My Nana's Crème Caramel Recipe

As a boy, every now and then, my Nana Helen ( God rest her soul) used to make these creme caramels as a treat and I have loved these ever since! They are not that difficult to make but they are fantastic to eat! Give it a go and you will never look back. Your own home made creme caramels are ten times better than pre-made supermarket ones.

Ingredients

2 eggs, medium size
3  egg yolks, medium size
2 tbsp water
125g / 4oz caster sugar
500ml / 1 pint whole  milk
125g / 4oz caster sugar
½ vanilla pod halved lengthways, the seeds scraped (or 4 drops of high quality vanilla essence)


Method

Pre-heat the oven to 170°C/325F/Gas Mark 3.
Over a medium heat, bring the water and sugar to the boil. Cook for 4-5 minutes to a rich brown caramel colour, remove the hot saucepan from the heat and strain into 4  ramekin moulds, (5cm deep x 8cm).  Reserve the moulds in a deep ovenproof baking tray.
Mix the milk and the vanilla and bring to simmering point for 3-4 minutes to allow the vanilla to infuse. In a mixing bowl, whisk the whole eggs and egg yolks with the sugar.  Slowly whisk in the milk. Strain the mixture into the caramel moulds.
Place the tray in the pre-heated oven.  Pour boiling water into the tray so that the water level reaches the same depth as the crème mix inside the moulds. Cook in the pre-heated oven for 50 minutes.  Remove from the oven, cool down and then refrigerate for 2 hours.  This dessert can be prepared one day in advance.
To release the crème caramel from the mould, press the blade of a knife against the mould in-between the crème caramel and take it around in a full circle, then turn it upside down onto the serving plate (you can also serve it in the mould in which it has been cooked.)