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Caramel Custard | Creme Caramel Recipe | How to Make Caramel Pudding

Caramel Custard is a popular dessert known all over the world. It is a french dessert often called in many different names like Crème caramel, Caramel Pudding or Flan. It is relatively simple to make using just a handful of ingredients like milk, sugar, eggs and vanilla. But there are few techniques for making the perfect creme caramel which I have shared in this post. Learn how to make the perfect caramel for caramel custard and this silky smooth pudding with step by step pictures and video. For Eggless option, check my caramel custard without eggs and this version of Mexican Flan.
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Prep Time: 10 minutes
Cook Time: 30 minutes
Resting Time: 6 hours
Total Time: 6 hours 40 minutes
Servings: 4 servings
Calories: 226kcal

Ingredients

For Making Custard

  • 1 cup Whole Milk (250 ml)
  • 1 slice Orange peel
  • ¼ tsp Ground Cardamom
  • 2 large Eggs
  • ¼ cup Sugar (50 grams)
  • 2 tsp Vanilla Extract

For Making Caramel

  • ½ cup Sugar

Optional Flavourings

  • 1 stick Cinnamon
  • ¼ tsp Ground Nutmeg

Instructions

Infusing Milk

  • Start by preheating oven to 180 degree C (360 Degree F). Take whole milk in a sauce pan and bring it to a boil. Don't let it boil over, just bring it to boiling stage. This step is to infuse the flavors and also to temper the eggs.
  • Take it off the heat and add in your flavorings of choice. I added couple of peeled orange skin and ground cardamom. Mix it and leave it to infuse while we make caramel.

Making Caramel

  • Take sugar in a saute pan or frying pan. Spread it evenly in the pan. I like to use steel pan because I can see the colour of the caramel more clear.
  • Cook on medium high heat. The sugar will start to melt around the sides of the pan. You can start swirling the pan, but never stir. As you swirl the pan, the sugar will melt more evenly.
  • Now you can see most of the sugar is melted evenly. The colour is much more amber looking. This is what we want.

Coating Moulds

  • Pour this caramel into the moulds immediately. if you delay this step, then the caramel will keep on cooking and may get burnt. Also if the caramel cools, it will harden in the pan. If it happens, you have to reheat it again on low to melt the caramel.
  • Now with the help of a kitchen towel, gently swirl the mould so the caramel coats the sides of the mould. Make sure you do this step as soon as you pour the caramel into the moulds else the caramel will harden.
  • Now the caramel is coated on the sides of the mould. This sugar caramel will harden in few seconds.

Custard for Caramel Custard

  • Take eggs in a jug. I used two eggs. Add sugar and vanilla. Mix well. Whisk eggs with sugar and vanilla paste using a whisk. Don't need to incorporate air into the mixture.
  • Place a sieve directly over the egg mixture to strain the orange peel and cardamom pods. Make sure the milk mixture is warm and not boiling hot. This will make sure the seeds don't get into the custard. Mix eggs with milk really well.
  • I strained the custard once more to remove the air bubbles on top. Custard ready. I like to have the custard in a jug with a spout because it makes filling moulds easier.

Filling Moulds

  • Pour the custard into the moulds carefully. You can fill to the top but leave a bit of space on top so there is no spillage.
  • Now the moulds are filled. It is ready to bake. Here is a tip for you regarding the filling. I like to do this step after placing the tray inside the Preheated oven. Because the custard may spill if you fill it on the countertop and then transfer to the oven. So do it directly in the oven.

Baking in Water Bath or Bain-marie

  • Caramel custard should be baked in a water bath or bain-marie method. It is nothing but pouring boiling hot water in the tray until the water comes half way of the mould. This methods bakes the custard much more gently so you get creamy texture.
  • Bake the pudding in the preheated oven for 30 minutes until the custard is set and the top looks wiggly when touched.
  • Use a pair of tongs to remove the baked pudding gently from the water bath and place it on a plate. Transfer the pudding to fridge and let it rest and set for 6 hours before serving.

Unmoulding & Serving

  • Dip the mould gently into a bowl of hot water. This will allow the caramel surrounding the mould to melt and un mould easily from mould. Gently ease the sides of mould you can use your fingers or use a spoon for this step. Take your serving plate, invert it over the pudding and gently flip. Gently remove the mould, the pudding should drop into the plate by this time. If not, there might be some air lock. You can use a sharp butter knife to ease the sides of the pudding and it should drop easily.
  • Serve immediately.

Video

Notes

  1. Eggs are important for the making of caramel custard to set. So never change the amount of the eggs.
  2. If you want different flavourings, you can use flavours like almond, pandan, orange.
  3. If you want richer custard. use half cream and half milk
  4. Never take the caramel dark else it may turn bitter.

Storage, Shelf Life & Serving

Creme caramel can be stored right in the mould, covered with plastic wrap upto a week. Un mould when ready to serve. It can be served as it is with the sauce which forms when you de mould. Serve cold for best taste.

Nutrition

Serving: 1servings | Calories: 226kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 5g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 1g | Trans Fat: 0.01g | Cholesterol: 100mg | Sodium: 59mg | Potassium: 136mg | Fiber: 1g | Sugar: 41g | Vitamin A: 239IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 100mg | Iron: 1mg
Tried this recipe?Mention @yummytummyaarthi or tag #yummytummyaarthi!
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