Serves 6
Prep time 20 min
Cook time 30-40min
Skill easy
1 ½ cup sugar
4 eggs
2 cups milk
1 tsp vanilla extract
2 mandarins, peel and juice
6 × 170 ml ramekins
Method
Preheat oven to 130°C, not fanbake.
Place one cup of the sugar with one tablespoon of water into a small clean saucepan.
Place over a moderate heat to dissolve the sugar.
Once the sugar starts to transform into a caramel you must not stir it at this stage.
Continue cooking the caramel until it becomes a lovely golden colour.
Remove immediately from the heat and very carefully pour it into your ramekins.
Be careful at this stage as it is very hot.
Place the milk, vanilla and mandarin peel into a saucepan and warm the milk.
Turn off and let infuse.
Beat the eggs with the remaining sugar.
Slowly pour the milk into the egg mix, whisking to combine.
Strain through a fine sieve.
Pour the mixture into your ramekins.
Place your creme caramels into a deep sided ovenproof dish.
Boil the kettle and pour the boiling water carefully so the water comes up ⅔ of the ramekins.
Cover with foil.
Carefully place in the middle of the oven and gently bake until the custard is still a little wobbly in the centre.
They will continue to cook on cooling.
My advice on cooking is to check them constantly as every oven is different.
They may take 20 minutes or they may take 40 minutes!
As soon as you see the custard setting, watch closely as you do not want them to overcook or the eggs scramble!
Remove immediately from the oven.
Carefully remove from the water and cool completely before eating.
When ready to eat them, run a knife around the edges, place a plate over the ramekin and flip, give it a gentle wiggle and you will feel the creme caramel sliding out.
The caramel will fall over the custard; remove the ramekin and enjoy.
