Best Caramelized Winter Fruit Custards Recipes

CARAMEL CUSTARD

Steps:

• In a large heavy saucepan, cook and stir 3/4 cup sugar over low heat until sugar is melted and golden. Pour into eight 6-oz. custard cups, tilting to coat bottom of cup; let stand for 10 minutes. , In a large bowl, beat the eggs, milk, vanilla and remaining sugar until blended but not foamy. Pour over caramelized sugar. , Place the cups in two 8-in. square baking pans. Pour very hot water in pans to a depth of 1 in. Bake at 350° until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean, 40-45 minutes. Remove from pans to cool on wire racks. , To unmold, run a knife around rim of cup and invert onto dessert place. Serve warm or chilled.

CARAMELIZED BAKED CUSTARDS

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 325°. In a saucepan, heat cream and liqueur until bubbles form around sides of pan; remove from heat. In a large bowl, whisk eggs, egg yolks and 3/4 cup sugar until blended but not foamy. Slowly stir in hot cream mixture. Stir in vanilla., Place six 6-oz. broiler-safe ramekins in a baking pan large enough to hold them without touching. Pour cream mixture into ramekins. Place pan on oven rack; add very hot water to pan to within 1/2 in. of tops of ramekins., Bake 20-25 minutes or until a knife inserted in the center comes out clean; centers will still be soft. Immediately remove ramekins from water bath to a wire rack; cool 10 minutes. Refrigerate until cold., To caramelize topping with a kitchen torch, sprinkle custards evenly with remaining sugar. Hold torch flame about 2 in. above custard surface and rotate it slowly until sugar is evenly caramelized. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 1 hour., To caramelize topping in a broiler, place ramekins on a baking sheet; let stand at room temperature 15 minutes. Preheat broiler. Sprinkle custards evenly with remaining sugar. Broil 3-4 in. from heat 5-7 minutes or until sugar is caramelized. Serve immediately or refrigerate up to 1 hour.

JULIA CHILD'S CARAMEL CUSTARD

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. In a small saucepan, combine 1/2 cup sugar with 1/4 cup water. Bring to a boil over low heat, stirring to dissolve the sugar. Increase the heat to high and cook, without stirring, until the syrup turns a light caramel color. Remove the saucepan from the heat and dip the bottom into cold water to stop the cooking. Pour the caramel into a 4-cup charlotte mold, and tilt so that it covers the bottoms and sides. Let cool.
• In a small saucepan, bring the milk and vanilla to a boil. In a heatproof bowl, beat the eggs, egg yolks and cup sugar until blended. Whisking constantly, pour the hot milk into the egg mixture; let rest for a few minutes, then strain. Pour the custard into the caramel-coated mold.
• Put the mold in a small but deep baking or roasting pan, and add hot water to come about two-thirds up the sides of the mold. Place the pan on the stove over medium heat, and bring the water to a simmer. Transfer the pan to the oven. (The water should stay at a low simmer at all times; do not let it boil or the custard will overcook.) Bake until a knife inserted into the center of the custard comes out clean, 40 to 50 minutes. Keep the custard in the baking pan until the water cools. Remove from the pan to finish cooling. To serve, run the tip of a knife around the top of the custard to loosen it. Invert a serving platter over the mold and quickly turn it over again. Carefully remove the mold.