Phoebe ChungCreme caramel or flan is a crème dessert with a layer of caramel topping and is a popular dessert worldwide.
While crème brulee only bakes cream custard and puts caramel on top, crème caramel is the opposite.
Although crème caramel is a bit more labor intensive than Crème Brulee.
But overall it’s easy to make, making it is perfect as a dessert for entertaining guests.
When we go to a fancy restaurant on a trip or at a gathering, a lot of places that have crème brulee or crème caramel on the dessert menu.
It is because of the convenience of being able to prepare large quantities ahead of time and storing in the refrigerator until needed.
A few years ago, my husband’s company dinner party was at a hotel buffet in Hong Kong.
After eating the main dish, I looked at the dessert section and saw crème brulee in mini bowls.
I took one to the table and showed it to my husband and his colleagues.
As soon as, the big men were rushing to get it.
I am surprised that so many people like this dessert
Crème caramel and flan are French.
However, in the Spanish-speaking world or in North America where it has been influenced, creme caramel is ‘flan’.
And don’t get confused, as elsewhere, like the UK, flan is a type of pie.
Creme Caramel vs Creme Brulee
Crème brulee has a crispy caramelized sugar layer on the top of the custard.
After baking only the custard, add sugar to it and make caramel with a blowtorch.
For crème caramell, first make caramel syrup, put it under a mold, pour custard on top and bake.
When the custard remove from the mould, the caramel flows down the sides of the custard and puddles on the plate.
If creme brulee has the pleasure of breaking caramel with a spoon,
Creme caramel is fun to watch the caramel flow when you take it out of the mold.
Comparing the taste, the crème caramel is sweeter and the caramel flavor is stronger.
I prefer creme caramel, how about you?
Creme Caramel Recipe
Equipment
- 2 4" diameter ramekin
Ingredients
caramel ingredients
- 80 g sugar about 100 ml
- 2 tbsp water
Custard Ingredients
- 120 ml cream
- 120 ml milk
- 2 eggs
- 2 egg yolks
- 1½ tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Lightly butter the insides of 2 ramekins or an appropriately sized oven bowl.
making caramel
- Place 2 tbsp of water and sugar in a saucepan over medium heat.Do not stir or mix at this time and leave it until it starts to boil.
- When it starts to boil from the edges, reduce the heat to low and start stirring.It will soon turn into a golden color.
- Watch by the stove and take off it as soon as it's about to turn golden.
- After removing it from the stove, leave it for about 1 minute, then pour it into buttered bowls and leave it to harden.
Custard
- Put the pot over medium heat, add the milk, cream and sugar and bring to boil until just about boiling.
- When bubbles start to form from the edges, turn off the heat immediately, add the vanilla extract, stir, and leave to cool.
- Mix 2 eggs and 2 egg yolks with a fork, add the cooled milk mixture and mix gently. (avoid bubbles)
- Sift through a sieve to strain the egg white lumps. Discard the strained egg white lumps.
- Meanwhile, the caramel hardens.At this point, preheat the oven to 160 ℃.
- Divide the milk-egg mix into the ramekins.Cut 2 piece of aluminum foil and cover them.
- Put them in a deep oven pan and pour hot water to a depth of about 1.5cm. Make sure the aluminum foil does not touch the water.Bake in 160℃ preheated oven for 50 minutes.
- Remove from the oven, cool at room temperature, and place in the refrigerator for at least 4 hours.
- When serving, soak the lower part in warm water for about 5 minutes. Melt the caramel on the bottom slightly.Cut around the edges with a knife.
- If you turn it over on a plate, the caramel flows over the cream custurd.
