Baked Caramel Custard

Custards are classic nursery puddings: This is a more sophisticated take on these simple, nourishing desserts. Known as créme caramel in France and flan in Spain, this chilled custard has a rich caramel flavour which is wonderful with cream and strawberries.

Ingredients:
250 gr (9 oz) (1¼ cups) granulated sugar
1 vanilla pod or 10 ml (2 tsp) vanilla essence (extract)
425 ml (15 fl oz) (1¾ cups) double (heavy) cream
5 large eggs, plus 2 extra yolks
thick cream and fresh strawberries, to serve

Directions:

Put 175 gr (6 oz) (generous ¾ cup) of the sugar in a small heavy pan with just enough water to moisten the sugar. Bring to the boil over a high heat, swirling the pan until the sugar is dissolved completely. Boil for about 5 minutes, without stirring, until the syrup turns a dark caramel colour.

Working quickly, pour the caramel into a 1 litre (1¾ pint) (4 cup) soufflé dish. Holding the dish with oven gloves, carefully swirl the dish to coat the base and sides evenly with the hot caramel mixture. Work quickly as the caramel soon sets and becomes hard. Set the dish aside to cool.

Preheat the oven to 160̊C (325̊F - gas: 3). With a small sharp knife carefully split the vanilla pod length-ways and scrape the black seeds into a pan. Add the cream and bring just to the boil over a medium-high heat, stirring frequently. Remove the pan from the heat, cover and set aside for about 20 minutes to cool.

In a bowl, whisk the eggs and egg yolks with the remaining sugar for 2-3 minutes until smooth and creamy.

Whisk in the hot cream and carefully strain the mixture into the caramel-lined dish. Cover tightly with foil. Place the dish in a roasting tin and pour in just enough boiling water to come halfway up the side of the dish.

Bake the custard for 40-45 minutes until just set. To test whether the custard is set, insert a knife about 5 cm (2 in)  from the edge; if it comes out clean, the custard should be ready.

Remove the soufflé dish from the roasting tin and leave to cool for at least 30 minutes, then place in the fridge and chill overnight.

To turn out, carefully run a sharp knife around the edge of the dish to loosen the custard. Cover the dish with a serving plate and holding them together very tightly, invert the dish and plate, allowing the custard to drop down on the plate. Gently lift one edge of the dish, allowing the caramel to run down over the sides and on to the plate, then carefully lift off the dish. Serve with thick cream and fresh strawberries. Serves six to eight.