.

To serve cold, cool to room temperature before refrigerating for several hours. Unmold to serve.

NOTES

How to Caramelize a 6- to 8-cup Mold or Baking Dish

In a small saucepan, bring ½ cup sugar and 2-1/2 tablespoons water to a boil, turning the pan by its handle until the sugar has dissolved and the liquid is clear. Then boil, turning the pan frequently, until the liquid has turned caramel brown. This will take 2 to 3 minutes.

Immediately pour the hot caramel into your dish, turning until all sides are covered. When the caramel stops running, put the dish upside down on a plate.