March 24, 2014

Salted Caramel Pots de Creme

custards and puddings, mini and individual desserts, sweet and salty  // 
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Salted Caramel Pots de Creme are a sweet and salty delight. So rich and creamy!

Salted Caramel Pots de Creme in white ramekins on a wooden tray

Quinn’s birthday was this past weekend, so you can always count on my making a special dessert. He historically picks out some ambitious desserts with multiple components or large amounts of chocolate, but this year we changed gears a bit.

A while back I made Chocolate Pots de Crème and became completely enamored with them. When I was thinking of options for Quinn’s big day, I remembered how much we loved those little pots and decided to give that idea another go.

overhead view of Salted Caramel Pot de Creme on a wooden tray

Neither of us is likely to turn down salted caramel, so I felt quite confident that we’d both be quite pleased with these little guys. I was so very right.

There are so many things we love about this dessert. These beauties are creamy and rich and flat-out delicious. They’re such a wonderful, pure expression of caramel. If you’re a big fan of caramel, I think you’ll love these as much as we did.

overhead view of Salted Caramel Pots de Creme on a wooden tray

You know I love that sprinkling of salt on top. But, if you don’t have that same affinity for sweet and salty, you can skip the extra salt and opt for a dollop of sweetened whipped cream.

Yield: 4 servings

Salted Caramel Pots de Creme

Prep Time 30 minutes
Cook Time 45 minutes
Total Time 1 hour 15 minutes
Salted Caramel Pots de Creme in white ramekins on a wooden tray

Ingredients

  • 1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons (125g) granulated sugar
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • heaping 1/8 teaspoon salt
  • 3/4 cup (177ml) heavy cream
  • 1/4 cup (59ml) milk
  • 3 egg yolks
  • sea salt, for garnish

Instructions

  1. Preheat oven to 325°F. Place four 4- to 6-ounce ramekins in a large baking pan.
  2. Combine the sugar, water, and salt in a medium saucepan.* Cook, stirring constantly, over low heat until the sugar is dissolved. Occasionally wash down the sides of the pan with a wet pastry brush.
  3. Increase heat to medium-high. Bring to a gentle boil. Boil, without stirring, until the mixture turns amber in color (8 to 10 minutes). Remove the pan from heat.
  4. While whisking constantly, carefully add the cream and milk to the sugar mixture. Return the pan to the heat. Cook and whisk until the sugar is completely dissolved (about 2 minutes). Remove from heat.
  5. In a large bowl, whisk the egg yolks until light and foamy. Slowly whisk the caramel mixture into the eggs. Mix until combined.
  6. Place a fine-mesh sieve over a bowl or measuring cup with a spout. Pour the mixture through the sieve.
  7. Divide the mixture evenly among the ramekins. Add the hot water to the pan containing the ramekins so that the water is about halfway up the sides of the ramekins.
  8. Carefully place the pan in the oven. Bake 40 to 45 minutes, or until the edges are set but the centers still jiggle a bit when shaken.
  9. Carefully remove the pan from the oven. Transfer the ramekins** to a wire rack to cool for about 30 minutes. Then, cover each ramekin and chill for at least 4 hours.
  10. Sprinkle with the desired amount of salt before serving.

Notes

*A valuable note for making caramel: Use a saucepan larger than you think you'll need. When you add the cream, it will bubble up quite a bit.

**If you have a jar lifter like the ones used in canning, it works wonderfully for lifting the ramekins out of the pan and onto a rack.

Recipe slightly adapted from Better Homes and Gardens.

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© Jennifer McHenry
Category: custards and puddings

Salted Caramel Pots de Creme bakeorbreak.com

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custards and puddings, mini and individual desserts, sweet and salty
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