Caramel Custards with Ginger (Cremes Caramels au Gingembre)
- 1/4 cup water
- 1 cup sugar
- 1/4 cup chopped peeled fresh ginger (2 ounces)
- 4 large egg yolks
- 2 large whole eggs
- 2 cups whole milk
- Garnish: crystallized ginger
- Special equipment: 4 (6-ounce) ramekins
- Preheat oven to 325F.
- Bring water, 1/2 cup sugar, and fresh ginger to a boil in a 2-quart heavy saucepan, washing down any sugar crystals from side of pan with a brush dipped in cold water.
- Boil gently, without stirring, 6 minutes (syrup will be foamy).
- Transfer ginger with a slotted spoon to a small bowl.
- Cook syrup remaining in pan over moderate heat, undisturbed, until it becomes a deep caramel.
- Divide caramel among ramekins, tilting to thinly coat (caramel may not cover bottoms completely).
- Whisk together yolks, whole eggs, and a pinch of salt in a bowl.
- Bring milk, remaining 1/2 cup sugar, and cooked ginger just to a boil in cleaned pan.
- Add half of sweetened milk to eggs in a slow stream, whisking constantly but gently, then stir in remainder.
- (Excessive whisking incorporates air and will result in a custard with many holes.)
- Pour custard through a very fine sieve into a bowl and discard solids.
- Divide custard among ramekins and cover each tightly with foil.
- Put ramekins in a water bath and bake in middle of oven until set around edges with centers still wobbly, 40 to 45 minutes.
- Transfer ramekins with a slotted spatula to a rack and cool cremes caramels to room temperature (centers will set as they cool).
- Serve in ramekins or inverted onto a plate.
- To invert, run a thin knife around edge of each ramekin.
- Invert a plate over each ramekin and, holding plate and ramekin tightly together, invert creme caramel onto plate
water, sugar, fresh ginger, egg yolks, eggs, milk, ginger, ramekins
Taken from www.epicurious.com/recipes/food/views/caramel-custards-with-ginger-cremes-caramels-au-gingembre-104768 (may not work)