Eggnog Crème Caramel

Description

Source: Holy Sweet! - Peabody Johnson

I’ll admit that I prefer my eggnog in a latte or a dessert rather than just drinking it straight. Then again, I prefer most things in dessert form. I’m not sure you can have a holiday chapter without an eggnog recipe. Crème caramel is one of those desserts that people rarely make at home—and they really should. It’s part crème brûlée (minus the blowtorch) and part flan. All parts good. This recipe calls for making your own caramel, which does scare people. Be brave. You can do it.

Ingredients

• ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• About 3 tbsp (45 ml) water
• 2 cups (480 ml) heavy cream
• 1 cup (240 ml) eggnog (store-bought, not homemade)
• 3 egg yolks
• 2 large eggs
• ½ cup (100 g) granulated sugar
• 1 tsp freshly ground nutmeg
• ⅛ tsp salt
• 1 tsp vanilla extract

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 325°F (160°C).
2. Arrange six 6-ounce (177-ml) ramekins in a baking dish with high sides.
3. To make the caramel: Put the sugar in a small, clean saucepan.
4. Carefully add just enough water to dissolve the sugar, stirring as you add the water.
5. When the sugar is dissolved, set the pot over high heat.
6. After a few minutes, the mixture will come to a full boil.
7. Several minutes later the sugar will start to color.
8. Swirl the pan around to even out the caramelization, or it will color in just one spot and eventually burn.
9. Once the sugar has started to caramelize, watch it carefully. (Seriously, don’t be doing anything else but staring at the pan) .
10. It takes just seconds for caramel to go from great to burned.
11. When the caramel is an even dark brown (which can take anywhere from 8 to 10 minutes), carefully pour it into the ramekins.
12. The caramel will be super hot, so please be careful.
13. Divide it evenly so that each ramekin is lined with a thin layer of dark brown caramel.
14. Let it cool so the caramel can set while you make the custard.
15. To make the custard: In a medium saucepan, heat the cream and eggnog over medium heat until they’re scalded.
16. You’ll see small bubbles on the sides of the pan. (Feel free to sing “Tiny Bubbles” at this time.… I always do).
17. Put the egg yolks and eggs in a medium bowl and slowly whisk in the sugar until it is fully combined.
18. Then whisk ¼ cup (60 ml) of the hot cream and eggnog into the sugar and yolk mixture.
19. Continue to do this ¼ cup (60 ml) at a time until all the cream and eggnog has been whisked in.
20. Strain the mixture through a fine sieve into a pitcher or measuring cup, in case any egg cooked a little.
21. Whisk in the nutmeg, salt and vanilla.
22. To finish the crème caramels: Pour the custard mix evenly into the caramel-lined ramekins.
23. Put the baking dish with the ramekins in the oven.
24. Fill the dish with enough hot water to come halfway up the sides of the ramekins, then cover the whole dish with aluminum foil.
25. Bake until the custard is just set, 25 to 50 minutes. That seems like a really wide range, but how your ramekin is shaped (thickness and depth) will affect how long it takes to bake.
26. Carefully remove the baking dish from the oven and let the ramekins cool in the water bath.
27. When they’re cool, remove the foil and take them out of the pan.
28. Cover each one with plastic wrap and refrigerate at least 2 hours or up to 2 days.
29. To serve, run a thin knife around the edge of the custard and invert it onto a dessert plate.
30. Scrape any caramel still in the ramekin onto the custard.

Yield: Makes 6