Crème caramel, flan, whatever you call it, is the best comfort dessert. Naturally gluten-free yumminess especially when made with farm-fresh milk and eggs. And so quick and easy to make, you just have to watch when you cook the caramel. Delish!
AuthorAnn Ogden GaffneyCrème caramel, flan, whatever you call it, is the best comfort dessert. Naturally gluten-free yumminess it's so quick and easy to make!
Preheat oven to 350F. Butter ramekins. Place in a baking dish just large enough to comfortably hold them - this will be your ‘Bain-marie’. Bring a kettle of water to the boil. Set aside.
Make the caramel: Over a medium-high flame, place 1/4 cup water and 1/4 cup of the sugar in a small heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cook until the syrup has reduced and starts to bubble up and turn from light to dark gold. Quickly remove from the burner. You don’t want the caramel to get too dark or it will be bitter. Immediately pour the caramel evenly into the ramekins, swirling each as you go to cover the bottoms with caramel. Set aside in the baking dish.
Make the custard: Break the eggs into a 2 cup measuring jug and beat until combined and frothy. Add 1/2 a cup of the milk, the lemon zest, nutmeg, 2 teaspoons of sugar, and the vanilla paste if using. Beat to combine - the vanilla sometimes clumps. Gradually pour in the rest of the milk, beating as you go, until you have reached the 2 cup mark. Set aside any remaining milk. Pour the custard over the caramel in the ramekins. Top up until they are all full.
Bring the kettle of water back to a boil. Place the baking dish with the ramekins into the oven on a center shelf. Carefully pour the hot water into the baking dish until it comes about halfway up the sides of the ramekins. I find this easier to do with the dish sitting in the oven. Close the door and bake for about 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove the ramekins and set aside to cool on a wire rack. When they have lost some of their heat, chill in the fridge until ready to be eaten.
To serve: run a thin sharp knife round the edge of the custard in the ramekin. Place a dessert dish or bowl over the top. Flip over so that the ramekin is now sitting on top of the plate. With both hands, pick up the plate, holding the ramekin firmly down on it with your thumbs. Give the whole thing a brisk downward shake. Repeat as needed until you hear a sucking noise which will let you know that the custard is now sitting on the plate. Lift off the ramekin. Repeat with the other 3. Serve.
I like to keep it light with whole milk but for a richer dessert, use either 1/2 light cream + milk, or all light cream.
Ingredients
Directions
Preheat oven to 350F. Butter ramekins. Place in a baking dish just large enough to comfortably hold them - this will be your ‘Bain-marie’. Bring a kettle of water to the boil. Set aside.
Make the caramel: Over a medium-high flame, place 1/4 cup water and 1/4 cup of the sugar in a small heavy saucepan. Bring to a boil. Cook until the syrup has reduced and starts to bubble up and turn from light to dark gold. Quickly remove from the burner. You don’t want the caramel to get too dark or it will be bitter. Immediately pour the caramel evenly into the ramekins, swirling each as you go to cover the bottoms with caramel. Set aside in the baking dish.
Make the custard: Break the eggs into a 2 cup measuring jug and beat until combined and frothy. Add 1/2 a cup of the milk, the lemon zest, nutmeg, 2 teaspoons of sugar, and the vanilla paste if using. Beat to combine - the vanilla sometimes clumps. Gradually pour in the rest of the milk, beating as you go, until you have reached the 2 cup mark. Set aside any remaining milk. Pour the custard over the caramel in the ramekins. Top up until they are all full.
Bring the kettle of water back to a boil. Place the baking dish with the ramekins into the oven on a center shelf. Carefully pour the hot water into the baking dish until it comes about halfway up the sides of the ramekins. I find this easier to do with the dish sitting in the oven. Close the door and bake for about 20-25 minutes or until a toothpick comes out clean. Remove the ramekins and set aside to cool on a wire rack. When they have lost some of their heat, chill in the fridge until ready to be eaten.
To serve: run a thin sharp knife round the edge of the custard in the ramekin. Place a dessert dish or bowl over the top. Flip over so that the ramekin is now sitting on top of the plate. With both hands, pick up the plate, holding the ramekin firmly down on it with your thumbs. Give the whole thing a brisk downward shake. Repeat as needed until you hear a sucking noise which will let you know that the custard is now sitting on the plate. Lift off the ramekin. Repeat with the other 3. Serve.
I like to keep it light with whole milk but for a richer dessert, use either 1/2 light cream + milk, or all light cream.
