Cyril Lignac’s Crème Caramel
Cyril Lignac’s crème caramel recipe: silky smooth custard baked in a water bath with rich amber caramel and delicate vanilla flavor.
Ingredients
- ¾ cup whole milk
- ¾ cup heavy cream
- 3 large eggs
- ⅓ cup granulated sugar
- ½ vanilla bean
- 1 tonka bean finely grated
Caramel
- ½ cup granulated sugar
- 1 tablespoon water
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 170°C (340°F).
- In a saucepan, combine the 1/2 cup of sugar and the water to make a caramel. Once it reaches a golden amber color, pour it into the bottom of the ramekins.
- In another saucepan, add the milk and heavy cream.
- Split the vanilla bean in half, scrape out the seeds, and add both the seeds and the pod to the saucepan.
- Finely grate a small amount of tonka bean into the mixture to give the custard a subtle caramel-like flavor.
- Bring the mixture to a boil, then remove from the heat and let it infuse.
- In a mixing bowl, whisk together the eggs and the 70 g of sugar until slightly pale and smooth. Gradually pour in the warm milk and cream mixture while whisking, then divide the custard evenly among the ramekins.
- Place the ramekins in a baking dish and pour hot water around them until it reaches halfway up the sides (water bath).
- Cover the ramekins with a silicone baking mat (or heatproof covering) to prevent a skin from forming, then bake for about 20 minutes.
- Allow the custards to cool in the turned-off oven, then refrigerate overnight before serving