Creme Caramel
- 3 cups whole milk
- 1 vanilla bean, split lengthwise, seeds scraped and reserved
- 1 cup sugar, plus 2/3 cup
- 1/4 cup water
- 2 tablespoons orange juice
- Cooking spray
- 7 eggs
- Pinch salt
- 5 tablespoons heavy whipping cream
- 1 cup mixed berries
- 1/4 cup prepared raspberry sauce
- 8 sprigs mint, for garnish
- Preheat the oven to 200 degrees F.
- In a heavy-bottomed saucepan heat the milk, the vanilla pod over medium-low heat and bring to a simmer.
- Do not boil.
- For the caramel: Mix together 1 cup of sugar and 1/4 cup of water in a small saucepan over medium-high heat.
- Heat until the sugar dissolves and continue cooking until the sugar turns golden brown.
- Do not stir.
- Remove from heat and add 2 tablespoons of orange juice.
- (Be very careful when you add this because the hot sugar will fly everywhere.)
- Shake the pan to incorporate the orange juice and sugar.
- Spray 8 (4 to 5-ounce) ramekin dishes or 1 large flan mold, with cooking spray.
- Pour the caramel into the dishes, to completely cover the bottom.
- In a large bowl mix together the remaining 2/3 cup sugar, the eggs, and a pinch of salt and whisk well.
- Remove the vanilla pod from the milk and gradually blend the milk into egg and sugar mixture while stirring or whisking constantly.
- Stir in the heavy cream, then strain the egg mixture through a sieve.
- At this point, add the vanilla bean seeds and pour the mixture into the ramekin dishes over the caramel.
- Fill a deep casserole dish with water and arrange ramekins in the casserole dish.
- The water should reach halfway up the dishes.
- Bake in the preheated 200 degrees F oven until the custard sets, about 1 1/2 hours.
- Remove the ramekins from the oven and cool.
- Refrigerate for 2 to 3 hours before serving.
- To serve: Mix together fresh berries and raspberry sauce in a small bowl.
- Remove the ramekins from the refrigerator and loosen the edges with a small knife.
- Put a dessert plate on top of the ramekin dish, and turn upside down, so that the caramel sits on top.
- Remove ramekin dish.
- Spoon the berries on top of each creme caramel and garnish with a fresh mint sprig.
milk, vanilla bean, sugar, water, orange juice, cooking spray, eggs, salt, heavy whipping cream, mixed berries, raspberry sauce, mint
Taken from www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/robert-irvine/creme-caramel-recipe.html (may not work)