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Caramel Creme with eggs, milk and sugar — France recipeFranceFrance
Sweet Dishes

Caramel Creme

🌿Vegetarian⚡Quick

Crème Caramel — the epitome of French dessert elegance. A silky vanilla custard baked to perfection, resting beneath a pool of glistening amber caramel.

⏱️
20
Minutes
👥
6
Servings
🔥
290
kcal
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IngredientsInstructionsCommentsRelated Recipes

Key Ingredients

large eggswhole milkgranulated sugarvanilla extract

What you'll need

Ingredients

How to make it

Instructions

  1. 1

    Make caramel: cook sugar and water in a heavy saucepan over medium-high heat without stirring until deep amber (8-12 minutes). Immediately pour into 6 ramekins and swirl to coat bottoms. Be careful — hot caramel is dangerous.

  2. 2

    Preheat oven to 160°C. Heat milk with vanilla bean until steaming (not boiling). Remove from heat and infuse 15 minutes.

  3. 3

    Gently whisk eggs, yolks, sugar and salt until combined. Slowly pour the hot milk into the egg mixture, whisking constantly. Strain through a fine-mesh sieve.

  4. 4

    Pour custard over hardened caramel in ramekins. Set in a baking dish with hot water halfway up the ramekins. Bake 35-45 minutes until edges are set and centre jiggles slightly.

  5. 5

    Remove from water bath, cool to room temperature, cover and refrigerate at least 4 hours. To serve: run a knife around each edge and invert onto a plate.

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Frequently Asked Questions

What is the difference between crème caramel and crème brûlée?

Crème caramel is unmolded onto a plate — the caramel sauce flows over the top. Crème brûlée is served directly in the ramekin with a crunchy caramel crust made with a torch. In composition, crème caramel uses whole milk and whole eggs, while crème brûlée uses heavy cream and only egg yolks.

Why does the caramel taste bitter?

The sugar was overheated — dark brown caramel starts to taste bitter. Remove the pan from the heat when it reaches a golden-amber color (170–175°C). Always keep cold water nearby to quickly stop the caramelization.

Why won't crème caramel come out of the mold?

Before unmolding, run a thin knife around the edge of the ramekin. If the custard hasn't released yet — wait 10 seconds with the mold inverted. Make sure the dessert has fully cooled in the refrigerator (at least 4 hours).

Can crème caramel be made without a water bath?

Without a water bath, the custard will bake unevenly and develop a bubbly, grainy texture. The water bath is essential for a smooth, creamy result.

How long does crème caramel keep?

In the refrigerator in the ramekin (not unmolded) — up to 3 days. Unmold just before serving. Once unmolded, it should not be stored.