Creme Caramel Recipe

Creme Caramel - The very classic smooth and velvety custard / pudding full of vanilla flavour with a caramel on top....

Both my daughters are a big fan of these. You could just see their eyes sparkle at the sight of these. Especially my first daughter Neha could hardly wait for them to set in the refrigerator ( Like mother, like daughter :) )

This is a very simple recipe with basic ingredients - milk, egg, sugar and vanilla. But when done correctly, you will have one outstanding velvety smooth custard with a lovely caramel on top!!!

Here are a few tips that will help you yield a perfect Creme Caramel...

• You need a deep caramel colour, but be careful not to burn it. So, do watch carefully while making caramel.
• We don't want the custards to puff up and rise, we just need to set the custard, so don't aerate the eggs by beating in a lot of air.
• And finally, please! please! please!!! DO NOT OVER BAKE. Take it out of the oven when the top is set and centre still jiggles. It will continue to cook as it cools down and set perfectly to a smooth, melt-in-mouth custard!!!

 

Creme Caramel

 Velvety smooth vanilla creme custard with a luscious caramel on top!
 Prep time: 15 min | Cook time: 25 min
 Total time: 40 min |Yield: 6 ramekins

INGREDIENTS:
For the Caramel: 
Sugar: 1/2 cup 
Water: 3 tbsp 
For the Creme:
Milk: 500 ml 
Vanilla Bean: 1 
Sugar: 1/4 cup 
Eggs: 3

Recipe Source: Home Cooking Adventure

METHOD:

1) Take 1/2 cup sugar in a sauce pan. Add water to it and bring it to a boil. After the sugar melts, reduce to medium flame.
2) After a few minutes, the sugar will start to caramelize around the edges. You can slowly stir the pan for even colouring, but do not stir! When the colour reaches a deep golden brown, remove from the heat and pour the hot caramel on the ramekins.

[ If you need to know more in detail about making caramel, you can check my Caramel Sauce post where I have given all the details about the process and about caramel colour comparison ]

 3) Swirl the ramekins to cover the base completely ( Be very careful as they are very very hot ) Holding one end of the vanilla bean, split it in half with the tip of a sharp knife and scrape out the seeds.
4) Add the vanilla seeds and the bean to the milk and heat it gently in low flame till you can see bubbles around the edges( do not let it boil ) Take it off the heat. Close it with a lid and set it aside for 5 minutes to infuse all the vanilla flavour. Take 3 eggs and 1/4 cup sugar in a separate bowl. 
5) Mix the sugar and eggs with a whisk  ( No need to beat in hard, as you don't want the custard to rise ) remove the vanilla bean from the milk. Now slowly add the milk mixture to the egg mixture, stirring constantly.
6) Strain the mixture and then divide it equally among the prepared ramekins.
 7) Place 5 ramekins in a large baking pan. Add enough boiling water ( add it along the corner of the pan so that water doesn't splatter over the ramekins ) till it comes about halfway up the sides of the ramekins. Finally place the 6th ramekin carefully in the pan.
8) Bake in a preheated oven at 160 C for 25 to 30 minutes or until just set on top and jiggles in the middle. Transfer them to wire rack to cool completely. After it comes to room temperature, cover with a cling film and refrigerate for atleast 4 hours

That's it, there you have it - the amazing velvety smooth vanilla creme custard with a luscious caramel on top!!!

NOTES:

1) You can substitute the vanilla bean with 1 and 1/2 tsp vanilla extract. Just add it finally after mixing the milk and egg mixture.
2) For serving the creme caramel, run a knife around the edge of the ramekin and place a plate over it. Carefully invert it over the plate and finally lift the ramekin to feast your eyes....The custard will just slide out with caramel drizzling all over it!!!
3) Burnt caramel will yield a bitter taste so do watch carefully, while making caramel.
4) Total time does not include the cooling time.

Cheers,
Sindhiya.S

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Chicken Vembattam Recipe ( Simple and Elegant Chicken Dish )

Simple, comforting Chicken dish full of flavour with tiny chicken pieces!!

This is my MIL's native dish. And don't ask me, why is it called Vembattam? As long as it tastes wonderful you don't need the name reasoning all right? ( Good! because I don't know :) )
It doesn't require any fancy ingredient nor does it require any fancy equiment, but the taste of it will surely blow you off.
Whenever you want to eat chicken and not in a mood for a heavy dish, then this is the dish for you. Even after two helpings, you feel miraculously light!!! And I promise you, that you will definitely go for more than two helpings :)

The tempered ginger and garlic combined with curry leaves and coconut makes it a very aromatic chicken dish. This Chicken Vembattam tastes wonderful with roti, rice and dosa too..

 

Chicken Vembattam

 Simple and elegant Chicken dish for roti and rice!
 Prep time: 10 min | Cook time: 15 min
 Total time: 25 min |Yield: 2 to 3 servings

Ingredients:
Chicken: 1/4 kg ( finely chopped )
Oil: 2 tbsp
Mustard: 1/2 tsp
Urad Dal: 3/4 tsp
Finely Chopped Ginger: 1 tbsp
Garlic: 4 cloves ( finely chopped ) 
Shallots: 5 or 6 ( finely chopped ) 
Curry leaves: 1 sprig
Turmeric Powder: 1/2 tsp
Dry Chilli: 3 big or 4 small
Salt: To taste
Water: 3/4 cup 
To Grind:
Chopped Coconut: 2 and 1/2 tbsp 
Cumin Seeds: 1/2 tsp
Curry leaves: 1 sprig

METHOD:
1) Heat oil in a pan. Add mustard seeds. Once it splutters add the urad dal. Then add the finely chopped ginger and garlic and fry for a minute ( no need for colour change ) Now add the shallots, split dry chilli, turmeric, curry leaves and fry until onions are transluscent.


2) Add the chicken pieces and give a very good toss. Add the water and bring it to a boil.

3) Add salt. Close and cook for 10 to 15 minutes in low medium flame. Meanwhile take the items under the title To Grind in a mixer.

4) Grind the contents to a coarse mixture just like scrapped coconut. After 10 minutes, when the chicken is cooked add the coconuts mixture to it and mix well for a minute on high flame. Switch it off.
That's it the very easy and tasty chicken dish is ready!!!



NOTES:

1) For this recipe use a combination of chicken pieces with and without bone as it makes it more flavourful.

2) As the pieces are very small, the chicken gets cooked quickly so make sure not to overcook.

Cheers,

Sindhiya.S

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