Salted Caramel Custard (Crème Caramel)
Mise en Place / Ingredients[8]
- 0.75 cup Granulated white sugar, divided (1/2 cup for caramel, 1/4 cup for custard)
- 2 tbsp Water (2 tbsp for caramel plus hot water for water bath)
- 0.5 tsp Fine sea salt or kosher salt for the salted caramel
- 1.5 cups Fresh whole milk
- 0.5 cup Heavy whipping cream
- 3 units Large whole eggs
- 2 yolks Additional egg yolks
- 1 tsp Pure vanilla extract
🛒 US Supermarket Brand Guide
Cold-extracted real vanilla beans that perfume subtle milk custards without alcohol harshness. • 📍 Baking aisle.
Cooking Sequence & Checkpoints
Simmer 1/2 cup sugar and 2 tbsp water in a saucepan over medium without stirring until it turns a deep copper amber (6 minutes). Remove, stir in sea salt, and divide among 6 ramekins.
✓ Checkpoint: Hardening copper caramel lining the ramekin bases.
Warm milk, cream, remaining 1/4 cup sugar, and 1 tsp vanilla extract in a saucepan over low heat until steaming, without boiling. Remove from heat.
✓ Checkpoint: Aromatic steaming milk mixture.
Whisk eggs and yolks gently without whipping in air. Slowly stream in warm milk mixture while whisking. Pour through a fine-mesh sieve to eliminate chalazae and bubbles.
✓ Checkpoint: Pristine, smooth liquid custard.
Ladle into ramekins. Place ramekins in roasting pan and fill pan with hot water halfway up ramekin sides. Bake at 325°F (163°C) for 35 to 40 minutes until centers gently wobble. Chill 4 hours.
✓ Checkpoint: Delicate set custard with slight center quiver.
🔬 Why It Works:
Salt Balancing Sugar Caramelization: Adding salt directly into the dark caramelized sugar cuts cloying sweetness and magnifies complex toffee and butterscotch notes.
⚠️ Troubleshooting:
The custard turned spongy with bubbles throughout: Bake at a low 325°F (163°C) and use hot tap water in the water bath so the eggs set gently without boiling.