Creme Caramel

Ingredients:

2 cups or 47 cl. heavy cream
1 cup or 24 cl. milk
1/2 vanilla bean or 1 tsp. vanilla extract
1 cup / 201 gr. sugar
3 egg yolks
2 eggs


For the caramel:
1/2 cup or 101 gr. sugar

Servings:

Up to six 6 oz. or 17 cl. Ramekins.

For the custard:
Heat the oven up to 325°F or 163° C. Heat the cream and milk in a medium saucepan over medium heat until you see little bubbles on the sides of the pan. Cut the vanilla bean in half long side and scrape the seeds into the cream. Meanwhile, in a bowl, slowly whisk 1/2 cup or 101 gr. of the sugar into the eggs. Gently whisk the hot cream into the sugar and eggs mixture. Strain the mixture into a pitcher.


For the caramel:
Place remaining 1/2 cup or 101 gr. sugar in a saucepan and add just enough water to cover the sugar. Put the pan over high heat.
After a few minutes, the mixture will start to caramelize. Keep stirring until brown, be careful not to overcooked.
Once the caramel is an even brown, pour it into the ramekins.


To bake:
Pour the custard into ramekins where you have previously poured the caramel. Fill the baking dish with water until half the sides of the ramekins and cover the whole with aluminium foil.
Bake for 25 min. Note that baking time may depend on features of your ramekins so once and then check the custard if solid.


To serve:
After the coking time place the ramekins to cool in water. Before serving, refrigerate at least for 2 hours.
Pass a knife around the edges of the custard and quickly reverse on the serving plate.


Options:
To have simple variations you may want to try to add into the custard, instead of the vanilla beans, grated orange, lime, lemon zest or grated ginger.