Soft, creamy, and covered in golden caramel – this classic French dessert is surprisingly simple to make. It’s one of those comforting treats that feels fancy but only needs a few basic ingredients. Sweet, silky, and melt-in-your-mouth good. Perfect for when you want to impress (without the stress).

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Ingredients Needed:

Caramel:

- 105 g (1/2 tasse) de sucre
- 45 ml (3 c. à soupe) d’eau

Crème:

- 500 ml (2 tasses) de lait 3,25 %
- 70 g (1/3 tasse) de sucre
- 1/2 gousse de vanille, fendue en deux et grattée
- 3 oeufs

How To Make Creme Caramel?

Preheat the oven and get your ramekins ready: Set the oven to 150°C. Place 6 ramekins (each holds 125 ml or 1/2 cup) on your work surface.
Make the caramel: In a small saucepan, heat the sugar and water over medium-high heat. Let it cook without stirring until it turns a deep amber color. Quickly pour the caramel into each ramekin and let it cool completely.
Heat the milk mixture: In another saucepan, bring the milk, sugar, and vanilla (bean and seeds) to a gentle boil. Stir until the sugar has melted, then remove from heat.
Whisk the eggs: In a mixing bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Slowly pour in the hot milk mixture while whisking, a little at a time, so the eggs don’t scramble.
Pour into ramekins: Once everything is combined, pour the custard over the caramel in the ramekins.
Bake in a water bath: Line a large baking dish with a clean towel, then place the ramekins inside. Pour hot water around them until it reaches halfway up the sides. Cover loosely with foil. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the edges are set and the center still slightly jiggles.
Cool and chill: Remove the ramekins from the water, let them cool to room temperature, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
To serve: Run a knife gently around the edge of each ramekin, then flip onto a plate to release the caramel on top. Serve cold.

Recipe Tips:

Watch the caramel closely — it burns fast: Once the sugar starts turning golden, don’t walk away. It can go from perfect to bitter in seconds. Look for a deep amber color, then pour quickly into the ramekins.
Whisk the eggs gently — no foam: You don’t want bubbles in your custard. Whisk slowly and evenly so the texture stays smooth and creamy, not airy or bubbly.
Add the hot milk slowly to the eggs: This step is called tempering. Pour a little bit of hot milk at a time while whisking — this keeps the eggs from scrambling.
Use a towel under the ramekins in the water bath: It keeps them from sliding around and helps the heat distribute more evenly, which gives you that silky, even set.
Chill for a full 8 hours before serving: This isn’t optional — it helps the caramel melt and soak into the custard, giving it that rich, glossy topping when you flip it out.

How To Store Leftovers?

Let the crème caramel cool down to room temperature first. Then, cover each ramekin tightly with plastic wrap and place them in the fridge. Keep them refrigerated for up to 3 days.

Nutrition Facts:

Calories: 180 kcal
Total Fat: 5 g
Saturated Fat: 2.5 g
Cholesterol: 95 mg
Sodium: 50 mg
Potassium: 120 mg
Total Carbohydrate: 28 g
Dietary Fiber: 0 g
Sugars: 27 g
Protein: 5 g

Try More Mary Berry Recipes:

Mary Berry Vegetable Lasagne
Mary Berry Brioche Bread and Butter Pudding

Mary Berry Creme Caramel

Course: DessertCuisine: BritishDifficulty: Easy

Servings

servings

Prep time

minutes

Cooking time

minutes

Calories

180

kcal

Ingredients

Caramel:
105 g (1/2 tasse) de sucre
45 ml (3 c. à soupe) d’eau
Crème:
500 ml (2 tasses) de lait 3,25 %
70 g (1/3 tasse) de sucre
1/2 gousse de vanille, fendue en deux et grattée
3 oeufs

Directions

Preheat the oven and get your ramekins ready: Set the oven to 150°C. Place 6 ramekins (each holds 125 ml or 1/2 cup) on your work surface.
Make the caramel: In a small saucepan, heat the sugar and water over medium-high heat. Let it cook without stirring until it turns a deep amber color. Quickly pour the caramel into each ramekin and let it cool completely.
Heat the milk mixture: In another saucepan, bring the milk, sugar, and vanilla (bean and seeds) to a gentle boil. Stir until the sugar has melted, then remove from heat.
Whisk the eggs: In a mixing bowl, lightly beat the eggs. Slowly pour in the hot milk mixture while whisking, a little at a time, so the eggs don’t scramble.
Pour into ramekins: Once everything is combined, pour the custard over the caramel in the ramekins.
Bake in a water bath: Line a large baking dish with a clean towel, then place the ramekins inside. Pour hot water around them until it reaches halfway up the sides. Cover loosely with foil. Bake for about 30 minutes, or until the edges are set and the center still slightly jiggles.
Cool and chill: Remove the ramekins from the water, let them cool to room temperature, then cover with plastic wrap and refrigerate for 8 hours or overnight.
To serve: Run a knife gently around the edge of each ramekin, then flip onto a plate to release the caramel on top. Serve cold.

Notes

Watch the caramel closely — it burns fast: Once the sugar starts turning golden, don’t walk away. It can go from perfect to bitter in seconds. Look for a deep amber color, then pour quickly into the ramekins.
Whisk the eggs gently — no foam: You don’t want bubbles in your custard. Whisk slowly and evenly so the texture stays smooth and creamy, not airy or bubbly.
Add the hot milk slowly to the eggs: This step is called tempering. Pour a little bit of hot milk at a time while whisking — this keeps the eggs from scrambling.
Use a towel under the ramekins in the water bath: It keeps them from sliding around and helps the heat distribute more evenly, which gives you that silky, even set.
Chill for a full 8 hours before serving: This isn’t optional — it helps the caramel melt and soak into the custard, giving it that rich, glossy topping when you flip it out.