Burnt Cream Custard
A baked custard needs a water bath and three hours in the fridge, which is three hours you do not have. This is the stovetop cheat: cook the custard in a pan, chill it fast, then torch the sugar for that glassy crack.
- Total time
- 15 min
- Serves
- 2
- Effort
- Medium
What you need
Written for 2 — nudge the counter and the numbers follow.
0 of 7 in the basket.
How you make it
Sit two shallow ramekins in the freezer and heat the cream with the vanilla in a small pan until it steams, about 3 minutes; do not let it boil.
Whisk the yolks, caster sugar, cornflour and salt in a bowl until pale, then pour in the hot cream in a thin stream while whisking constantly.
Return everything to the pan over low heat and stir with a spatula for 3 to 4 minutes until it thickens to the texture of soft yoghurt and just reaches a bubble, which cooks the yolks through.
Pass the custard through a sieve into the chilled ramekins, cover the surface with cling film and freeze 6 minutes to firm up, no longer.
Blot any condensation, sprinkle a thin even teaspoon and a half of demerara over each and torch until the sugar melts, bubbles and turns amber, about 40 seconds each.
Wait 1 minute for the crust to set hard, then crack it with the back of a spoon.
Read all that and thought “absolutely not”?
Completely fair. Burnt Cream Custard is sitting in the French kitchen right now, it costs nothing, and it will never arrive.
Order it insteadMore from the French kitchen
Butter, patience, and a slightly smug finish.