Mary Berry Crème Caramel Recipe

Mary Berry Crème Caramel is made with a rich, dark copper toffee base and a velvety smooth vanilla egg custard. The result is a sophisticated, wobbling dessert that melts in the mouth, offering a perfect balance of slightly bitter caramel and sweet, creamy milk. It is the ultimate make-ahead dinner party pudding that looks impressive but relies on simple pantry staples.

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Mary Berry Crème Caramel Ingredients

For the Caramel:

• 160g (6 oz) Sugar: Granulated or caster sugar works for the caramel base.
• 6 tablespoons Water: To help dissolve the sugar.
• Unsalted Butter: For greasing the ramekins (used after the caramel sets).

For the Custard:

• 4 Free-Range Eggs: Use fresh eggs for the best flavor.
• 1 teaspoon Vanilla Extract: Essential for the classic custard aroma.
• 25g (1 oz) Caster Sugar: To sweeten the egg mixture slightly.
• 600ml (1 pint) Full-Fat Milk: Whole milk is necessary for the proper set and creamy texture.
• Pouring Cream: To serve.

How To Make Mary Berry Crème Caramel

1. Preheat the oven: Preheat the oven to 150°C (300°F/Gas 2). Place six 150ml (1/4 pint) ramekins on a baking tray and put them inside the oven to warm up. Using warm ramekins ensures the caramel doesn’t seize instantly when poured, allowing it to spread evenly.
2. Make the caramel: Pour the 160g sugar and six tablespoons of water into a clean stainless steel pan. Dissolve the sugar slowly, stirring with a wooden spoon over a low heat. Once there are no sugar granules left, stop stirring and boil rapidly until the sugar turns a dark copper color.
3. Line the ramekins: Remove the caramel immediately from the heat to ensure it does not burn. Quickly pour the hot caramel into the warmed ramekins. Set aside to cool and become hard. Do not put them in the fridge yet, as the sugar will absorb moisture and go soft and tacky. Once the caramel is hard, butter the sides of the ramekins above the level of the caramel.
4. Prepare the custard: In a mixing bowl, whisk the eggs, vanilla extract, and 25g caster sugar together until well mixed.
5. Infuse the milk: Pour the milk into a saucepan. Gently heat over a low heat until it is warm but not boiling (you should still be able to just dip your finger in for a moment). Strain the warm milk through a fine sieve onto the egg mixture in the bowl. Whisk together until smooth.
6. Bake the custard: Pour the mixture into the prepared ramekins. Stand the ramekins in a roasting tin and fill the tin halfway with boiling water from a kettle (bain-marie). Cook in the oven for about 20 to 30 minutes until the custard has set.
7. Cool the dessert: Take the roasting tin out of the oven. Remove the ramekins from the water and set them on a cooling rack. When cool, transfer them to the fridge overnight. This resting time allows the hard caramel to melt into a sauce.
8. Serve the dish: To serve, loosen the sides of the custard by tipping the ramekin and running a small palette knife around the edges. Place a serving dish on top of the ramekin and turn upside down to release. Serve with pouring cream.

Recipe Tips

• Watch the Caramel: Caramel can turn from perfect copper to burnt black in seconds. Do not walk away from the pan once it starts boiling. Using a stainless steel pan helps you see the color change better than a dark non-stick pan.
• Avoid Bubbles: Do not overcook the custard. Check around the edges of the dishes; if bubbles are appearing, the water bath is boiling too vigorously or they have been in too long. The texture should be silky smooth, not honeycomb-like.
• Make Ahead: This is specifically designed as a make-ahead recipe. If you try to turn the custards out too soon, the caramel will still be hard at the bottom of the ramekin. The overnight rest in the fridge dissolves the hard sugar into the liquid sauce.
• Larger Version: If you prefer a family-style dessert, this recipe can be made in a 1.2 litre (2 pint) dish. You will need to increase the cooking time to 40-50 minutes.

What To Serve With Crème Caramel?

This delicate dessert is best served simply with a jug of fresh pouring cream (single cream) to cut through the sweetness of the caramel sauce. If you want to add a decorative touch, a few fresh raspberries or a cat’s tongue biscuit on the side adds a nice texture contrast to the soft custard.

How To Store Leftovers Crème Caramel?

• Refrigerate: Keep the custards in their ramekins in the fridge until the very moment of serving. They will keep for up to 3 days.
• Freeze: Freezing is not recommended, as the egg custard structure will break down and become watery upon thawing.

Crème Caramel Nutrition Facts

• Calories: ~230 kcal
• Fat: 9g
• Carbohydrates: 32g
• Protein: 7g
• Nutrition information is estimated per serving based on 6 ramekins.

FAQs

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• Mary Berry Salted Caramel Traybake Recipe
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