CREME CARAMEL A LA JULIA CHILD

Well it wasn't as pretty as it could have been, but it was long overdue. My friend was famously known for her amazing crème brulée, but although I had never attempted it, I had always wanted to venture there. So I was finished dishes and dreaming of dessert, with a full tray of eggs. So I made caramel for the first time (keep the lid on and don't let it burn), and it was easier than I thought. It was close to smoking and hard crack, honestly, which didn't matter when you put it on the bottom of a flan to be "renverseé", but would matter for actual caramel. If you wanted to be careful, a candy thermometer would make the difference. The custard was simple, and the presentation varied (why I didn't take a photo of the best one, I'll never know!). The recipe is on page 584 under the title Crème Renversée au Caramel in Mastering the Art of French Cooking.

Crème Renversée au Caramel

by Julia Child, from Mastering the Art of French Cooking

serves 4-6 people

for the caramel:

2/3 cup sugar
1/3 cup water

Add sugar and water to a heavy stainless steel saucepan and cook over medium heat until the sugar has dissolved. When it starts to brown, swirl the saucepan around but do not stir. This will ensure that the sugar turns color evenly and will help wash any crystals off the side. When it is thick and a light, nutty brown, remove from heat and pour directly into molds; swirl each mold to coat evenly with the caramel. If you smell it burning, it is past time. Immerse the saucepan immediately in a cold water bath, and pour out into ramekins.

for the custard:

Ingredients:
2 1/2 cups milk
1/2 cup sugar
3 eggs
3 egg yolks
1 teaspoon vanilla extract, or 1 vanilla bean

Directions:

1) Bring the milk and vanilla bean (if you are using) to just below a simmer in a saucepan. Let the vanilla steep in the milk while you prepare the rest of the custard ingredients.

2) Gradually beat the sugar into the eggs and egg yolks in a bowl until well mixed, light, and foamy. Continue beating while pouring in the hot milk in a thin stream of droplets. If you are using vanilla extract rather than a vanilla bean, add it now. Strain the mixture through a fine-meshed sieve into the caramel-lined molds.

3) To bake the molds, set them in a pan and pour enough boiling water around them to come halfway up the sides. Place in the bottom third of an oven preheated to 350F. After five minutes, turn down the heat to 325F. Bake for about 40 minutes, or until the center is firm but slightly wobbly. Cooking it too long will result in a tough rather than tender custard.

4) If you would like to serve the custards warm, set the molds in cold water for about ten minutes before unmolding; otherwise chill in the refrigerator. To unmold, run a knife between the custard and edges of the mold. Place a serving dish upside down over the mold and quickly reverse the two, and remove the mold from the custard.