Salted Caramel Custard
This salted caramel custard is richer and creamier than pudding made with slow-cooked caramel, baked low and slow for a perfectly smooth texture, and finished with a sprinkle of flaky sea salt.
Servings: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 6 egg yolks
- ¼ teaspoon salt
- 4 cups heavy cream
- 1 cup granulated sugar 200 grams
- ¼ cup water
- 1 teaspoon pure vanilla
- large-flake sea salt (such as Maldon) for garnish
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 225°F. Adjust the oven rack in the middle position.
- Add the egg yolks to a large bowl, whisking until well combined, set aside.
- In a medium saucepan, set over low heat, bring the cream to a slow simmer, do not allow to boil.
- Meanwhile, in a large saucepan, combine the sugar and water, bring to a boil over medium-high heat and cook until the mixture turns a deep amber, about 5 minutes.
- Remove the pan from the heat and carefully whisk the hot cream into the caramel. It will foam, bubble, and spit. Keep whisking until smooth, then stir in the vanilla. Set aside to cool slightly.
- Slowly pour the cream mixture into the eggs, whisking constantly until the custard is well combined and smooth.
- Set a fine-mesh strainer over a bowl and strain the custard, discarding any bits of egg left in the strainer.
- Place six 6-ounce ramekins or jars on a baking sheet and fill each with the custard mixture. Transfer to the oven and bake for 45-55 minutes.
- Transfer the custards from the oven and cool to room temperature, then place them into the refrigerator to chill completely, about 3 hours or overnight.
- Serve the custards garnished with a sprinkling of large, flaky Maldon salt.
Notes
Use a heavy-bottomed pan: A heavy-bottomed pan distributes heat evenly and helps prevent the caramel from scorching.
Add cream carefully: Whisk the hot cream in gradually, the caramel will foam, bubble, and release steam.
Strain for smoothness: Pass the custard mixture through a fine-mesh sieve before baking to remove any cooked egg bits.
Salt at the end: Sprinkle flaky sea salt just before serving so it stays crisp and visible.
Adjust for ramekin size: Smaller custard cups may be ready in 45 minutes; larger ones can take up to 55 minutes.
Nutrition
Serving: 1 serving | Calories: 728kcal | Carbohydrates: 38g | Protein: 7g | Fat: 62g | Saturated Fat: 38g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 17g | Cholesterol: 374mg | Sodium: 149mg | Potassium: 172mg | Sugar: 38g | Vitamin A: 2592IU | Vitamin C: 1mg | Calcium: 129mg | Iron: 1mg
