Forget cakes, how about simpler desserts that use custards wholeheartedly? Think of the likes of caramel custard desserts baked and delicious, with a melt-in-the-mouth quality. If that does not convince you to try these custard desserts or rather their recipes, we don’t know what will. Besides the creamy bowl-trapped desserts, there’s also an Australian specialty, whose name you’ll have to find out by scrolling a little. Happy baking!
1. Creme Brulee
Yield: 6 servings
Ingredients
- 475 ml heavy whipping cream
- 5 egg yolks
- 100 gm granulated sugar, plus extra for caramelizing
- 1 pinch salt
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 150°C and while it heats, prepare the cream mixture.
- Take a medium saucepan, and heat the heavy cream over medium heat, stirring frequently. When the cream is steaming and almost simmering, remove from heat and stir in the vanilla.
- In a medium bowl, whisk egg yolks, sugar, and salt until well combined. Carefully drizzle the hot cream into the egg mixture, to avoid cooking the eggs, and whisk constantly to mix.
- Pour the mixture through a fine-mesh sieve into a large measuring cup with a pouring spout.
- Divide the strained custard evenly among six 120 ml ramekins. If using bigger ramekins, bake for five minutes extra.
- Place the ramekins in a 13 x 9-inch baking dish. Fill the baking dish with boiling water to reach halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
- Bake at 150°C for 30-35 minutes, until the centers are nearly set with a slight jiggle.
- Carefully remove ramekins from the water bath and place them on a wire rack to cool down.
- Cover and refrigerate for at least two hours,
- Just before serving, sprinkle 1 ½ to 2 teaspoons of sugar evenly over each custard. Heat a spoon until hot and scorch the sugar all over, until golden brown.
2. Vanilla Slice
Yield: 9 servings
Ingredients
- 2 sheets of store-bought puff pastry
- 250 ml whole milk
- 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise
- 70 gm cornflour, adjust as per required thickness
- 60 gm custard powder
- 220 gm caster sugar
- 750 ml thickened cream
- 50 gm unsalted butter
- 3 egg yolks
- Caster sugar, for dusting
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 210°C, then line a 9-inch square baking pan with aluminum foil, ensuring the foil extends over the sides.
- Place each pastry sheet on a baking tray lined with parchment paper.
- Bake for 8-10 minutes or until golden brown. Set aside to cool. Once cooled, place one pastry sheet, cooked-side up, in the bottom of the prepared pan, and trim if necessary.
- Warm the milk with split vanilla bean in a saucepan, over medium heat. Remove from heat and let the vanilla infuse the milk for 10 minutes.
- Take a big saucepan, add cornflour, custard powder, and caster sugar. Strain the milk into it and whisk until smooth, then add the cream.
- Cook over low heat, stirring constantly, until the mixture thickens and comes to a boil. Add butter and stir until combined.
- Remove from heat and whisk in egg yolks one at a time until smooth.
- Pour the custard over the pastry in the pan. Allow to cool slightly, then place the second pastry sheet on top, cooked-side up. Refrigerate overnight.
- Using the foil overhang, carefully lift the dessert from the pan. Cut into squares and dust with icing sugar before serving.
3. Flan
Yield: 8-10 servings
Ingredients
For the caramel:
- 150 gm granulated sugar
- 60 ml water
For the custard:
- 225 gm cream cheese, softened
- 5 eggs, room temperature
- 400 gm sweetened condensed milk
- 355 ml evaporated milk
- 1 tsp vanilla extract
Instructions
- Pour water and sugar into a heavy saucepan, and heat over medium-low flame. Cook without stirring until the mixture turns golden, about 15 minutes. Brush down any sugar crystals that forms on the sides with a wet pastry brush.
- Quickly pour the caramel into a two-liter round baking dish, tilting to coat the bottom. Let it stand for 10 minutes to harden.
- Preheat the oven to 180°C. While it heats, prepare the custard.
- Take a large bowl, and beat cream cheese until smooth. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Add condensed milk, evaporated milk, and vanilla and mix until combined.
- Pour the custard mixture over the hardened caramel in the baking dish. Then place the filled baking dish in a larger roasting pan. Pour boiling water into the larger pan to a depth of 2.5 cm.
- Bake for 50-60 minutes until the center is just set but still jiggly.
- Remove the flan from the water bath and place it on a wire rack to cool for 1 hour, then refrigerate overnight.
- Once chilled, run a knife around the edge of the flan, to unmold. Then invert onto a large rimmed serving platter.
- Cut into wedges or spoon onto dessert plates.
- Drizzle each serving of the Flan with the caramel sauce from the bottom of the dish.