Crème Caramel (Krem Karamel)

Set the oven to 160 °C (conventional, top and bottom heat). Arrange 6 heatproof 150 ml moulds (porcelain, glass or metal), spaced apart, in a deep baking tray with sides at least 5 cm high. For the bain-marie, boil about 1.5 litres of water in a kettle; this water is separate from the caramel water in the ingredient list and does not go into the dessert.

Put the granulated sugar in a small heavy-based pan and pour the water over the sugar, around the edges. Over medium heat, stir gently with a wooden spoon until the sugar dissolves; once the syrup starts to boil, stop stirring and only swirl the pan to even out the colour. In about 8-10 minutes the syrup turns first pale yellow, then amber; when it reaches a dark honey colour (about 175-185 °C on a thermometer), take it off the heat immediately.

Chef's tip: Caramel is above 170 °C and causes deep burns because it sticks to the skin; do not taste it. If water or milk touches hot caramel, it foams up and spits steam and hot droplets. In this recipe no liquid is added to the caramel afterwards; if you have to add some, take the pan off the heat, keep your face and hands away and pour in a very small amount at the edge.

Without delay, pour about 1 tablespoon (15 ml), roughly 20 g, of caramel into each mould, and holding the mould with an oven glove, tilt it round to coat the base. The caramel sets in 1-2 minutes; the moulds get very hot meanwhile, so do not hold them with bare hands. To dissolve the caramel left in the pan, add water to the pan once it has cooled down and bring it to the boil; do not pour water into a pan with hot caramel.

Combine the whole milk and the vanilla in a pan; if you are using cream, use 400 ml of milk and 100 ml of cream. Heat over medium heat for 4-5 minutes, until small bubbles appear around the edges (about 80 °C), and take it off the heat without letting it boil.

In a large bowl, mix 3 eggs, 2 egg yolks and 85 g of granulated sugar with a balloon whisk for 30-40 seconds, until the sugar is dispersed. Do not use a mixer and do not make it foamy; air whisked into the mixture leaves holes in the custard once it is baked.

Pour the hot milk into the egg mixture in 3-4 additions, in a thin stream, whisking constantly each time. If the milk goes in quickly and all at once, the eggs curdle into lumps and cook.

Pass the mixture through a fine sieve and skim off any foam left on the surface with a spoon. Divide it evenly between the moulds over the set caramel; each mould takes about 120 ml.

Place the tray on the middle shelf of the oven. Pour the bain-marie water you boiled in the kettle into the tray between the moulds until it comes halfway up their sides; do not splash water into the moulds. Bake at 160 °C for 40-45 minutes, checking from the 35th minute. The custard is done when the edges have set and, when you gently shake a mould, an area of 2-3 cm in the centre wobbles like jelly; the tip of a thin knife inserted about 2.5 cm from the centre comes out clean.

Chef's tip: The water in the tray should not boil; if you see bubbles, lower the oven by 10 °C. Overbaked custard turns firm, develops holes and weeps. Take it out while the centre is still wobbling; it finishes cooking as it cools.

Lift the moulds out of the hot water with tongs or an oven glove; take care that hot water does not splash when you carry the tray. Leave them to cool at room temperature for about 1 hour, then cover with cling film and refrigerate for at least 4 hours, preferably overnight. A crème caramel turned out too early may fall apart.

Just before serving, run a thin knife once around the inside edge, pressing it against the mould. Dip the base of the mould in hot tap water for 10-15 seconds. Place a rimmed dessert plate over the mould, hold both firmly together and turn them over in one movement, wait a few seconds and lift off the mould, then pour the caramel sauce left in the mould over the top. If it does not come out, dip the base in hot water once more or let air in at the edge with the tip of a knife. Keep in the fridge for no more than 2 days.